Mads is the man for Malcolm

M-Sport chief Malcolm Wilson says Mads Ostberg would be the perfect driver to lead his team’s assault on next year’s FIA World Rally Championship.

Ostberg claimed his maiden WRC victory and finished fourth in the 2012 drivers’ standings in a Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car built by M-Sport.

Although UK-based M-Sport is searching for backers to make up the shortfall it’s facing following Ford’s decision to withdraw its sponsorship of the squad after a 16-year association, Wilson is actively looking to finalise his driver line-up, particularly in the wake of Jari-Matti Latvala’s defection to Volkswagen and Petter Solberg’s insistence that he won’t pay to drive in 2013.

“We’re pretty confident of seeing Mads in a Fiesta next year,” Wilson told Autosport. “He’s always been a driver on my radar and he would certainly fit the bill as a team leader for us. He’s done a great job this year and for sure we’re looking at ways to retain him in the future.”

Ostberg is also being targeted by Prodrive for a ride in 2013. The company’s Richard Taylor said: “we have been very, very impressed with the way his pace has improved this year - it’s nothing short of sensational.”