Ford and M-Sport target 2029 WRC manufacturers' title

Ford and M-Sport are preparing for a significant return to the World Rally Championship (WRC). Following Ford’s announcement of increased involvement, the partnership aims to transition to a factory-style program starting in 2028, with the ultimate goal of competing for the manufacturers' title in 2029 using an entirely new vehicle designed under upcoming technical regulations.

To support this expansion, M-Sport plans to hire approximately 50 new employees, including engineers and mechanics, at its Dovenby Hall base in Cumbria. This growth follows a period of financial difficulty for the team after Ford withdrew factory support in 2012.

In recent testing in Spain, M-Sport conducted public trials with an evolved Ford Fiesta intended for next season’s top category. Team principal Richard Millener expressed satisfaction with the initial testing phase, noting that the team completed the first kilometers without technical issues. While the new cars are not yet comparable to the current Rally1 models, development driver Stéphane Lefebvre noted that the performance gap between the new Rally2 cars and current Rally1 models is approximately half a second per kilometer.