M-Sport is considering various options to secure its future in the World Rally Championship (WRC) by building a new vehicle for 2028. The British team, which currently competes with the Ford Fiesta Rally2, has not officially confirmed its future beyond 2026, although it is expected to participate next season.
With the new technical regulations from the FIA, Rally2 cars will compete against the new WRC27 vehicles in a new class starting in 2027. M-Sport has acknowledged that creating a completely new vehicle for the next season is unlikely due to tight deadlines.
Additionally, the team faces uncertainty created by the sale of the WRC commercial rights and the future direction of the championship. The French company Cosmobilis, led by Eric Boullier, former head of Lotus and McLaren in Formula 1, is the leading candidate to acquire these rights.
Richard Millener, the team director, has confirmed that while they await the completion of this sale, they have begun preliminary work to build a new car, keeping all options open, including the possibility of collaborating with Ford or becoming independent constructors.
While communication with Ford remains active, the team is evaluating the feasibility of operating as its own constructor. Millener has stated that, despite the team not having made definitive decisions, they have carried out initial work on basic aspects to consider for a future vehicle. The idea of collaborating with a manufacturer is their preferred option.
Looking ahead to the 2027 season, M-Sport does not plan to make further improvements to its Fiesta Rally2, which it considers competitive against other vehicles in the same category. Efforts will be focused more on developing a new car rather than making significant changes to the current model, which has undergone a significant update at the beginning of the year.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
