Battery manufacturer, Yuasa, have become title sponsor of Welshman Matt Edwards and co-driver Darren Garrod, with the unveiling of a stunning new car and livery at Autosport International. The duo will compete for a third British Rally Championship title this year, having won the crown in 2018 and 2019.

The move sees the Yuasa Rally Team name enter the sport for the first time as the title sponsor of M-Sport’s BRC operation. The team will tackle stages across the UK, Ireland and Belgium in the all-new Ford Fiesta R5 MkII carrying Yuasa’s distinctive red, white and black livery, made popular in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).

Unveiled at the annual Autosport International show at the NEC in Birmingham, Matt’s R5 MkII sees significant improvements over its championship-winning predecessor. Performance has increased to 290 BHP and 475 Nm of torque at 4,000 RPM while the adoption of aluminium damper bodies provides a welcome weight reduction.

Yuasa’s support also sees the continuation of their close partnership with Swift, Europe’s number one brand for leisure vehicles, with the British caravan and motorhome manufacturer’s logo featuring prominently on the car.

James Hylton, Managing Director of GS Yuasa Battery Sales said, “We’re excited to be working with Matt and the M-Sport team again. Their results over the last few years have been hugely impressive so continuing our support as they challenge for their third championship was an obvious one for us.”

The 2020 British Rally Championship starts with the Cambrian Rally on 8 February.