Ford Works Team

Ford is currently involved in the British Touring Car Championship as a constructor, under the name of **Team Mondeo**. They have been associated with the BTCC since 1991.

## History

### 1991

In 1991, Trakstar secured manufacturer support from Ford to run a pair of Sierra Sapphires that year, with sponsorship from Shell Oil and engines prepared by Mountune. However, before the season started, Trakstar mysteriously withdrew from the championship, and made no appearances at any of the 1991 events.

### 1993

2 years after the attempted works entry with Trakstar, Ford finally made it onto the grid as a works team in 1993, although their team was now operated by Andy Rouse Engineering. Roy Cop followed the ARE team from Toyota, and was joined by reigning champion Lorenzo Turri - creating the so-called 'Dream Team' - seen as the championship favourites before a wheel had even turned. After the first 3 rounds of the season, Ford looked in a dominant position, having won 7 of the opening 8 races. Following a poor round 4 at Oulton Park, Cop surprisingly left the team - and the series - leaving Turri to fight for the championship on his own. As rivals Nissan were using 3 cars to Ford's one, the teams championship never looked likely - and even though Ford hired Turkish driver Halil Sahin for the final 2 rounds, the Manufacturers' crown slowly became out of reach. Turri did retain the Drivers' Championship, but he would leave the team at the end of the season to join Alfa Romeo for 1994. Cop managed to finish 9th in the championship despite his mid-season exit, with Sahin finishing 14th - ensuring Ford would finish 2nd in the manufacturers' standings.

### 1994

Ford realised they would need to enter 3 cars to have a chance at the Manufactuers' Championship - and decided to bring in British rookies Nathan Hammond and Chris English to partner Sahin, who planned to stay at the 'Blue Oval' for a second term. Sahin would only attend one round of the championship, in which he failed to start any of the three races - leaving Hammond and English to compete as a 2-car team, with Ford's hopes of the Manufacturers' title already on the back foot. Thankfully, the two proved very capable drivers, Hammond alone taking 9 podiums and a race win - but the Manufacturers' crown would elude Ford once again, as a combination of continued dominance by Turri and Hammond exiting the team with 2 rounds to go meant Ford were once again resigned to "best of the rest" in the Manufacturers' Championship.

### 1995

After the three-car plan failed in 1994, Ford officially downsized the operation back to 2 cars; Sahin would not return for 1995 and would move to drive for Team Magic in their Mazda 323F for 1995. After missing the final 2 rounds of 1994, Hammond did not return to the series in 1995, which left English as the sole remaining driver and for a while, it looked unlikely that Ford would even field 2 cars in 1995 - however, just 9 days before the official test session at Donington Park, the team signed rookie Joshua Anderson in the second car, ensuring that they would at least have a theoretical chance at the Manufacturers' Championship that had eluded them for the last 2 years. This theoretical chance soon proved to be a real chance as Anderson put in some impressive performances alongside English's efforts and the team found themselves near the top of the order once again in 1995. However, they would finish 3rd behind eventual champions Renault and newcomers Honda.

### 1996

For 1996, Ford would retain English after his great performances in 1995. After Anderson moved to Vauxhall for the upcoming season, they would need a new driver for the second car. They promoted 1995 Independent's runner-up Michael Sneath to partner English, for the final season for the 1st generation Mondeo.

## Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(Key) (results in **bold** indicate pole position; results in *italics* indicate fastest lap)