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Ford M-Sport Limited

Team Site

Ford has a glorious history in many motor sport disciplines but it is perhaps on rallying's special stages that the manufacturer has such a wonderful story to tell. Models like the Cortina, the Escort and now the Focus have all contributed to Ford's success in rallying which now stretches back almost 70 years.

M-Sport
M-Sport, the team which runs Ford's FIA World Rally Championship programme, is based at state-of-the art facilities at Dovenby Hall, a listed building in the heart of the English Lake District.

New standards set in rallying
M-Sport's multi-million pound premises at Dovenby Hall set a benchmark in rallying. They made several Formula 1 teams cast envious glances to the site, a few kilometres from the market town of Cockermouth, on the edge of the picturesque English Lake District. Few teams can boast a home set in 47 hectares (115 acres) of lush parkland, the modern technology and engineering facilities found in the new workshops contrasting with the beautiful Cumbria countryside and the restored splendour of Dovenby Hall itself, a listed building of special historic interest.

Search for a New Home
The team moved to Dovenby in May 2000. However, the story began many months earlier when team director Malcolm Wilson recognised that the requirements of Ford’s rally programme meant his homely, but cramped facilities on the opposite side of Cockermouth were no longer suited to the demands created by a sport moving forward in leaps and bounds.

"We needed more space, both for equipment and people, and it quickly became clear we had to move. I wanted to stay in northern England but finding the right location wasn’t easy. I had visited 38 properties on both sides of the country before driving into the Dovenby estate but once I saw this I knew I’d found the right place for our team," he said.

Turning History into a Modern Rally Base
There was much to do. The premises had been empty and much restoration was required. Wilson sought support from the local council and business support agencies, both eager to lend experience and finance in return for the prestige of having a world championship team on their doorstep. Wilson and Carlisle-based Northern Developments focused their efforts on retaining the original features of the estate buildings. Designers concentrated on blending the ultra-modern workshop requirements into the site. The result was a state-of-the-art facility which boasts amazing attention to detail.

The hall was transformed into an office area, offering modern accommodation for the company's key support staff in a manner sympathetic to the history and style of the building. Adjacent to the entrance is a small retail outlet where memorabilia and team clothing can be purchased. Inside, employees can take advantage of an Italian-style café in the basement, the interior stripped to reveal the original 12th century stonework and the walls adorned with the names of legendary rally drivers who have won in Ford cars. As well as being home to the team, Dovenby Hall also offers serviced office accommodation for external companies.

Drivers:	Marcus Gronholm
	Mikko Hirvonen
	Henning Solberg