Rising Scottish rally driver Finlay Retson will take the next step of his career in 2019 by launching an assault on the Junior British Rally Championship behind the wheel of a brand new M-Sport Ford Fiesta R2.
The Blairgowrie ace narrowly missed out on taking the Cadet Cup title last season in an older generation Fiesta, but thanks to the support of his backers, will be using the latest specification Ford direct from the factory in Poland. The M-Sport built machine will arrive in the UK just days before the opening round of the season, The Cambrian Rally on 15th February in North Wales.
At just 18 years of age, Retson will be one of the youngest competitors in the series which will see some of the fastest Junior drivers in Europe vie for a prize fund worth over 60,000 Euro. Retson will own one of only a handful of the impressive 1.0litre EcoBoost Ford Fiesta’s in the country and will be aiming to build on his experience learnt in the championship during his 2018 campaign.
Retson is a model of progression in British rallying, competing in the F1000 Scottish Junior series for 14-17-year-olds and taking the title in 2016. Retson then headed into the BTRDA Fiesta ST Trophy, where he took his inaugural win on only his fourth event in the car.
Last season he progressed into the BRC Cadet Cup for newcomers to the series and despite leading each event contested, could only convert that into a win in Ulster thanks to mechanical woes.
Now, he will make the leap into the hotly contested Junior series which, thanks to M-Sport and Pirelli, offers the chance of a 60,000 Euro prize fund to put towards a full campaign in the 2020 FIA Junior WRC Championship.
“There is no doubt the new M-Sport Fiesta R2 is the quickest and capable car out there at the moment and I’m really very privileged to be able to compete in one this season,” he says.
“I was invited to the launch day in Poland earlier this year and was very impressed. But the backup and support provided my M-Sport is second to none and that was also a huge factor in the decision to try and acquire one for this season. I’m hugely indebted to my backers and sponsors for their faith in me and the chance to drive one in the championship.
