Novikov, Neuville join Qatar M-Sport WRT for 2013

Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team adds Evgeny Novikov and Thierry Neuville to roster
Evgeny Novikov (RUS) Dmitry Chumak (RUS), Ford Fiesta WRC
Evgeny Novikov (RUS) Dmitry Chumak (RUS), Ford Fiesta WRC
© PHOTO 4

Evgeny Novikov and Thierry Neuville will compete with the Qaജtar M-Sport World Rally Team in 2013, it has been confi🍸rmed.

The announcement was made late today with c♎onfirmation the pair will both take in all 13 rounds of the 2013 World Rally Championship at the wheel of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC car, alongside team leader, Mads Ostberg and Nasser Al-Attiyah, who will do seven WRC events around his other motorsport commitments.

Novikov competed with the M-Sport Ford WRT in 2012 - effectively Ford's 'B' team, finishing sixth in the drivers' championship and notching up two podiums, in the process becoming the you🌜ngest ever driver to stand on a WRC podium at just 21 years old.

Neuville mean🎶while was with the Citroen Junior WRT and also did well claiming a career-best result in France when he finished fourth. In addition he took 11 stages wins and was seventh in the standings.

"Both Evgeny and Thierry were strong candidates since negotiations began. They are young, but they have both shown some real maturity this year - combining obvious spee🥀d with a determination to finish 𓂃all of the events and gain as much knowledge of the stages as possible," said M-Sport managing director, Malcolm Wilson.

"Both have regu💮larly challenged the factory drivers, and their 2012 results were thoroughly deserved. I am confident that both drivers have more to prove and t♍hat we will see more impressive performances from them in 2013.

"We have a young team for next year, but this by no means detracts f🥂rom their ability to produce some strong results.

"All of them, Mads, Evgeny and Thierry, proved their worth in 2012 and, with guidance from Nasser,ಌ they can all be fantastic ambassadors for Qatar, M-Sport and the WRC."

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