The Blue Oval is coming home. Ford will return to the FIA World Rally Championship as a full factory manufacturer from 2028, with long-time partner M-Sport once again entrusted with building and running its works rally programme.
Ford’s return was confirmed ahead of Rally Italia Sardegna, bringing one of the biggest names in rallying back to the WRC at the dawn of a new regulatory era.
The relationship between Ford and M-Sport stretches all the way back to 1997 and has produced some of rallying’s most memorable machinery. Now the partnership is set to enter another chapter.
M-Sport will design, develop, build and operate Ford’s new Rally1 car, based on a forthcoming passenger vehicle that has yet to be revealed.
There will be no waiting around, either. M-Sport will use the 2027 and 2028 seasons to develop a Fiesta Rally2-based car upgraded to Rally1 specification through a homologated kit. The programme will carry Ford Racing branding in 2028, before the all-new Ford works car makes its competition debut in 2029.
For Ford, however, this is about far more than simply returning to the world’s toughest rally championship.
“Rallying is where Ford’s character faces its toughest test, and where generations of fans come to share the thrill of seeing a car take on the impossible,” said Ford Europe president Jim Baumbick.
“We want our next generation of European vehicles to carry that same unapologetic spirit. Responsive, confidence-inspiring, and rewarding to drive on the roads people use every day.”
Baumbick was equally clear that Ford intends to turn its rally programme into a genuine road-car development exercise rather than simply a marketing exercise.
“’Rally-bred’ for us is not just marketing words,” he said. “We’re not talking about styling ads and things like that. This is a promise that we want to make to our customers.”
Ford Racing global director Mark Rushbrook pointed to the company’s long competition heritage as another reason for the return.
“As we celebrate 125 years of Ford Racing, our 50-year legacy in the WRC stands out as one of our proudest because of its direct connection to the fun and exciting cars that came from that,” said Rushbrook.
“We can’t wait to compete again in rally racing in 2028 and beyond.”
The timing is no coincidence. Ford sees the FIA’s new 2027 regulations as an opportunity to enter a WRC that is being reshaped around lower costs and greater technical freedom.
“The timing is very opportune as we align with a new era for WRC, very visionary promoters coming in now with more cost-effective, smarter rules from the FIA with the 2027-and-beyond regulations we have,” Rushbrook added.
For the championship itself, Ford’s return represents another major boost as the WRC prepares for its next era.
New WRC Promoter CEO Éric Boullier welcomed the decision, describing Ford’s history in rallying as “extraordinary” and highlighting the connection between its competition programme and future road cars.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem also underlined the significance of Ford committing to the championship alongside the manufacturers already signed up to the new technical regulations.
“Ford is one of the great names in motorsport and its commitment to FIA World Championships continues to grow,” said Ben Sulayem.
The Blue Oval is now set to have factory programmes across four FIA World Championships, spanning Formula 1, World Rally-Raid, World Endurance and, from 2028, the WRC.
But perhaps nobody has more reason to celebrate than Malcolm Wilson.
For the M-Sport boss, Ford has been a constant throughout both his driving career and the company’s rise to the top level of rallying.
“From my early rallying days, Ford has been front and centre of both my racing career and my business,” said Wilson.
“This announcement is such an exciting one both for M-Sport but also for the sport of rallying. Ford is in many ways synonymous with rallying and it feels like they are back where they belong.”
And that may be the biggest story of all.
After years away from the WRC as a full works manufacturer, Ford is coming back — and it is coming back with M-Sport.
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