SEPTEMBER 18, 2000

Ford pulls out of British Touring Car Championship

THE Ford Motor Company has pulled out of the British Touring Car Championship, having dominated the series this year with drivers Anthony Reid, Alain Menu and Rickard Rydell. Menu won the title last weekend to bring an end to Ford's 40-year history in the series. The company is reorganizing all its competition activities at the moment and with the intention being to run the Ford Focus in the World Rally Championship it is unlikely that the firm will return to touring cars with the Ford brand. Current speculation suggests that the obvious move for Ford would be to use the Volvo brand in touring car racing, the AstonÊMartin brand in sportscars, Ford in rallying and Jaguar in F1.