Ford is set to make a full-scale return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2028, marking a major commitment to the sport and strengthening its presence across global motorsport.
The Blue Oval will join forces once again with long-term partner M-Sport, which will operate Ford’s factory WRC programme from 2028 under the Ford Racing banner. As part of the agreement, Ford has also committed to developing an all-new rally car designed to the new 2027 technical regulations, which will make its competitive debut during the 2029 WRC season.
Although Ford’s official manufacturer return will not take place until 2028, the brand will already have a presence in the championship next year. M-Sport is preparing an upgraded version of the Ford Fiesta Rally2, allowing the car to compete alongside the new WRC27 Rally1-specification machinery.
The Fiesta Rally2 is expected to remain in competition throughout 2028, before being replaced by Ford’s all-new Rally1 car for the 2029 season. The new machine will be developed specifically around the next generation of WRC regulations, signalling Ford’s intention to establish a long-term factory programme at the highest level of rallying.
Ford’s return was announced during the WRC season finale in Sardinia and represents a significant expansion of the manufacturer’s global motorsport activities. The company is already involved in a wide range of major racing programmes, including Formula 1, where it supplies power units to Red Bull, as well as the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class from next year.
Ford also continues to compete in NASCAR and Supercars in Australia, making its renewed WRC commitment another important part of an increasingly broad global motorsport strategy.
The partnership with M-Sport therefore marks the beginning of a new chapter for Ford in the World Rally Championship, with the manufacturer preparing for a full factory assault from 2028 and the arrival of an entirely new generation of Ford rally car in 2029.
For M-Sport, the announcement marks a reunion with Ford, a partnership that dates back decades and most recently saw the manufacturer provide factory backing to the team until 2012. Their previous collaboration delivered some of the most significant milestones in M-Sport’s history, including the team’s first WRC manufacturers’ championship title in 2006, secured with Ford and drivers Marcus Grönholm and Mikko Hirvonen.
Photo Credits: M-Sport
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