Two of the World Rally Championship stars of the future will be team mates for Wales Rally GB. Regular Stobart VK M-Sport Ford driver, and the youngest driver in the WRC, Matt Wilson will be accompanied by 20 year old Finn Jari-Matti Latvala.
The entry is no surprise for Matt, who is the youngest driver to score points in the WRC, but it was a different story for Jari-Matti who was delighted to have been selected by Team Manager Malcolm Wilson as part of the Stobarts home challenge.
I am so pleased to be entered for this rally as I have done well here before and it is one of my favourites. To be in such a competitive car really means we can go in with a chance of finishing well and scoring some points, said the Finn who has driven Rally GB four times with a best overall finish of 10th.
I started my rally career proper in the UK so I am pretty used to the conditions that you get in the Welsh forests. Ive pretty good experience of the mud and rain! It is great to be part of a team which is so professional and where everything is done so well the rest is up to me.
This year Jari-Matti and co-driver Mikka Anttila have contested three rounds of the WRC in the 04 Ford Focus for the Stobart team; Catalunya, Corsica and Germany. In Wales theyll get their first competitive outing in the tremendous 06 spec car.
Team Manager Malcolm Wilson said We have got two of the stars of the future in the Stobart team and it is great to see young drivers developing and being given the opportunity to impress of the world stage. Jari-Matti knows the team from his previous outings this year and has a good track record on this event.
Also flying the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford flag will be the youngest competitor on Rally GB, Andreas Mikkelson along with BRC and Junior WRC driver Barry Clark from Aberdeen. Barry is in a strong position to win the coveted JWRC Rookie title in Wales.
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