FIA RALLY:Liatti joins Ford's world rally title challenge
7 September 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Piero Liatti will provide a major boost to Ford's World Rally Championship campaign by joining the team for this month's Tour of Corsica and next month's Sanremo rallies. The 38-year-old Italian will drive a third Ford Focus World Rally Car to support regular pilots Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz.
The rallies are the final two asphalt events in the 14-round championship and Liatti, who will be co-driven by Carlo Cassina, has earned a reputation for being one of the world's fastest drivers on that surface. This season he has won two European championship events, the Rally della Lana in Italy and the Madeira Rally, both on asphalt.
After winning the European Championship in 1991, Liatti moved up to a full-time drive in the world championship. A string of consistent performances earned him fifth place in the 1995 championship and in 1997 he won the world-famous Monte Carlo Rally, his only world championship victory to date.
He has many podium finishes to his name on asphalt world championship events, including twice finishing second on his home Sanremo Rally and emulating that achievement on Spain's Catalunya Rally.
"I'm delighted to have the chance to drive a Focus on my favourite surface," said Liatti, who will shortly test a Focus for the first time. "It's currently the best car in the championship and having won twice this season I also feel in good shape. I think I can finish in the top places on both rallies and I think victory is possible in Italy."
Ford team director Malcolm Wilson said Liatti would offer 'great support' in the team's championship challenge. "His presence strengthens our asphalt line-up. His ability to finish in points-scoring positions, and take points from our rivals, will assist Colin and Carlos in their quest to win the drivers' title. His expertise will also provide us with valuable feedback in our continuing development programme on asphalt," said Wilson.
Text provided by Susannah Priestley
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