Eric Camilli is ready for the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship to get underway, opening a new chapter in his career as he makes the step up to WRC with the M-Sport World Rally Team.

The Frenchman impressed many in 2015 with his WRC2 performances of Team ORECA as he took on the might of the factory Škoda Fabia’s as was given the call up by M-Sport owner Malcolm Wilson over the off-season.

Camilli has been testing the Ford Fiesta RS WRC with co-driver Nicolas Klinger in prepation for the opening Rallye Monte-Carlo next week.

“These tests went very well,” said Camilli. “We were really able to work on various set up and develop a real harmony with our new team. It’s really special to bring these tests to a successful conclusion as official driver, but everything went as we wanted and we are really looking forward to start the season!

“The Rallye Monte-Carlo is an event both atypical, long and complicated due to its extreme weather conditions. The first target will be to learn the Fiesta RS WRC and to progress step by step while realizing a smart race. This is our first world race and we will know the level of the WRC. We will give the best of ourselves, as we always do.”

Monday marks the official start of the season as competitors get three days of recce underway before the shakedown and four days of rally action.