WRC winner breaks FIA speed records

Jari-Matti Latvala will head to New Zealand next week for round seven of the FIA World Rally Championship having set four world speed records* during a successful visit to France recently.

Latvala, who drives for the factory Ford squad in the WRC, was part of a 12-man team that set 16 FIA speed world records over distances ranging from one kilometre to 4104.7 kilometres using a Ford Focus road car powered by a one-litre EcoBoost engine.

Journalists from France and the United States supported the 27-year-old for the multiple bids at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

This year’s Rally Sweden winner set the ‘sub-1.0-litre class’ world records* for times recorded covering one kilometre and one mile from both a standing start and a flying start. He also drove the opening leg of a 24-hour timed session, during which new records* were set for the highest average speed over six, 12 and 24 hours and 500 miles, 1000 kilometres and 1000 miles.

Afterwards Latvala said: “This little engine punches way above its weight when it comes to performance,” said Latvala, who drives a Ford Fiesta RS WRC in the world championship. “The records prove the Focus 1.0-litre EcoBoost can be lots of fun - as well as a very frugal car.”

* All records are subject to FIA homologation in Category B (series production cars), Group 1 (4-stroke engine), Class 5 (with engines of between 850-1000cc).