Conrad Rautenbach will make his debut in a Ford Fiesta S2000 car on next week’s Toyota Dealer Rally, when his bid for this year’s South African Rally Championship moves up a gear.

The former FIA African Rally Champion tackled the opening round of the South African series in a Group N Subaru Impreza, while he waited for his Fiesta. But, with the Fiesta nearing completion at M-Sport’s Cockermouth base in England, just a 10-hour flight stands between the car and competition. The Fiesta, and Conrad, head south to Africa on Friday (April 19). The Cape Town-based Toyota Dealer Rally, a two-day event, starts on Friday March 26.

“It’s really exciting to see the car getting finished,” said Rautenbach. “Now I just want to get it to Cape Town and start testing it ready for the rally. I don’t know too much about the event, it’s not one I have done before. But, like on the opening round in Natal, there’s going to be a lot of competition from other Super 2000 cars, including the factory boys from Volkswagen and Toyota.”