His co-driver for this season is a MSA Team UK member James Morgan. Pärn is one of twelve drivers who were selected to participate in Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy which is held within rounds of FIA World Rally Championship. This is already second season for Pärn to race with Ford Fiesta R2 in FIA World Rally Championship. And it is third time for Pärn to participate in Rally Portugal, 2012 was he here with Group N Subaru Impreza.

„Last year we managed to be very stable in rallies and this year is the goal to add more pace to that stability. This is what we need as we are ready to fight for the highest place in Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. Non of the rallies will be easy but Portugal in my opinion is one of the toughest. Our goal here is to do the rally without Rally 2 so this means we need to complete all the stages. For that we need to find a good balance between pace and sparing the car. The roads here in Portugal are very rough and it wont be easy for our Ford Fiesta R2. To win here in Portugal you need more then just best times in the stages,” told Pärn before Rally Portugal.

The weather conditions during the recce were extreme. „I’m here for the third time and there has never been conditions like that before. Actually it is first time in my career to do recce in such a extreme conditions. Wind, rain, rivers flooded over the stages. We had already our first moments during the recce but fortunately went everything okay,” described Pärn conditions during the recce.

As the weather changed the road conditions still will be very tricky. Damp and muddy in some places while there will be also sections of dry road. This very demanding for the drivers as the grip is changing all the time. The Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy collective test held on Wednesday was in similar conditions to recce. „It was muddy and slippery which was good. Conditions in the stages depend very much on the weather. If it will be dry then are the stages quite different comparing to recce,” explained Pärn.

After the test the official introduction of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy took place in M-Sport Hospitality Suite. All the drivers were present and the series was introduced to special guests like FIA officials, WRC top drivers, sponsors and international.

Rally Portugal starts on Thursday with ceremonial start in Estoril 15.00 local time. After that will drivers head to capital Lisbon were todays Super Special is held 18.01 local time.