Powell will drive for Ford M-Sport at Rally Spain 2012

[QuietRiot]

It must of been envy that got the better of these few and irrelevant people that generated all the negative energy in the post.However for one thing no one can take away from John is his remarkable character of charisma for being humble.For that John we salute you and thank you for making us your fans part of your quest and success.It was a dream turned reality for all of us.

[MG Man]

it sucks the way it went down wish penti did not get sick and finished but either way, he would of got his ass handed to him.......

Jam town next!!!

nobody here expected him to trounce the pros.........we are just happy to cheer for one of our own (as a caribbean people............something some people here find hard to grasp)
Pointing and laughing at his efforts simply shows your class, or lack thereof

I had the privilege of meeting Pentti Airikkala some years ago. Someone told him I own a Vauxhall HSR, so he walked up to me and said 'I understand you have my car' and had a hearty laugh while handing me a beer. I am sure if Pentti were here, he would have cheered John 'Pentti' Powell on too. You guys just sad........

[Sir Dawg]

Well said Robbie!!! It could not of been said any better. It's really shameful and embarrassing how these clowns could just sit there and talk all that crap, disguised as "just being real" mind you, and don't have a clue what JP and Fennell went through this past week. Bloody embarrassing!!!!! Well done Mr Powell and Mr Fennell. You did your best, you represented the Caribbean, and you did us proud. We applaud you guys and keep up the good work. I'm almost sure there are quite a number of Europeans whose interest have been raised over the past week.

[AutoSport]

I open by saying 99.9% of us, have to put in burglar proofing because of the .1% or less who seek to choose a negative life.

And the same applies here to all of those who are fully supportive of John and Mike. All who seek to reach the pinnacle of the sport they chose to participate in, face many challenges and few make that incredible breakthrough. And again we see the few who will always attack that achievement.

The vast majority support John Powell and Mike Fennel. And they come from T&T, Jamaica, Barbados and all over the Caribbean. And then again there are the very few who choose otherwise.

This incredible experience for John and Mike shall always be recorded in History, and the vast majority will always give them their total support. Amazing to see commentators with zero posts joining just to be negative.

John and Mike, we respect your achievement of making it on to the World Rally Championship scene today, which can only bring a new level of exposure to Rallying in the Caribbean, and indeed boost all of the efforts being made by the various bodies that have been working over the years to achieve this goal.

[Garrett Inside]

we still very proud of jp and mf even if just for driving at the wrc

[Tsuchiya]

Biggup Powell and fennel. Good try...can't imagine what their nerves were like the 1st night. I highly doubt I could survive all that pressure

[speedaholic]

stages are underway as of now... not seeing any record of john and mike on the running list.... hopes hes running today!

[MG Man]

we still very proud of jp and mf even if just for driving at the wrc

yup
sadly that point seems to be lost on some people

[professor]

Not crying down nothing...glad he went and gave it a go....just being real about it.....

Dreams are generally not real. John got a chance to live his dream. you want more reality than that ?

I hope we all get a chance to live our dream or at least part of it.

[mck_motorsport]

Living it!......but doing a overseas rally whether it be jamrock,trini,uk or Ireland would be icing on the cake.....

[paparazzi]

Very disappointed that Newsday today had a big (comparatively speaking) article on rally espana and absolutely not mention of the fact that john was competing under the tt flag

[Tsuchiya]

Not crying down nothing...glad he went and gave it a go....just being real about it.....

Dreams are generally not real. John got a chance to live his dream. you want more reality than that ?

I hope we all get a chance to live our dream or at least part of it.

I agree...To 1 day get a call to drive from a top tier team in a top ranked Motorsport...hell yeah that's really the dream. Right now they're living that dream, while most including me, are still hoping to do so in the future.

[kurpal_v2]

Proud of Mr.Powell irreguardless of what, glad he was able to finish his stages.

[paparazzi]

Not crying down nothing...glad he went and gave it a go....just being real about it.....

Dreams are generally not real. John got a chance to live his dream. you want more reality than that ?

I hope we all get a chance to live our dream or at least part of it.

I agree...To 1 day get a call to drive from a top tier team in a top ranked Motorsport...hell yeah that's really the dream. Right now they're living that dream, while most including me, are still hoping to do so in the future.

X2

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

This is a blog post. To read the original post, please click here »

After getting their proverbial feet wet in the World Rally Championship level just a couple of days ago with Rally de Espana 2012, John Powell and co-driver Mike Fennel may have to actually drive in ice come next year at WRC Rally Sweden with FORD M-Sport.

According to T&T`s Powell, you may have to mark February 7-10, 2013 on the calendar as he heads to Sweden with FORD M-Sport.  Powell added, “I believe this is a Caribbean thing, whether you are from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago or elsewhere.  I want to thank everybody, I didn’t get here alone…I never believed for a moment that I got here by myself.  It is with good, consistent support from the spectators, my fans, my family, the media, my sponsors, Trinidad’s rally club and marshals that we are here. This is why the decision I had to make was very difficult. However, we are happy to secure a deal with FORD M-Sport to do a few of the championship rounds next year.”

