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Tuesday, 04 July 2006 |
With the demise of the Sierra, Ford did not enter the BTCC again until the 1993 season with the new Mondeo Si saloon, the team being run by Andy Rouse.Although the car was ready for the start of the season it didn't race until round 8 at Pembury,Wales.Rouse and Radisich were the drivers with the later taking the teams first podium finish[3rd] at Silverstone round 9. The first win arrived at Brands Hatch with Radisich taking Ford's 200th win in the BTCC,another two wins followed by the end of the season with both drivers finishing first and second in the final round.The same driver line up was retained for the '94 season,the Mondeo proved to be a competent front runner but couldn't break the dominance of the Alfa's and Renault Laguna of Menu,the team finished 3rd in the manufacturers table with Radisich taking two wins during the year. Radisich remained for '95 with Kelvin Burt drafted in to replace the retiring Rouse,it was somewhat of a watershed year for Ford with both drivers only taking one win a piece,the transition from ARE to west surrey racing [WSR] proved difficult for all.An all new hatchback,based on the 2.0i ghia was engineered by Schubel in Germany but was late arriving which meant WSR were always trying to play catch up,neither driver visited the podium all season. Reynard designed and built the '97 Mondeo but were once again the last to appear.For the first part of the season there weren't enough spares or development parts ,as in '96 WSR were always behind and the team failed to visit the podium for a second year.Will Hoy's best result being 5th and Radisich managed a fourth. The '98 Mondeo was much closer to the pace winning a race for the first time since '95,Will Hoy winning at a rain soaked Silverstone,Craig Baird had replaced Radisich and Nigel Mansell made guest appearences.It still proved to be a difficult year,car builder Reynard cut links with the project and Ford decided to concentrate on the '99 campaign.They decided to entrust the design,building and running to one organisation the contract went to Prodrive.Ford pulled off the coup of the year by signing Alain Menu and Anthony Reid to drive for '99.Team Mondeo was seen to be the dream ticket for the title but the upshot was one win for Menu and a handful of podium finishes giving Ford little to celebrate.Rickard Rydell joined Ford for the 2000 season,the previous years experience helped Ford to get it exactly right,the three drivers scored 11 wins between them the manufacturers title was wrapped up early and with the final round under lights at Silverstone all three drivers were capable of winning the championship.Menu finally ran out champion in what was an extraordinary year for Prodrive,Ford and the Mondeo the many hard years had at last paid off.At the close of the season Ford announced it would not be entering a "works" team in the 2001 championship and have no current plans to return. 
Anthony Reid Nigel Mansell Paul Radisich  Paul Radisich '93 Paul Radisich '94 Rydell 2000  Will Hoy Paul Radisich
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