M-Sport signs Ott Tänak for 2015 WRC team
M-Sport have confirmed that Ott Tänak will be filling the seat behind the wheel of the a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, vacated by the outgoing Mikko Hirvonen. Tänak will partner Welshman Elfyn Evans in 2015 World Rally Championship to form what the M-Sport says, will be one of the most exciting young teams.
Tänak and his co-driver Raigo Mõlder raced the Fiesta RS WRC in Sweden and Portugal earlier this year after one year hiatus. They did another seven races in WRC-2 series, winning the Rally of Poland and placing second overall.
"I'm really happy to have been given another chance. I know it's going to be a big challenge and a big responsibility, but I'm ready for it and I'm really looking forward to the season ahead," Tänak said.
“We’ll need to find our rhythm in the first few events, but I’ve been working with M-Sport for a long time and I have a lot of mileage with the Fiesta RS WRC, so I hope it won’t take too long to get up to speed. We have some good experience of most of the rallies and I think that there are some events where we could do really well.
“I’ve been overwhelmed by the support we’ve received in recent years. There are so many people out there who have stayed with us on this long journey; I am really humbled by that and truly thankful for their faith in me,” he added.
Team principal Malcolm Wilson said: "I think it's fair to say that we will be fielding what is one of the most exciting driver pairings in the FIA World Rally Championship next year. There is no doubting the potential of Elfyn [Evans] and Ott [Tänak] and I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do."
"Both drivers have a full season of world rally car experience and the whole team is motivated by the possibility of some break-through performances. I fully believe that both drivers are capable of challenging for the podium on a number of events and we are all looking forward to what looks set to be another thrilling year of rallying."
2015 World Rally Championships consist of 13 stages. The season starts in Monte Carlo on January 21.