Team Ford Notes 98-06-23

* While the FIA World Rally Championship takes a summer break the Ford World Rally team mechanics are working hard to prepare the Escort World Rally Cars for the Rally of New Zealand. The cars leave for New Zealand next week and round nine of the championship starts in Auckland on 24 July. * An engineer and tyre technician from the Ford World Rally team have gone to China to observe the China Rally (which ended today) which is expected to be included in next year's FIA World Rally Championship. The pair were looking at stages, service areas and the route. * Las Vegas could stage a round of the FIA World Rally Championship in the next few years if a radical shake-up takes place. "I'd love to see the World Championship heading to North America, it would be a big benefit to the sport. We would have to lose a different round in the championship for this to happen as 14 rounds is enough already, but all the teams would support the idea," said Malcolm Wilson, Ford World Rally Team Director