M-Sport is pressing ahead with the development of its 2027 World Rally Championship challenger, using this weekend’s European Rally Championship finale in Portugal as the next stage of its testing programme.
The British team will run its updated Ford Fiesta Rally2 as a course car at the Rally Six Cities North of Portugal, allowing it to gather valuable data on gravel following its recent asphalt test in Spain. The development programme began last week, with Matthew Wilson and M-Sport WRC2 driver Romet Jurgenson sharing driving duties during a week-long test.
For the Portuguese outing, Josh McErlean will take over behind the wheel to evaluate the upgraded car on gravel stages. The Irishman has been part of M-Sport’s Rally1 line-up since 2025, competing in the Ford Puma Rally1, although his future with the team beyond the current season remains uncertain.
M-Sport has become the first manufacturer to commit to developing an upgrade kit that will bring an existing Rally2 car closer to the new Rally1 regulations. The team is targeting a three-car entry for the 2027 season, as the WRC prepares for a significant technical transition.
The FIA introduced the upgrade-kit concept earlier this year to help improve aerodynamic parity between existing Rally2 machinery and the new WRC27 cars. Priced at €7,500, the kit will allow manufacturers to adapt their Rally2 models to compete under the new framework, with the two categories expected to deliver similar levels of performance despite being based on separate technical regulations.
The Fiesta’s upgrade package includes newly homologated front fenders, a redesigned front bumper and a rear aerodynamic device. The car will also benefit from a 10kg reduction in minimum weight compared with the current specification.
Another important technical detail concerns the turbo restrictor. A 33mm restrictor has been confirmed for the upgraded car, following ratification at this week’s FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting.
With further testing scheduled on Portuguese gravel, M-Sport is continuing to refine its package ahead of the new era of the WRC. The results of the development programme will be crucial as the team works towards its planned three-car line-up for 2027, with the upgraded Fiesta potentially providing an alternative route into the championship’s top category.
Photo Credits: M-Sport
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