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Ford return to WRC factory competition

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2026-10-14 14:30 UTC → 2026-10-18 10:52 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Ford has announced its return to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) as a full factory team beginning in 2028. The manufacturer will re-establish direct involvement through Ford Racing in partnership with M-Sport Ltd. The transition will follow a phased approach, starting with increased support for M-Sport in 2027, moving to a full works program in 2028, and debuting a new Rally1 competition car in 2029 under the FIA’s WRC27 technical regulations. In 2028, Ford will provide full factory backing, including engineering, engine, and aerodynamics departments. As part of the 2027 transition, M-Sport has unveiled an evolution kit for the Ford Fiesta Rally2. This kit, designed to ensure aerodynamic parity with the upcoming WRC27 category, includes new homologated front fenders, a revised front bumper, and a rear aerodynamic device. The kit also features a 10 kg reduction in minimum weight and a 33 mm turbo restrictor. M-Sport plans to enter three Rally2 cars equipped with this kit into next season’s 15-round championship. Testing is currently underway on asphalt in Spain with driver Matthew Wilson. To support this expansion, M-Sport plans to hire approximately 50 new employees, including engineers and mechanics, at its Dovenby Hall base in Cumbria. During recent Spanish testing, team principal Richard Millener reported that the team completed the first kilometers without technical issues. While 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”, the partnership remains focused on competing for the manufacturers' title in 2029. Ford intends to use the championship as a technical laboratory to inform the development of a new generation of five multi-energy passenger vehicles in Europe, featuring electric and hybrid powertrains. By the end of 2029, Ford plans to launch these models to revitalize its European market presence. Key upcoming releases include a B-segment electric city car expected in 2028 and a compact Bronco-style SUV, which is slated for production at the Ford plant in Valencia, Spain.

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