The M-Sport Ford squad planned to test its Mexico-spec car for five days last week in southern Spain. Elfyn Evans and Ogier were due to drive for two days each, before Teemu Suninen rounded off the session with a single day.

But instead of the hot and dry conditions they were expecting, wintry storms blew in on day three, stopping the test two days early. Ogier left for Mexico having completed half of his allocated time, while Suninen missed out altogether.

Despite the cancelled days, team boss Malcolm Wilson remains confident his drivers will be fighting for podium places this week.

“The last two days of our test might have been disrupted by the wintry weather, but we were still able to collect a lot of good data – both from the test and from two days of work at Ford’s Climatic Chamber in Dunton,” he said.

“We have three very capable drivers who are all hungry for a good result, and the whole team are determined to see the Fiesta make a return to the podium.”

Suninen said: “It’s a shame that the winter weather prevented us from testing, but that’s the way it goes sometimes and we will have to make good use of the Shakedown to get accustomed to the feeling of driving in Mexico.”