Monster Energy Livery

Gothenburg, February 3, 2010 – American action sports idol Ken Block, who has gained a huge fan base in Europe through his online videos, began his partnership with Ford this past weekend. He made his debut with his awesome Monster Fiesta Rally America car at the Sno*Drift Rally (January 29–30) in Atlanta, Michigan.

The Monster World Rally team will compete in all six rounds of the American rally, Rally America. Block’s North American racing program will conclude with X Games 16 in Los Angeles in early August. His co-driver is Italian Alessandro Gelsomino.

In parallel with Rally America, Block will compete in all seven rounds of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in a Ford Focus RS World Rally Car. The first round will be Rally Mexico (March 4–7), and the World Rally Championship will then continue in Turkey, Portugal, Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom. Block's rally version of the Focus RS is being developed by British M-Sport, the company responsible for Ford's rallying efforts.

Bock's participation in both Rally America and the World Rally Championship is mainly supported by Monster Energy Drink and Ford.

The two-liter turbocharged Monster Fiesta that is being driven in Rally America has been developed by the Swedish team Olsbergs Motorsports Evolution (OSME) and builds on the successful Fiesta Rallycross - based on the standard model - that took part in the 2009 European Rallycross Championship. Last year, OSME participated in the well-known Pikes Peak competition in the USA with a Fiesta in rallycross version and won the X Games two weeks later.

Block's four-wheel drive Monster Fiesta has been adapted so that it meets the requirements set for cars in the open class of the American rally. For example, it has been equipped with a turbo limiter so that it complies with the regulations. In the new version, it has an output of approximately 326 horsepower. Block's team has spent the last few days testing in northern Michigan.