Stobart VK M

Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team

Name: Stobart VK M-Sport Ford Rally Team
Based: Cumbria, England
Established: 2006
Team principal: Malcolm Wilson
Current car: Ford Focus RS WRC07
Manufacturers' titles: None
Current drivers: Gigi Galli, Matthew Wilson, Henning Solberg, Francois Duval
WRC wins at end of 2007: None
Team website: www.stobartmotorsport.com

The livery of Stobart Motorsport has become a regular sight on the stages of the World Rally Championship since the team was established in 2006. Stobart's aim is to ensure a place for developing talent under the Ford banner, and with names like Matthew Wilson, Jari-Matti Latvala and now Gigi Galli, it?s off to an excellent start. Equipped with the latest customer specification Focus RS WRC2007, this team could upset some of the more established players in 2008.
Run by Malcolm Wilson's M-Sport operation, the Stobart team made its WRC debut in 2006 with drivers Matthew Wilson, Jari-Matti Latvala, Luis Perez Companc, and Kosti Katajamaki. The team collected 44 points in the manufacturers' title chase, beating more experienced drivers in the Red Bull Skoda team to take fifth in the standings.
Wilson remained in 2007, but was partnered this time by up-and-coming star Jari-Matti Latvala and proven WRC contender Henning Solberg. While the team had no championship expectations, team boss Malcolm Wilson expected solid results from his drivers, and he certainly wasn't disappointed.
The team scored points on every single event and just three rallies in, on Rally Norway, Henning Solberg became the first ever Stobart driver to step onto a WRC podium. Rally Norway was also the highest single-event points haul for the team when Latvala came in fifth - making a total of ten manufacturer points for the event.