Rally New Zealand: Ford withdraws Kresta/Mozny

Kresta withdraws from Rally New Zealand after test crash

BP-Ford World Rally Team drivers Roman Kresta and Jan Mozny have been withdrawn from the Rally New Zealand after a heavy accident during this morning's pre-event shakedown test. The Czech duo rolled their Ford Focus RS World Rally Car at high speed and the damage was too extensive for repairs to be completed to allow the car to start this fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

The accident happened 3.76km after the start of the 5.21km Wearmouth Road test stage, close to the service park at Paparoa, around which the opening two days of the rally are based tomorrow and Saturday.

"I approached a sixth gear right corner and left my braking slightly too late," said 28-year-old Kresta. "The car hit a bank and then rolled heavily several times." Both Kresta and Mozny were shaken but unhurt. Data showed the Focus RS was travelling at 121kph at the time of the crash.

BP-Ford team director Malcolm Wilson said the car was too badly damaged to be repaired for the rally. "The roll cage was damaged in the impact and there was also considerable damage to the front left chassis and the rear right of the car. We don't have the time to make repairs here and there is no way the car could compete. It's a big disappointment to lose Roman before the start and there is nobody more disappointed than he is," he said.

The rally starts in Auckland this evening.

-frs-