Ford wants to keep the “opportunity to compete as a manufacturer” in the World Rally Championship in the future but has highlighted a need for an open set of 2027 regulations.
The American automotive brand is one of the WRC’s most successful manufacturers scoring 94 rally wins, a stat only surpassed by Citroen in the championship’s history.
Ford is one of three car makers currently represented in rallying’s top level alongside Toyota and Hyundai, competing with its Puma Rally1 hybrid, but the marque has been operating as a semi-factory team through partners M-Sport since 2013.
However, it has since extended its partnership with M-Sport which has been charged to help deliver the marque’s full factory Dakar Rally programme with its new Raptor T1+ entry unveiled at last week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
At the launch, Ford Performance Motorsports global director Mark Rushbrook stated that he wants the marque to “own” rallying and says that the brand wants to commit to the WRC beyond 2026 if the future of Rally1 and Rally2 is “right for everybody”.
The FIA is expected to reveal its 2027 technical regulations in December this year which will be key as the championship aims to keep its current manufacturer base and attract new brands.
“What happens in Rally1 and Rally2 has to be decided, what is the future, and that's where we need to make our decision,” Rushbrook told Autosport.
“We want to [commit], it just needs to be right for everybody.”
The FIA hinted in February’s proposals that the 2027 rules would be based around the current Rally1 concept using a common safety cell to reduce costs to approximately €400,000 and allow manufacturers and tuners develop cars based around B-class, C-Class and compact SUV production models.
When asked which direction the WRC should take with its technical rules, Rushbrook felt the ability to be able to use a range of powertrains is important, adding: “We definitely want to keep the opportunity to participate as a manufacturer [in the WRC].
“We definitely want to have the full pyramid with rally racing. But it seems like different manufacturers want different things, so if the FIA can write the regulations such that you've got the ability to like in Dakar where you can go with combustion engines, naturally aspirated turbo, you can go with a hybrid, if you got that opportunity in rallying as well you can attract more manufacturers.
“Technical parity which is what Dakar does now with the equivalence of technology and with the torque sensors on the [vehicles]. So I think it's things like that.
“But then there is also the promotional side of it, aside from the technical rules, making sure that it is engaging for fans to really embrace the sport.”
