As the WRC heads into its season finale at Wales Rally GB this week, the Ford World Rally team has announced that its driver line-up will remain the same for the 2009 campaign. Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala will therefore continue their careers bearing the official Ford team's flag, as will Khalid Al Qassimi on a partial programme.

"It's pretty obvious who we're going to use next year," stated team boss Malcolm Wilson.

"We feel we've got two of the best potential drivers for the future in Mikko and Jari-Matti," the M-Sport director continued. "They've both proved they can win rallies; they've had a difficult year this year but they've learned a considerable amount."

Former Middle East Rally Championship titleholder Al Qassimi returns as well, although he will not appear on every event.

"So on the majority of events we will have three BP Ford Abu Dhabi WRC cars," said Wilson. "Going into next year I feel we can definitely challenge for both titles."

"The WRC is important to Ford," declared Ford of Europe's Motorsport Director, Mark Deans. "It's almost part of our DNA."

"Competing in motorsport - particularly in rallying - is still the toughest test for a production car," he pointed out, before underlining the other factors which prompted Ford to continues with its World Rally Championship presence: "The Focus has demonstrated just how great a car it is, and even in these difficult times it's important to continue to promote it and demonstrate its capabilities."

The FIA's cost-cutting measures also played a big part in Ford's ongoing participation within the WRC, as did the engagement to bring in a worldwide promoter for the series.

"We said all the way through the year that the two things we need for the sport are a global promoter, so we get improved value for money, and that the costs of participation were brought down," declared Deans. "The FIA has put the tender out for the promoter so there will be an appointment made for that, and we hope the decision regarding the new technical formula for WRC cars will bring the costs down."

It remains to be seen how everything will come together, but "it's heading in the right direction" Deans remarked.

Wilson is obviously happy with the decision to carry on Ford's WRC championship bid next year.

"At M-Sport we're very privileged to continue with the programme - especially considering the difficult economic conditions," he said. "I think it's a real vote of confidence in the WRC and in M-Sport."