Norwegian rising star Andreas Mikkelsen is set to tackle seven rounds in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge this season in a Ford Fiesta S2000 run by M-Sport.

The 20 year old Norwegian and his co-driver Ola Fløene will have their first taste of the new Fiesta S2000 rally car in Rally Sweden (12–14 February) the opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship.  Their first IRC event will be Rally d’Italia Sardegna in June.

Andreas Mikkelsen became the youngest driver ever to score points in WRC when he finished 5th in Rally Sweden in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car in 2008. Last year he became Norwegian champion in group N, and he also did some international rallies in different S2000 cars. He won the Spanish Costa Brava Rally in November last year. He was 3rd in Rally Bohemia. He also did the Barum Rally.

M-Sport, the team which helped Ford’s official WRC drivers Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen take victory in a guest appearance in a Fiesta S2000 on the opening round of the IRC, Rallye Monte Carlo, will run the car for Mikkelsen. M-Sport has registered as a manufacturer in the IRC which will allow Mikkelsen, and other Fiesta S2000 drivers, to score points towards the championship.

M-Sport team manager Malcolm Wilson says: – This will prove to be an exciting season for Andreas. He has already demonstrated that he has the speed and ability to perform well and the Ford Fiesta S2000 has shown its potential by winning in Monte Carlo. Together they should be a good package and I will be watching Andreas’ performances with interest this season.

Andreas Mikkelsen says: – This is just fantastic. When I saw Mikko Hirvonen’s and M-Sport team’s debut with the new Fiesta S2000 in Monte Carlo, I’m sure we have the best package available. My goal is to fight for the S2000 category win in Rally Sweden, and podium finishes in all the IRC rounds.

Andreas Mikkelsen and co-driver Ola Fløene IRC program 2010:
04–06 June, Rally d’Italia Sardegna / Italy
24–26 June, Belgium Ypres Rally / Belgium
27–29 August, Barum Czech Rally Zlín / Czech Republic
09–11 September, Rally Principe de Asturias / Spain
23–25 September, Rallye Sanremo / Italy
14–16 October, RAC MSA Rally of Scotland / UK
04–06 November, FxPro Cyprus Rally / Cyprus

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