Villagra enjoys successful Fiesta test debut

Federico Villagra’s preparations for Rally Argentina began in earnest yesterday when he completed a 130-kilometre test on gravel roads near Córdoba in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta S2000.

The eight-time Argentine champion, who will make his Intercontinental Rally Challenge debut on Rally Argentina this week, was impressed with how his new car had performed during the test, which he undertook alongside co-driver Jorge Pérez Companc.

He said: “The car has a really fantastic chassis, which allows you to turn and stop impeccably. There is a substantial difference in power to the World Rally Car but it handles excellently although I had to work hard to get used to the gearbox. It will be challenging but we will look for the highest step of the podium.”

Mikko Hirvonen gave M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta a debut IRC victory on Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo in January. Villagra won the Group N section of Rally Argentina in 2007.