20 Nov 12

Powell eyes
Cool Runnings
tribute

John Powell plans to pay the ultimate tribute to the famous Jamaican Olympic bobsleigh team, immortalised in the movie Cool Runnings, by including Rally Sweden on his schedule for 2013.

The Caribbean driver made his FIA World Rally Championship debut in Spain earlier this month. Although illness forced his exit on day two, the Trinidad and Tobago resident is keen to return next season starting with an event that will be very much outside of his comfort zone.

“We likened our arrival in the WRC to the film Cool Runnings and next year’s going to be the sequel,” said Powell, who piloted an M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC on RallyRACC-Rally de Espana. “We’re coming back. We’re going to look at five or six rallies, starting with Sweden. We’ll get the car decked out in the Cool Runnings colours and Sweden is the obvious place to go.”

Tackling the snow and ice-coated Swedish stages could prove a major test for Powell, whose ‘experience’ of winter conditions is extremely limited. “I’ve skied twice before but I’ve never driven on snow and ice,” he said.

Rally Sweden forms round two of the 2013 WRC schedule from 7-10 February.