Ford will return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2028 with a factory Ford Racing team, continuing its long-standing partnership with M-Sport. A new WRC car will follow in 2029, with rally-developed engineering expected to influence the brand’s next generation of European passenger cars.
Ford is returning to its rally roots. The American manufacturer has confirmed that it will re-enter the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) in 2028 with an official Ford Racing team, marking a new chapter in a motorsport history spanning more than five decades.
The programme will be developed alongside long-term partner M-Sport Ltd, with work starting immediately. The two companies will compete together from 2028, before introducing an entirely new WRC car in 2029, inspired by one of Ford’s upcoming European passenger car models.
However, the announcement goes beyond motorsport. Ford intends to use the engineering expertise, vehicle dynamics and performance knowledge developed through rally competition to shape its future European model range, which includes five new electric and hybrid vehicles.
From rally stages to European roads
Ford’s renewed commitment to rallying is closely connected to its strategy for passenger cars in Europe. The manufacturer aims to develop vehicles combining everyday usability with responsive handling, driving engagement and off-road capability.
The experience gained in the WRC will therefore contribute to the development of vehicles designed specifically for Europe’s often challenging road conditions, which Ford has previously described as “perfectly imperfect”.
Vehicle dynamics, steering response and driver involvement are among the areas where rally engineering could influence future production models. The objective is to translate lessons learned on competitive stages into characteristics that drivers can experience in everyday use.
A new Ford WRC car in 2029
The partnership with M-Sport will continue a relationship that has lasted approximately 30 years. Ford Racing will be directly involved in M-Sport’s WRC programme from the 2028 season, while the following year will see the debut of a completely new rally car.
The 2029 competition vehicle will draw inspiration from one of Ford’s future European passenger cars, establishing a more direct connection between the manufacturer’s motorsport activities and its production vehicle development.
Ford’s WRC comeback: Key dates
- 2028: Ford Racing returns to the WRC with an official team.
- 2029: Debut of an entirely new Ford WRC car developed with M-Sport.
- Development: Rally engineering will contribute to five upcoming electric and hybrid passenger cars for Europe.
- Partnership: The programme builds on Ford and M-Sport’s approximately 30-year collaboration.
More than 50 years of rally heritage
Ford’s return builds on a competitive history that includes some of the most recognisable models in rallying. The Escort, Sierra, Focus, Fiesta and Puma have all competed in rally configurations, contributing to the manufacturer’s record in the World Rally Championship.
Across more than five decades, Ford has secured manufacturers’ and drivers’ world championship titles, while supporting some of the sport’s most prominent competitors.
Rallying has also influenced the development of road-going vehicles. From the Escort Mexico in the 1970s to the current Ranger Raptor, Ford has repeatedly translated motorsport experience into models focused on performance, durability and off-road capability.
The latest WRC programme is intended to reinforce that connection, extending rally-inspired engineering beyond dedicated performance models and into the broader European passenger car portfolio.
WRC prepares for a new technical era
Ford’s announcement comes as the FIA World Rally Championship approaches a period of structural and technical change.
Cosmobilis and Park Square Capital have recently acquired the commercial rights to the championship, while new technical regulations are scheduled to take effect from the 2027 season.
These developments are expected to shape the competitive framework in which manufacturers will participate in the coming years. Ford’s confirmation of a factory entry from 2028 adds another major automotive manufacturer to the championship’s future plans.
Ford is also expanding its presence across international motorsport. Alongside its WRC return, the company is involved in Formula 1, the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship and plans to return to the top class of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027.
The WRC programme will therefore form part of a broader motorsport strategy, using competition as a platform for engineering development, technological innovation and global brand visibility.
Rally-inspired driving for the next generation
For Ford, the central objective of the WRC comeback is to bring the characteristics of rally cars to vehicles intended for everyday use.
Baumbick identifies responsiveness and handling as particularly relevant to European driving conditions, where road surfaces and environments can vary considerably.
“The WRC is the ultimate proving ground for control and driver engagement,” he said, explaining that these qualities and the lessons learned in competition will be carried into the development of Ford’s next generation of passenger cars.