The decision by Powell to withdraw from further stages in the competition due to a medical problem was based on the team`s doctor recommendations.  Apparently, an inner ear infection had been putting the Caribbean rally icon under physical stress across the long stages and there was the issue of safety first and foremost.

Jamaica’s Mike Fennel also agreed with Powell`s decision to withdraw.  He said, “WRC has been treating us good but there was the issue of health and safety at all times.  Other guys from the Caribbean have been involved in WRC before but we have done it first as a manufacturer`s (Works) team so that`s what made it historical.  However, based on John`s health we decided that we could not continue.”

WRC legend, Petter Solberg drove well early in Rally de Espana but got into an unfortunate accident and was forced out of contention.  However, the experienced Solberg spoke highly about Powell joining the FORD M-Sport team.  Solberg said, “Powell is a very nice guy and he has so much passion for rallying and motorsport and it is great to see him here.  Unfortunately he got sick but I think he likes this sport a lot and I would like to see him drive again.”

WRC icon Sebastien Loeb successfully defended his World Rally Championship title with co-driver Daniel Elena in their Citroen DS 3 WRC, and has now clocked 250 WRC wins including Rally de Espana 2012. This is Loeb`s eight overall victory in the Spanish Round, thus winning all the editions held since the rally moved to the Costa Daurada.  He said, “I am very happy to have won the RallyRACC once more and another World Championship.  It was an amazing year for me, but next year I still don`t know what I will do.”  Jari-Matti Latvala was second in a FORD Fiesta RS WRC and Mikko Hirvonen was third in a Citroen DS 3 WRC.








This is the FORD and FORD M-SPORT Pavilion at the Service Park in Salou for WRC Spain 2012.
This is a building that is dismantled and moved around in trucks from WRC event to event. They can deploy this building in days in almost any location worldwide.
[nggallery id=545]

[kurpal_v2]

Whoa @ building

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

video update at the end of the rally

[Yorkshirelass]

Well done John. Looking forward to rally Sweden!

[Team Loco]

Very disappointed that Newsday today had a big (comparatively speaking) article on rally espana and absolutely not mention of the fact that john was competing under the tt flag

now thats a slap in tje face

[SR]

local media has never truly supported local motorsport unless you pay for an add or article

[sliderz1]

oh well. good run nonetheless
Looking forward to next year!, both JP and MF adventures in WRC and what they respectively bring to RT2013!

[kurpal_v2]

Very cool vid with interview from loeb.


Many thanks to Trini media team who went across for bess coverage

[wagonrunner]

Well done John. Looking forward to rally Sweden!

barbados or sweden?
see why it pays to not have outside influences.

"therapy"

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

Very disappointed that Newsday today had a big (comparatively speaking) article on rally espana and absolutely not mention of the fact that john was competing under the tt flag

You have a link to the article?
The ones I read on Newsday were sent to them and were properly written.

[Yorkshirelass]

http://www.newsday.co.tt/sport/0,168996.html

This one says he's a TT driver.

[cinco]

fantastic job!
btw narend should no be a commentator
thanks for all the coverage guys

[redrx7]

i dont understand why some people get so petty ,john has done so much for motorsport across the caribbean ....i am a a Jamaican who is a real penti '' fan from way back,mazda days and i am overjoyed to see how far he has come ,and its even more heartening to see he has brought Trinidad and Tobago rallying back from the lull it experienced in the early 2000's ..no ,instead people coming here fighting over where he from and how much money he had to spend to get wherever..cha

bigup john p.

[AutoSport]

Could this have led to his health situation? With the many hours of testing he did prior to the actual event?

"Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear By 700 times".

[djaggs]

i love how everybody has an opinion about what they think john should have done, would have done, and feels that they have the right to talk a set of nonsense. For once i agree with link....cough cough....this thread has turned into a war of haters.......jamaican, trinidad, barbados. shame on all of you critics....

the man has come here with no expectations and has attempted something epic.. invitation, rental, older, not as fit, who cares man. You all get on as if its your money being spent. The fact is we have Caribbean representation in WRC Spain, as far as i am concerned there's nothing negative about it so stop the banter....

some men on this thread are an embarrassment to everything we trying to do over here. John has a completely unavoidable and unfortunate medical situation and we all trying to support him through what must be a nightmare, and instead there's a bunch of fools who apparently think that they have a right to talk.

there's no shame in what has happened, and we all have to support what he has tried to do, good or bad result. end of story.

Like I said before, the man had brass balls to attempt what he did....it was an inspiration !!! Dont stop John, you are living the dream for all of us. Stay hungry and try again.

What would be perfect is if the Government would sponsor this man next year to continue this effort. I can imagine how much publicity our country received, how many people you think was tuned into this rally world wide. That car in our national colors with the words Trinidad and Tobago emblazoned sure makes a Trini proud.

Its sure is strange though that people making so much stupid comments about his nationality, nobody say nutten when a Somalian win a Gold medal for Britain in the Olympics. I have to marvel how we in the Caribbean fight down our own.

[wagonrunner]

I have to marvel how we in the Caribbean fight down our own.

old quarrels don't get let go.