Ford`s new signings, double world rally champions Marcus Gronholm and Timo Rautiainen today made their first public appearance alongside the all-new Focus RS World Rally Car 06.
The Finnish duo broke off from their final test session in southern France ahead of next week`s first round of the FIA World Rally Championship, to appear at the opening day of the Autosport International show in Birmingham - the traditional curtain raiser to the motorsport season.

The asphalt test session near Gap provides the third testing opportunity for the BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers to sample the exciting new Focus RS WRC upon which Ford is placing its world championship hopes for the next three seasons. But the foursome jetted into Birmingham to meet the world`s media and share the limelight with the Focus RS WRC, which will remain on display to the public throughout the four-day show.

The next time the drivers will be seen with the car in its distinctive livery will be in just seven days when the official start of the Rallye Monte Carlo signifies the beginning of the gruelling 16-round season.

"I`ve driven the Focus RS WRC on snow in Sweden and twice on asphalt in France and I`m hugely impressed," said 37-year-old Grönholm. "I quickly developed a good feeling with the car and have settled into a good working relationship with the team. I`m not making any predictions about Monte Carlo. The important thing on the first round is for me to gain experience of the car in competitive surroundings. But my initial feeling is that the Focus RS WRC can win rallies in 2006."

Tags: drivers, marcus-gronholm, timo-rautiainen, ford, focus, monte-carlo,