04/10/2026
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04/10/2026
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DUBAI, UAE, Oct 4: FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has welcomed Ford’s announcement that it will return to the FIA World Rally Championship with a full factory programme from 2028 and develop an all-new Rally1 car under the FIA’s WRC27 technical regulations for 2029.
Ford’s return to the championship will mark its first full works programme in the FIA WRC since 2012 and comes at a significant moment in the championship’s development.
With new technical regulations arriving in 2027, increased investment under new ownership, and plans to expand the WRC’s presence in key markets, including the United Kingdom and the United States, the series is entering a new period of sporting and commercial growth.
The announcement makes Ford the fourth constructor to commit to developing a car under the FIA’s new WRC27 technical regulations. Designed around safety, affordability, flexibility, and accessibility, the regulations will lower the cost of competing at the highest level of rallying, with the price of a ready-to-compete car capped at €345,000 for the asphalt specification.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “The announcement represents another significant moment for the FIA World Rally Championship. With a new promoter in place, three constructors already committed to the new technical regulations, and now Ford confirming its return as a full works manufacturer, the championship’s next era has real momentum.
“Ford is one of the great names in motorsport, and its commitment to FIA World Championships continues to grow. The manufacturer returned to Formula 1 this year, is competing at the highest level of the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship, will return to the top category of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027, and will once again compete as a works manufacturer in the WRC from 2028.
“That will give Ford a presence across four FIA World Championships and demonstrate the importance it places on motor sport as a global platform and laboratory for its brand, products and technologies.
“I had the privilege of driving for Ford during my own career, so welcoming them back is a particularly special moment for me. The WRC continues to grow, and this long-term commitment from such an iconic manufacturer is a testament to the strength of the championship.”
From 2028, Ford Racing will become directly involved in its FIA WRC programme alongside long-standing partner M-Sport, before introducing an all-new Rally1 car developed to the WRC27 technical regulations in 2029.
The commitment reflects the growing attractiveness of the FIA World Rally Championship to global automotive manufacturers. It reinforces the role of FIA World Championships as genuine laboratories for the development, testing, and demonstration of future technologies.
Ford’s commitment follows growing interest in the new regulations from both global automotive manufacturers and independent constructors, and comes as the championship has recently secured the ‘Deal of the Century’ and enters a new period of commercial development under its recently appointed promoter team.
The growing manufacturer interest also underscores the broader role of the FIA’s World Championships as global platforms for automotive manufacturers to develop and demonstrate new technologies, test solutions in demanding competition environments, and transfer knowledge between motor sport and road-going vehicles.
Ford’s return to the WRC also forms part of an expanding global motor sport programme. The Blue Oval returned to the FIA Formula One World Championship in 2026, competes in the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship and is preparing to return to the top category of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027, having already launched its LMGT3 programme. Its WRC programme will give Ford a presence across four FIA World Championships from 2028.
Ford has played a major role in the history of the FIA World Rally Championship, with cars such as the Escort, Sierra, Focus, Fiesta, and Puma competing for more than five decades in international rallying.
Jim Baumbick, President of Ford Europe, said: “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. 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.”
Before the Ford announcement, three Constructors had already committed to developing cars for the championship’s next technical era:
