Fergus Greensmith stays with Skoda in WRC2

There will be at least two cutting-edge Fabia RS Rally2s this year. Fergus Greensmith is taking this car again after a first season of operation marked by two victories. The ambition is to aim for the title to claim a seat in Rally1 in 2025.

Published 06/01/2024 à 07:56

Loïc ROCCI

  Comment on this article! 0

Fergus Greensmith stays with Skoda in WRC2

Fergus Greensmith (left) and Oliver Solberg will spearhead Skoda in the 2 WRC2024 championship (Photo: Nikos Katikis/DPPI)

The name of Fergus Greensmith was circulated among Hyundai et M-Sport during the offseason. In both cases, it was a program behind the wheel of a Rally2. The Englishman will ultimately not change his mount for 2024. He will once again be at the helm of a Skoda Fabia RS.

For the former goalkeeper in the Manchester City youth section, this will be the second year in a row after playing in Rally1 in 2022 on a Puma hybrid. Disappointed with the problems encountered with the Ford and not wanting to be in the shadow ofOtt Tänak When the Estonian returned to the team at the start of 2023, Gus had made the bet to return to WRC2, a category in which he had already raced between 2017 and 2019. Discovering the Fabia, the Englishman had made a very good start of the championship with two successes in Mexico and Portugal before experiencing a penalizing retirement in Finland (rollover).

Remaining a candidate for the title after second places in Greece and Chile, he had lost all his chances in the rally from Central Europe on a puncture and a lack of feeling with his mount. Having finished the season at 2e Rank behind Andreas Mikkelsen, Fergus had not indicated what follow-up he would give to his involvement. With Monte Carlo fast approaching, he has confirmed that he will once again be behind the wheel of a Skoda with his Swedish co-driver Jonas Anderson.

« It’s fantastic to be with Skoda in 2024, did he declare. We have had a lot of success together in 2023 and we both share the ambition to challenge for the world championship this year. Instead of finishing second, our goal is to win the WRC2 title with the Toksport team. I am really looking forward to continuing my work with Skoda Motorsport. »

While doubts existed regarding the presence in WRC2 of the team based in Germany, it will be within this entity that Greensmith will race with a program including at least 7 rounds which have not been revealed, but including the Monte-Carlo will not be part. If several drivers (Andreas Mikkelsen, Nikolay Gryazin, Marco Bulacia, Sami Pajari) no longer ride a Fabia, Greensmith joins Oliver Solberg and this duo looks like solid contenders.

ALSO READ > Sami Pajari will enter the 2024 WRC2 season with the Toyota Yaris Rally2

Loïc ROCCI

Journalist specializing in rallying past, present and future... and with a southern accent

Comment on this article! 0

Read also

Comments

0 Comment (s)

To write a comment