2000 Ford Focus Mk1 WRC - ex-Sainz/Moya and McRae/Grist

2000 World Rally Championship; V6 FMC

• Round 5    Rallye Catalunya  30/03/2000   Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya    3rd overall
• Round 7    Acropolis               22/06/2000   Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya    2nd overall
• Round 10  Rally of Cyprus     07/09/2000   Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya    Outright win

2001 World Rally Championship; V6 FMC

• Round 2     Rally Sweden       08/02/2001   Colin McRae/Nicky Grist   9th overall

Officially titled the Focus RS WRC, Ford's legendary rally car started a total of 173 events over the years, and has been driven by such legends as Marcus Gronholm, Mikko Hirvonen, Petter Solberg and Carlos Sainz. Not forgetting, of course the late Colin McRae, who made the Martini-clad Focus a bit of an icon. Few cars have had such a long innings at the forefront of the WRC, and it all started back in 1999 when the Focus first appeared at the Monte Carlo Rally. 

Built in utmost secrecy and codenamed C170, the Focus WRC was based upon the well engineered road car, which boasted a 10% stiffer bodyshell than that of its predecessor, the Escort. It housed a new Ford Zetec E 16V turbocharged engine and other areas of the car were also further developed making it a compact and nimble contender. Along with a new car for the 1999 season, Ford had also managed to lure away the 1995 World Rally Champion, Colin McRae, from Subaru at a reported sum of £6,000,000 over two years - making him the highest earning rally driver in history. Always a favourite amongst rally fans due to his 'if in doubt, flat out' driving style, McRae won 25 WRC events in his career and in doing so, etched his name into motorsport folklore.

Most of the distinctive FMC registration numbers on their WRC cars are indelibly etched in rally enthusiast's memories, particularly V6 FMC which remained competitive for nearly four years, a long time for a rally car at this level. It was used by Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya for the Rallye Catalunya in March 2000 (third) and the Acropolis (second) in June and was famously guided by Carlos Sainz/Luis Moya to victory on the WRC 2000 Rally of Cyprus (Round Ten) finishing 37.4 seconds ahead of Colin McRae in V5 FMC. The car enjoyed two further outings in November when it was driven by Raimund Baumschlager and Stephen Finlay.

In February 2001, V6 FMC was entered by Ford Motor Company for Colin McRae and Nicky Grist in the International Swedish Rally alongside Carlos Sainz in V8 FMC and Francois Delecour in V3 FMC. One of the iciest and snow-banked events for many years saw Colin McRae at his inimitable best fighting for the lead, kissing heaped snow walls as he mounted a challenge. On Stage Five and Six, V6 FMC posted the fastest stage times, however a few stages later, Colin lent on a snow bank that had been weakened by earlier cars, it gave way and the car went off. Fortunately, dozens of ever enthusiastic Swedish spectators manhandled the Focus back on to the stage but time was lost. The gearbox became stuck in sixth and a ninth place finish was the best that they could manage, but the crowd had witnessed Colin McRae at his fighting best.

Through the remaining part of 2001 and up until May 2002 V6 FMC was campaigned in WRC events by the Italian pairing of Paulo Andreucci/Anna Andruessi with top AB results. In May 2002, the car was purchased by the experienced Norwegian driver, Valter Jensen, and with co-driver Erik Pedersen competed in many domestic rallies through to June 2004, gaining plenty of credible top five results. The Focus remained in his possession for nearly 25 years, making its reappearance a noteworthy story.

Now returned to the UK, the car is supplied with a full documented history file including its original purchase invoice from Malcolm Wilson’s M-Sport, export papers, its Gold Logbook, M-Sport correspondence, and details of an engine rebuild with less than 100km running time since. Supplied at the time was c.£100,000 worth of M-Sports spares, in itself a special part of the story of Valter Jensen’s long association with V6 FMC, and these are available by separate negotiation. Supplied with the car, however, are the lamp and bumper pods and an extra set of five wheels. 

Neil Buckley of Dom Buckley Motorsport has recently checked the car all over and it has just benefited from a full service with cambelts and fluids etc.

This is a special opportunity to acquire the 2000 Rally of Cyprus-winning V6 FMC, long unseen and part of WRC folklore for Colin McRae's heroic battle through the snow on the 2001 Swedish Rally.