Ford Fiesta Mk1 - Mdina Grand Prix, Malta - Number 657 in Motorcraft Racing Livery

A competition-prepared Ford Fiesta Mk1 carrying race number 657 and distinctive Motorcraft livery tackles a corner during the Mdina Grand Prix in Malta.

This photograph captures a red Ford Fiesta Mk1 carrying race number 657 as it negotiates a corner during the Mdina Grand Prix in Malta. The compact hatchback has been extensively prepared for historic motorsport, with widened wheel arches, a visible roll cage, competition wheels and prominent Motorcraft branding giving the car a purposeful period racing appearance. Ford introduced the first-generation Fiesta in 1976 as a compact front-wheel-drive hatchback, and the Mk1 remained in production until 1983. Although conceived primarily as an economical small road car, the lightweight Fiesta soon proved suitable for competition and became a familiar sight in rallying and other forms of club motorsport. This racing example demonstrates how dramatically the modest family hatchback could be transformed for competition. During the Mdina Grand Prix, historic cars compete on closed roads outside Malta’s fortified former capital, tackling a demanding circuit of tight bends, sweeping curves and changes in elevation that provides an atmospheric setting for classic motorsport.