Work has officially begun on Ford's brand-new World Rally Championship challenger slated for the 2029 season. After unveiling its plans for a full factory return to the WRC late in September, attention initially seemed to shift back toward the evolution of the Ford Fiesta that M-Sport will campaign as an interim car next season.
However, it has been learned that development is already underway on a machine that will not make its competitive WRC debut for more than two years. Following a test session of the 2027-spec car in Spain, M-Sport director Matthew Wilson flew straight to the Ford Performance Technical Center in North Carolina to conduct early simulator running on the eagerly anticipated '29 car.
While Wilson remained tight-lipped regarding specific technical details of the development, he emphasized the team's absolute commitment to the timeline. He stated, "We're full steam ahead. I think it’s fairly clear that we want to hit the start of 2029 with a very strong car and the homologation for that car’s got to be completed at the end of 2028 – which is just over two years away."
The upcoming vehicle is understood to be a completely clean-sheet design, carrying over zero components from the current Fiesta Rally2 or Puma Rally1 platforms. Meanwhile, regarding next year's Fiesta WRC Kit Car-specification Rally1 entry, Wilson reported encouraging early running across both asphalt and gravel surfaces in Catalunya.
"Obviously, like a few people have said, it’s important that we’re looking at this with the reference point of a Rally2 car," Wilson noted when discussing the aerodynamic adjustments. He added that compared to the Rally2, the subtle aerodynamic updates to the rear wing and front bumper represent a decent step forward in handling dynamics.
Addressing the powertrain upgrades, Wilson pointed out that the one-millimeter increase on the restrictor size delivers measurable extra power, aided by improved boost control mechanics. Although questions remain over whether the interim package will defeat Toyota, the interim car serves its ultimate purpose: keeping Ford and M-Sport firmly relevant and competitive at the pinnacle of international rallying throughout the transitional phase.
Read Also
Simak debut kompetitif paket konversi Rally2 WRC Kit bersama M-Sport dan persiapan regulasi WRC27. Baca analisis mendalam di sini selengkapnya.
Jon Armstrong umumkan perpisahan mengejutkan dengan co-driver Shane Byrne jelang WRC 2027. Baca analisis mendalam dan berita terbaru di sini.
Simak kisah sukses Thierry Neuville menangi debut balap klasik bersama Ford Escort di Imola. Baca laporan selengkapnya di sini!
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!