Slightly compromised seating position aside, we file out of pit lane and onto the patchy circuit.
The ST is instantly fun. The sportiest standard Fiesta money can buy, the ST claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.9 and a top speed of 220km/h. Thanks to its multi-award-winning EcoBoost engine too, the little guy claims to be able to suck down around 6.2 litres of premium unleaded fuel per 100km on the combined cycle.
More importantly, though, it weighs 1197kg â€" that’s not a lot. And while many people say Sandown is a high-speed circuit best suited to big-horsepower cars, that’s not entirely the case.
With its light weight and compact dimensions, zipping around Sandown’s 11 turns, the Fiesta ST is very nimble and very agile. Changes of direction are without a doubt this little Ford’s bread and butter.
Compared to the likes of the recently tested paddle-equipped Renault Clio RS, the flagship Fiesta â€" no doubt helped by its requirement for drivers to shift their own gears â€" is wholly engaging and alive in your hands.
Tip into Turn One, let the car run out wide to the right. Hold third gear until moving left to set up for Turn Two, then snick the slick-shifting six-speed ‘box into second. Negotiate Two, sight Turn Four and punch through Three.
Apart from sounding terrific â€" a perception enhanced by Ford’s ‘sound symposer’ piping intake noise into the cabin â€" the engine is impressively gutsy and terrifically responsive. Freely revving out to its 6500rpm rev limit, the force-fed four-banger offers good pickup from below 3000rpm and strong pulling power anywhere north of 4000rpm, meaning wringing its neck isn’t always necessary. On track though, using all the revs is, of course, a lot of fun.
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