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M-Sport: Win number two in WRC 2 for Protasov

Yuriy Protasov and Pavlo Cherepin secured a second victory in the WRC 2 category today, to take a clear lead in the championship standings.

Matching the speed of their rivals, the Ukrainian pairing - who pilot an M-Sport prepared Ford Fiesta R5 - adopted a tactical drive through Mexico's challenging stages to finish inside the overall top-ten for the second time this season.

With close to a 25 minute lead going into the final day, not even a broken driveshaft - incurred after a heavy landing on SS19 - could halt the youngster on what has been a very mature and impressive drive.

Making it though all 22 stages, the Ukrainian finished 23 minutes ahead of his nearest rival to affect a clean-sweep of WRC 2 victories for M-Sport's range of Ford Fiesta rally cars so far this season.

Yuriy Protasov (1st in WRC 2 / 10th overall) said:
"We are happier than we could have ever imaged to be at the end of this rally. It was a very good result for us and to have won by such a margin - against so many strong drivers - is a very good feeling."

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:
"With so much drama this weekend, Yuriy [Protasov] didn't put a foot wrong, and even when he developed a small issue on the final day, he had established such a strong lead that he was able to manage the issue and take the Fiesta home for another thoroughly deserved victory. It is very satisfying indeed to see our cars performing so well in the WRC's premier support series. Thanks to Yuriy's victory this weekend, a Fiesta has won every single round of the series so far this year and that is a big boost for the teams both on- and off-event who put a vast amount of work into each and every one of our Fiesta models."