Wilson gets six-event guarantee

Matthew Wilson’s participation in the World Rally Championship has been confirmed up until Acropolis Rally of Greece in June.

The 24-year-old revealed to WRC.com in January that he only had funds in place to contest the season-opening Rally Sweden earlier this month.

However, his programme has now been expanded and he will definitely take in the rounds in Mexico, Portugal, Jordan, Italy and Argentina.

Wilson, who finished ninth on Rally Sweden after dropping four minutes on day one with a steering fault, now hopes that by taking part on rallies he will be able to secure the finances needed to complete the balance of the season for the M-Sport Stobart World Rally Team.

“Everything’s in place up until Greece, which is brilliant really,” said the British driver. “Hopefully by being out on the rallies it will make the job of getting things in place for the rest of the year that bit easier.”

Wilson has been an ever-present in the WRC since 2006 when he embarked on a 16-event programme as a teenager. He has scored points in every season since and counts his best result as fourth overall on Rally Japan in 2007.

As well as driving in the WRC, Wilson has played a key role in developing several rally cars, including the Ford Fiesta S2000 and the new-for-2011 Fiesta RS WRC.

His father Malcolm, who heads up the M-Sport organisation and runs the factory Ford team in the world championship, said confirmation of his son’s programme would help his progress this season.

“Matthew’s programme has now been confirmed until Greece and he should be able to concentrate more on his driving now that his programme for the year has become more secure,” said Wilson Sr. “He had an unfortunate opening round in Sweden with powersteering issues which knocked his confidence. But Mexico should be a promising event as gravel is his preferred surface and he has tested the car extensively on the surface.”

Wilson, who is co-driven by fellow Briton Scott Martin, will be back on WRC duty on the second round of the series, Rally Guanajuato Mexico, next week.