Bolivian teen for WRC2 in Mexico

Seventeen-year-old Marco Bulacia will make his WRC2 debut at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R5 at this week’s Rally Mexico.

The Bolivian youngster is the second 17-year-old to join the WRC2 ranks in five months, following Kalle Rovanpera.

Rovanpera also returns to WRC2 duty, after missing Sweden, with a factory Skoda Fabia R5 in Leon this week.

Bulacia has mainly rallied in his native Bolivia until now, but did finish fourth in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC at last year’s Bettega Memorial event in Italy.

Bulacia said: “It’s incredible to be contesting my first WRC event – a dream come true. In my country there were no R5 cars in competition last year, so I had to look outside for experience. We competed in Italy with the Fiesta and secured two podiums, but out of all the drivers in Mexico I will have the least amount of experience and will need the necessary kilometres to know what level we can be on.”

Bulacia will face Briton’s Gus Greensmith as well as Rovanpera and his team-mate, defending WRC2 champion, Swede Pontus Tidemand.

Mexico newcomer Greensmith, who completed a 120-mile pre-event test in Greystoke last week, said: “It feels like an incredibly long time since I have been behind the wheel and I am looking forward to kickstarting my 2018 WRC2 campaign with a good result next week.”