Opportunity of a lifetime for Fiesta SportingTrophy scholarship competitors
Image: ©willyweyens-rallyworld
Two Fiesta SportingTrophy drivers, Alastair Fisher (20) and Elfyn Evans (19) have been awarded a test by M-Sport in the Ford Focus RS WRC as the joint VK Fiesta SportingTrophy UK and Maxol E85 Ford Fiesta SportingTrophy Ireland scholarship prize winners.
The young drivers from Trillick, Co. Tyrone and Machynlleth, Wales, respectively, will be offered driver tuition from current Stobart VK M-Sport World Rally Championship driver Matthew Wilson in December, with the added bonus of an invitation to dinner with M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson and double Ford WRC champion Marcus Grönholm.
Originally, the prize was designed to reward the strongest driver for his participation in both championships, but Malcolm Wilson found it impossible to split the performance of Fisher and Evans this year, so decided to award the prize to both. The pair finished the Maxol E85 Ford FST Ireland championship tied on points, with Evans only taking the victory by virtue of having won Round 1.
Talking after the announcement Alastair Fisher said:
To say that I am excited would be an understatement; a test session with Matthew Wilson in a works Ford Focus WRC is a dream end-of-season prize. Having no LHD experience, I wasn’t expecting this at all. It’s fantastic that M-Sport have recognised our commitment to FST and this is the best possible way we could have been rewarded. My good friend Derek Jobb has lent me his LHD car in preparation for the test!
Elfyn Evans said:
Being given the opportunity to drive a World Rally car is amazing. We will have a busy few days between the FST International Shootout and this drive - but it will be a fantastic end to the season. It will be the first time I will have driven a 4WD car, so it’s certainly something I am looking forward to. I am very thankful for this chance.
Malcolm Wilson, Managing Director, M-Sport said:
Having to choose one winner for the extended test was a real challenge. Alastair [Fisher] and Elfyn [Evans] have both showed some amazing performances throughout the year and to split them was just impossible, my only option was to offer the experience to both of them. With both drivers happily agreeing to this decision, it just shows that although the competition is incredibly close, the camaraderie and sportsmanship between the competitors is equally impressive. I look forward to seeing how they get on.
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