Matthew Wilson (rally driver)
Matthew Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 29, 1987 Cockermouth, Cumbria, United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Rally driver |
| Years active | 2002–2017 (approximate based on career timeline) |
| Known for | Competing in the World Rally Championship for Stobart M-Sport Ford and Go Fast Energy World Rally Team |
Matthew James Wilson (born 29 January 1987) is a rally driver from Cockermouth, Cumbria, United Kingdom, and the son of Malcolm Wilson, former WRC competitor and head of M-Sport. He raced in the World Rally Championship representing the Stobart M-Sport Ford squad, with his highest achievement being a fourth-place finish at the 2007 Rally Japan.
Early
Wilson initiated his motorsport journey in single-seater racing, securing 17 victories out of 22 events to win the T Cars Championship in 2002. The following year, he transitioned to the Formula Renault UK Championship with Manor Motorsport, concluding the season in 18th position. He made his rallying debut as a co-driver alongside his father during the 2003 Malcolm Wilson Rally, where they emerged victorious. His first appearance in the World Rally Championship came at the 2004 Wales Rally GB, where he finished 13th.
In 2005, Wilson was chosen for the Motor Sports Association’s British Rally Elite program aimed at nurturing young talent. At just 18 years and 8 months old, he became the youngest driver to win a round of the British Rally Championship by triumphing at the Trackrod Rally.
During April 2005, while leading the Rally of Wales—a British Rally Championship event—Wilson suffered a crash on a fast corner that resulted in a broken right wrist, left forearm fractures, and a right knee injury; his co-driver Scott Martin sustained a broken left leg. After four months of recovery, Wilson made a comeback to claim second place overall at the Gleanor Speyside Stages Rally. Despite setbacks from his injuries, he finished seventh in the overall standings of the 2005 British Rally Championship with 38 points competing for Eddie Stobart Motorsport. That year also saw him win the Malcolm Wilson Rally, McRae Stages Rally (a Scottish Rally Championship round), and the inaugural Rally Ireland with new co-driver Michael Orr. Additionally, Wilson participated in the Finnish Rally Championship, achieving his best result of 13th place at the Vaakuna Rally driving a Ford Focus RS WRC 01.
Stobart Ford (2006–2011)
The year 2006 marked Wilson’s debut full season in the World Rally Championship with the Stobart VK M-Sport Ford outfit. He contested all sixteen rounds and set a record as the youngest driver to win a stage—taking victory on the Cordoba Stadium superspecial during Rally Argentina—and to earn championship points by finishing eighth in that event. This milestone was later overtaken by Andreas Mikkelsen. Wilson completed the season ranked 28th with one point and was notable for finishing every rally he entered—a distinction unique to him that year.
Malcolm Wilson devised a comprehensive five-year development strategy for Matthew spanning from 2006 through 2010. The initial year emphasized gaining experience and achieving consistent finishes. In 2007, teammates Jari-Matti Latvala and Henning Solberg accumulated manufacturer points that alleviated some pressure on Wilson and co-driver Michael Orr. Matthew ended up eleventh in the drivers’ championship with eleven points, highlighted by his career-best fourth place at the 2007 Rally Japan.
During the 2008 campaign, Wilson started with moderate results; he secured tenth place at Monte Carlo, marking his best performance there up to that point while adjusting to new equipment including car setup, tires, and co-driver Scott Martin. At Sweden, despite showing competitive pace and aiming for a top-ten finish, mechanical throttle faults forced him to retire from fifth place close to the end of the event. He earned his first points of that season by finishing sixth at México.
In September 2008, Wilson claimed victory at the Colin McRae Forest Stages Rally, an event within the Scottish Rally Championship held near Perth, Scotland. Piloting a 2005-specification Focus RS WRC, he led a field comprising World Rally Championship personalities paying tribute to McRae’s legacy.
Go Fast Energy World Rally Team (2012)
In 2012, Matthew Wilson drove a Ford Fiesta RS WRC for the privateer outfit known as the Go Fast Energy World Rally Team, sharing the stage with Henning Solberg. At Monte Carlo, he secured 11th place, trailing the winner by 18 minutes. Unfortunately, a training injury resulting in a broken ankle sidelined him for the Sweden, Mexico, and Portugal rallies. Although Wilson planned to make a comeback at either Argentina or Greece, neither he nor his team participated by the time of the Rally of Finland.
Wales Rally GB Return (2012)
With financial backing from companies based in Cumbria, Wilson entered the 2012 Wales Rally GB behind the wheel of a freshly liveried purple and white M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Throughout the event, he consistently held ninth position and was elevated to eighth following Ott Tanak's mishap, ultimately finishing six minutes behind winner Jari-Matti Latvala. This performance awarded Wilson his initial championship points (4) for the 2012 season. Following this rally, he pursued additional sponsorship to potentially compete in the season finale in Spain.
WRC results
... [Table continues with similar compression maintaining key data] ...| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | M-Sport | Ford Focus RS WRC 02 | MON | SWE | MEX | NZL | CYP | GRE | TUR | ARG | FIN | GER | JPN | GBR 13 |
ITA | FRA | ESP | AUS | NC | 0 |
| 2005 | Stobart | Ford Focus RS WRC | MON | SWE | MEX | NZL | ITA | CYP | TUR | GRE | ARG | FIN | GER | GBR 15 |
JPN | FRA | ESP | AUS | NC | 0 |
| 2006 | Stobart VK M-Sport | Ford Focus RS WRC 04 | 28th | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Ford Focus RS WRC 06 | style="background:#CFCFFF;" |2006 Rally Japan 40 |
style="background:#CFCFFF;" |2006 Rally Australia 27 |
2006 Rally New Zealand 13 |
2006 Rally GB 12 |
WRC-2 results
| Year | Team | Vehicle | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | WRC 2 Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Yazeed Racing | Ford Fiesta RRC | MON | SWE | MEX | POR | ARG | ITA | POL | FIN | GER | AUS | FRA | ESP | GBR 3 |
24th | 15 |
| 2017 | C-Rally | Ford Fiesta R5 | MON | SWE | MEX | FRA | ARG | POR | ITA | POL | FIN | GER | ESP | GBR 17 |
AUS | NC | 0 |