Munchi's Ford World Rally Team

The Munchi's Ford World Rally Team was a private team competing in the World Rally Championship, founded by rally driver Luís Pérez Companc, son of Argentine entrepreneur Gregorio Pérez Companc,[1] also a car enthusiast and collector.[2]

Munchi's World Rally Team
Full nameMunchi's Ford World Rally Team
BaseCumbria, England, United Kingdom
Team principal(s)Martin Christie
DriversArgentina Federico Villagra
Co-driversArgentina Jorge Pérez Companc
ChassisFord Fiesta RS WRC
TyresMichelin
World Rally Championship history
Debut2007 Swedish Rally
Last event2011 Rally Catalunya
Manufacturers' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0
Rally wins0

The team made its debut in the 2007 Swedish Rally. The cars were prepared and run by the Cumbria based M-Sport operation and Martin Christie is the team principal.

History

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2007 season

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Companc driving on a road section of the 2007 Rally Japan

The Munchi's Ford World Rally Team was founded by Argentine rally driver Luís Pérez Companc, using the name of his family's ice cream parlor chain, Munchi's[3] (which name had been taken from the nickname of María Sundblad, Pérez Companc's wife).[4] The team competed in the World Rally Championship in 2007 for ten rounds. The drivers who started the season for the team at the Rally Sweden were Pérez Companc and Juan Pablo Raies. Companc finished the rally in 15th, but his teammate Raies retired before the start of the event. Despite scoring eight points, Raies was replaced by Federico Villagra halfway through the season in Italy. Villagra would go on to score just two points. The best result for the team came at the 2007 Rally Japan when Companc and Villagra finished fifth and seventh respectively, scoring six points for the team. The team finished last in the constructors' championship with 14 points. However, the initial season for the team was simply to familiarise themselves with the series and the car.

2008 season

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For the 2008 season the team contested ten rounds. Federico Villagra drove all ten rounds for the team, while Luís Pérez Companc, who also began driving in the FIA GT Championship in 2008, shared the second car with Stobart Ford regular Henning Solberg, Aris Vovos and Barry Clark, the reigning Fiesta Sporting Trophy International champion, who contested 3 rounds of the championship for the team.

2009 season

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With a healthy amount of experience under their belts and the competitiveness of the Ford Focus RS WRC, the Argentinean duo of Villagra and Companc gathered a strong haul of 23 points in the 2009 season. They also had their best WRC finishes, finishing Acropolis Rally and Rally Argentina in fourth position overall.

2010 season

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For the 2010 season the team took part in 8 rounds out of 13. Federico Villagra drove the 8 rounds with various co-drivers in Ford Focus RS WRC 08 car. At the end of season, the team scored 58 points and ranked 5 of the Manufacturers' championship. Villagra scored 36 points and finished 9th in Drivers' Championship.

2011 season

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It was announced that Federico Villagra is going to continue in 2011 with Ford.[5] Currently with Ford Fiesta RS WRC.

WRC results

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Year Car No Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 WDC Points TC Points
2007 Ford Focus RS WRC 06 11   Luís Pérez Companc MON SWE
15
NOR MEX
19
POR
DNS
ARG
28
ITA
Ret
GRE
11
FIN
11
GER NZL
23
ESP
Ret
FRA JPN
5
IRE GBR
Ret
16th 4 6th 14
12   Juan Pablo Raies MON SWE
EX
NOR MEX
12
POR ARG
12
- 0
  Federico Villagra ITA
11
GRE
32
FIN
14
GER NZL
11
ESP
13
FRA JPN
7
IRE GBR
18
20th 2
2008 Ford Focus RS WRC 07 9   Federico Villagra MON SWE MEX
7
ARG
6
JOR
6
ITA
14
GRE
13
TUR
9
FIN
Ret
GER NZL
8
ESP
12
FRA JPN
9
GBR 14th 9 6th 22
10   Henning Solberg MON SWE MEX
5
ITA
7
GER NZL
9
ESP
11
FRA JPN
Ret
GBR 8th* 22*
  Luís Pérez Companc ARG
Ret
FIN
Ret
- 0
  Armodios Vovos GRE
Ret
- 0
  Barry Clark JOR
12
TUR
10
- 0
2009 Ford Focus RS WRC 08 9   Federico Villagra IRE NOR CYP
7
POR
7
ARG
4
ITA
Ret
GRE
4
POL FIN
11
AUS
8
ESP
8
GBR 9th 16 5th 23
10   Matti Rantanen IRE NOR CYP POR ARG ITA GRE POL FIN
5
AUS ESP GBR 15th 4
72   Mattias Therman IRE NOR CYP POR ARG ITA GRE POL FIN
15
AUS ESP GBR - 0
2010 Ford Focus RS WRC 08 9   Federico Villagra SWE MEX
7
JOR
7
TUR
6
NZL
9
POR
8
BUL FIN DEU JPN
8
FRA
7
ESP
15
GBR 9th 36 5th 58
2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC 7   Federico Villagra SWE MEX
9
POR
8
JOR
7
ITA
17
ARG
6
GRE
Ret
FIN DEU AUS FRA ESP
16
GBR 13th 20 7th 38
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Luis Perez Companc: Munchi’s Ford World Rally Team on Medium.com, 4 Aug 2017
  2. ^ Perez Companc y los autos: una millonaria colección y la increíble pista de pruebas profesional de Escobar by Diego Zorrero at Infobae.com, 14 Jun 2023
  3. ^ Murió Perez Companc on Cronista.com, 14 Jun 2024
  4. ^ Munchi, la más rica on La Nación, 26 Jan 2021
  5. ^ "World Rally 2010: Access All Areas, on Dave 9am 13/11/10". World Rally Championship. 2010-11-13.
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