Stohl adapting well to Fiesta debut

After completing the second full day of action on Brother Rally New Zealand, Austria’s Manfred Stohl says he is adapting well to the Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

Returning to the FIA World Rally Championship for the first time since 2007’s Wales Rally GB, Stohl and co-driver Ilka Minor have been enjoying a cat-and-mouse fight for 10th place alongside American Gymkhana star Ken Block.

“Today I only had hard tyres left so we had no option but I think the soft tyre would be the best choice if we had any left,” said Stohl at the end of day two. “The car is going very well. I think it’s very easy to adapt to, and it has not been a big problem that I had no pre-event testing. It does everything that I want it to and is very responsive.”

Stohl added: “My aim for the final day is to stay on the road, and to make no mistakes. I am happy to stay how I have been going - I just want to keep the car on the road and make it to the end of the rally. I just love competing out in New Zealand, it is an incredible event and the perfect rally for a return to the WRC.”

Stohl and Minor are currently 11th, 1m11.8s adrift of fellow Ford Fiesta RS WRC driver Ken Block who rounds off the top ten.