At the end of September ahead of Rally Sardinia, Ford announced its strategic return to the WRC as a full factory outfit. Following this major announcement, attention swiftly shifted back to developing the Ford Fiesta, which M-Sport intends to field as an interim solution next season.
However, according to DirtFish reports, work is already well underway on an entirely new rally challenger, despite its competitive debut in the WRC being more than two years away. Initial track testing for the 2027-spec regulations was successfully conducted in Spain.
Driver Matthew Wilson drove the initial test mule before flying directly to the Ford Performance Technical Center in North Carolina to carry out the very first simulator tests for the upcoming 2029 car project.
While keeping further technical details under wraps, validation that the project is moving forward at full throttle was firmly established. The homologation process for this brand-new machine must reach completion by the end of 2028, leaving a tight window of just over two years.
According to DirtFish, the ground-up design utilizes zero carryover parts from the current Fiesta Rally2 or Puma Rally1 models, ensuring a completely fresh engineering approach for the future of the factory program.
Positive initial impressions were also gathered from the Fiesta WRC Kit car built under the 2027 technical regulations, which underwent rigorous testing across asphalt and gravel surfaces in Catalonia.
Aerodynamic modifications introduced subtle yet crucial differences through the rear wing and front bumper, noticeably boosting performance compared to standard Rally2 counterparts.
Furthermore, engine regulation updates including a one-millimeter increase in the turbocharger air restrictor diameter and data-logging boost-pressure control yield tangible power gains.
From behind the steering wheel, the step forward in performance is undeniable, setting the stage for what data suggests will be an intensely close championship battle ahead.
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