Ford team runs for Sport Relief

The Ford World Rally Team will take to the streets of León in Mexico next week to raise money for UK-based charity, Sport Relief.

Championship leaders Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen will swap their Focus RS WRC for running shoes as they tackle the Coca-Cola Street Stage in León on foot with the support of team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila.

In a bid to complete the famous Sport Relief Mile they will take to the 1.5km Street Stage on Thursday 4 March with team management, engineers, technicians and even the team chef. They will be joined by Stobart M-Sport Ford drivers Henning Solberg and Ilka Minor, Matthew Wilson and Scott Martin, Munchi’s Ford drivers Federico Villagra and Jorge Perez Companc and new to the Ford line-up for 2010, Monster drivers Ken Block and Alex Gelsomino.

Ford drivers will be running in Sport Relief t-shirts for this event - designed by England football star David Beckham and his family.

"I’m really looking forward to getting out there with the whole team and doing something for charity," said Hirvonen. "We raised money for Comic Relief last year and I hope we can raise even more for Sport Relief this year. Running isn’t my strong point, but I’m up for the challenge. I’m a better boxer than a runner I think! I also need to beat Jarmo or I have to buy him dinner!"