by Joe Jeffrey
Swift announces new 2017 rally car ahead of BRC1 class championship
Swift Group has launched their 2017 rally car, a Ford Fiesta R5 built by world renowned M-Sport. The car will compete in the top class of the British Rally Championship and will be driven by Matt Edwards, the reigning 2016 BRC Class 2 Champion.
Swift Group has had a long and illustrious association with the world of rallying, with the Group’s chairman, Peter Smith, competing for many years in a variety of rally championships. Add to this Smith’s son and fellow Swift Group board member, Guy, inheriting his father’s passion and successfully forging a career as a professional racing driver and you can see where the connection between caravanning and rally cars at Swift fits into place.
In recent years, Swift Group has also supported a number of promising and established drivers including Matt Edwards, Ashley Slights and Julian Reynolds, the latter of whom competes in the British Trials and Rally Driver Association.
For 2017, Swift Group will continue their sponsorship of Matt Edwards and his co-driver Will Rogers as they move up into the BRC1 class. From the early stages of his career, Matt has impressed with his speed and skill winning his first championship class in 2007.
Swift Group first sponsored Matt in 2010 just after he had teamed up with co-driver Will Rogers. Swift support has continued since and for the current season Matt has been competing in a self-built Mitsubishi Evo in which he secured the BRC Class 2 championship with two events remaining.
At the Carlisle Rally this June, Matt was offered the opportunity to compete in an M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5. Despite having only driven the R5 for 20 miles before the rally, Matt set a blistering pace only to be undone by a puncture.
M-Sport’s globally successful Ford Fiesta R5 received an extensive upgrade this year that brought substantial performance enhancements to what is already a championship-winning vehicle.
Since its debut in the middle of 2013, the Fiesta R5 has become M-Sport’s most successful global rally car. With more than 170 cars competing around the globe, the Fiesta can boast hundreds of class victories alongside outright wins and championship laurels.
“It has been tremendous to see Matt develop as a rally driver and I am thrilled that Swift Group has decided to support his step up into the top class of the British Rally Championship” said Peter Smith, Swift Group Chairman.
Matt Edwards commented: “The opportunity to compete in the 2017 BRC Championship in an R5 is a dream come true and allows me to test myself against the best rally drivers in Britain. I am especially pleased to be continuing my relationship with the Swift Group who has been a fantastic sponsor over the last few years.
We here at CaravanTimes wish the team all the best in the upcoming championship – we’ll make sure we have everything crossed.
