2010 Kick Energy Fiesta SportTrophy Ireland (FST IE) champion Stephen Wright will contest the penultimate round of the Fiesta SportTrophy Belgium series next weekend, the Tour of Flanders Rally. The Roeselare based Tarmac event takes place over two days, 14 special stages and 212 competitive kilometres. Wright will be up against ten FST Belgium regulars including championship leader Cedric De Cecco in a Fiesta R2 and FIA Junior World Rally Championship front-runner Hans Weijs Junior, who will tackle the event in Citroen C2 R2.
Wright, (21) from County Monaghan, will be partnered on the event by regular co-driver Paul McGee. They will compete in an M-Sport prepared and run Ford Fiesta R2 as part of their prize for winning the 2010 Kick Energy FST Ireland championship. It will be only the second time Wright will have competed in a left-hand-drive car, the first being on the Galway Summer Stages Rally just two weeks ago in a David Greer Motorsport prepared Fiesta R2 in an attempt to gain experience of a left-hand-drive vehicle ahead of his Belgian debut. Wright also tested the M-Sport Fiesta R2 last week to familiarise himself with the car he will use in Belgium.
Wright and McGee wrapped up the FST Ireland championship on the fourth round, the Donegal International Rally, having scored three wins and a second from the opening four events.
2010 Kick Energy FST Ireland Champion, Stephen Wright, said:
“I’m really looking forward to making my debut on the Belgian stages. The [Fiesta] R2 far more lively than the ST I have been using this year and it certainly feels a lot quicker. I have to adapt to driving on the left side of the car, but I am getting more and more comfortable with it and I have borrowed a left-hand-drive road car to use in the build up to the rally. Whilst I obviously want to do well, I’m not going out there expecting to win. If I can be close to the FST Belgian front-runners by the end of the event, I will be happy and it will be a good experience no matter where we finish.”
– Credit: www.fiestasporttrophy.ie