19 Feb 08

Federico Villagra - Ford

Fast facts:

Nationality:
Argentine

Date of birth:
21/05/1969

Team:
Munchi's Ford World Rally Team

Co-driver:
Jorge Perez Companc

World Titles:
None

WRC debut:
Argentina 1997

WRC wins:
0

WRC points at end of 2007:
2

First WRC win:
n/a

Website:
www.villagraracing.com.ar

Career highlights:

2007: Wins the Group N class in Rally Argentina and joins Munchi's team.

2006: Wins the Group N class in Rally Argentina

2004: Wins the Chilean Championship and the overall Argentine Championship

2002/2003/2005: Wins the Group N4 class in the Argentine Championship

2001: Wins the Group N4 class in the South American Championship

1999: Wins Argentina's '24 Hours Rally'

1998: Finishes fourth in the F2 class in Rally Argentina

1997: Makes his debut in Rally Argentina finishing third in the F2 class

Career summary:

The new addition to Munchi's Ford World Rally Team has had a passion for speed since he was 10 years old. He started competing in motocross at a very early age and achieved several motocross and enduro titles between 1984 and 1996. In 1997, Villagra started to explore the world of rallying, competing in his first national event with his brother, Javier. The same year, he took part in Rally Argentina for the first time, finishing third in the F2 class.

The following year, he finished fourth at the same rally and in 1999 he won his native '24 Hours Rally'. Villagra became South American champion in the N4 class in 2001. Over the next three years he won the Argentine championship in the same class. In 2004, Villagra won the Chilean Championship and the overall championship in Argentina. After this year's Group N Rally Argentina victory, Munchi's noticed this naturally talented driver's potential and chose Villagra to replace Juan Pablo Raies. With only a few events under his belt behind the wheel of a fully loaded Ford Focus RS World Rally Car, Villagra has proved there's a lot more success to come as the championship unfolds.