Prodrive confirms next three WRC runs

Prodrive WRC Team has confirmed it will enter a brace of MINI John Cooper Works WRCs on the world championship rallies in New Zealand, Germany and Great Britain.

Spanish ace Dani Sordo will pilot the lead entry with the British organisation in discussion with a number of drivers over the second car for the three events.

Prodrive has also confirmed it will tackle further rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship powered by Nokia later in the season.

“We looked at the events we thought would be our most competitive and which gave an even spread throughout the year,” said Prodrive WRC Team principal Dave Wilcock. “After our pace on [Tarmac] last year and Dani’s podiums and near win in France, Germany was an obvious choice. Rally GB is clearly our home event, while after the performance of the new car on the gravel of Portugal, we felt New Zealand should give us a further opportunity to demonstrate that we have the pace to win on loose surfaces.”

Sordo will continue in Prodrive’s latest-specification MINI, which he used to claim six stage wins, including the event-closing Power Stage, on Vodafone Rally de Portugal earlier this month.