Created and assembled by American extreme sports star Ken Block, the Monster World Rally Team is a new addition to this year’s series but one with long term plans for greatness in the WRC.

A seasoned Rally America and X-Games competitor, Block is the driving force of the team both at the steering wheel and outside the car.

After co-founding DC Shoes, a leading skateboarding and action sports brand, then achieving global fame for a series of internet stunt driving videos which have been viewed more than 50 million times, Block is aiming to turn the traditional image of a WRC team on its head.

Block says The Monster World Rally Team is driven not only to win, but to also market motorsport through innovative, creative and interactive ways. The goal: To become the best- known team in the WRC and bring rally to the masses along the way.

But slick marketing and a good paint job will get you only so far in rallying, so to make sure the team has the go to match the show Block wisely established a technical partnership with M-Sport, the company responsible for handling Ford’s World Rally programme.

In 2010, the Monster World Rally Team will run one Focus RS WRC for Block on seven rounds of the World Rally Championship, but has plans to expand to a full programme and two cars in 2011.

Tackling only a part programme this year, the Monster World Rally Team has not registered for the FIA Manufacturers’ Championship and is hence ineligible to score points.