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Pita to make ERC3 return with new Ford deal

Portuguese driver Renato Pita will compete in the FIA European Rally Championship again in 2016, driving a new car thanks to a deal with Ford.

Pita has made 12 ERC starts over the past three seasons in a Peugeot 208 R2, finishing eighth in the ERC3 standings last year.

This season he'll use a Ford Fiesta R2 after gaining backing from the Portuguese subsidiary of Ford, as well as retaining the support of BP Portugal. He was joined by representatives from both brands at a recent event in his home city of Maia, where he also revealed the latest developments in his ‘Etapa Segura' (Stage Safe) child road safety campaign.

"For me it is an honour to work with a brand with the prestige and history of Ford," he said. "This is a new car and a new team that will help me develop as soon as possible to be at the highest level in a league that I will contest for the fourth consecutive year. I am very proud of this new chapter of my career and the confidence they have placed in me. It is with great enthusiasm that I assume the new role of ambassador of the brand in Portugal."

Pita will start his ERC effort on next month's Circuit of Ireland and also enter Kenotek Ypres Rally in June and Barum Czech Rally Zlín in August - meaning he'll be returning to three events he contested in 2014. He'll also do the new ERC event Rally Rzeszow and could add the rearranged Rally Liepāja to his programme.

Zdroj: fiaerc.com