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Habig tests Fiesta ahead of WRC

Jan Habig described his first encounter in the WRC spec Ford Fiesta as “exhilarating” as he prepared to compete in the Wales Rally of Great Britain starting Thursday, September 13, 2012. He is the first South African to drive a fully developed WRC car.

Habig will use the services of British navigator Robbie Durant and the two have started testing the Fiesta in Hafren Sweet Lamb in Wales.

DRIVER, CO-DRIVER CLICKING


Habig said: “We were on the same page very quickly, and I am confident that making pace notes will not be too difficult.

“We completed approximately 50 kms of stage testing today (Monday, September 10, 2012), on roads that leave absolutely no room for error.”

Testing in dry, hot conditions – said to be very unusual for Wales – Habig reported the Ford had lots of torque and felt really good.  

“It is very different to the S2000 spec I am currently running in the South African Championship and requires a more aggressive driving style,” he said.

“The roads are very fast and you need to carry a lot of speed, which means using the higher gears. The tracks are very narrow and will require a very precise driving technique and set-up,” Habig continued.

The local rally ace is no stranger to racing outside of South Africa’s borders – he and his former co-driver, Douglas Judd, competed in the Rally of Great Britain in 1994, where they finished eighth, before competing in the Rally Australia and Rally of Great Britain in 1998.

Habig will contest the Wales Rally of Great Britain, the tenth round of the world rally championships, as a member of the M-Sport World Rally team alongside Matthew Wilson, Ott Tanak and Evgeny Novikov.
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