British driver Barry Clark (24) is aiming to defend his championship lead by going for a hat-trick of wins on Rally d’Italia Sardegna next weekend (17-20 May). The Aberdeen driver and Carlisle co-driver, Scott Martin (25), won the two opening rounds of the Fiesta SportingTrophy International (FSTi) in the snow of Rally Norway and the gravel of Rally de Portugal. Their performances leave them as strong contenders for the title, but judging by the pace of fellow Brits Simon Hughes (23) and co-driver Claire Mole (38) in Portugal, the battle for the win will go right down to the wire.
The seven round series follows the FIA World Rally Championship calendar and Rally d’Italia Sardegna is the third round of the Fiesta SportingTrophy International, as well as the second outing on gravel stages. Crews in the competitive one-make championship will drive identical Ford Fiesta ST GpN cars that offer 165PS from the 2-litre Duratec engine.
Previously based in Sanremo, the Italian round of the WRC moved to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia in 2005 and has a reputation of being one of the toughest tests in the World Championship, covering 343 kilometres in 18 stages over three days.
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