WRC
What M-Sport is looking for as it assesses its 2027 WRC driver options
“Everything is possible, but we need to win.”
That is the mantra guiding M-Sport as it assesses its FIA World Rally Championship driver options for next year and beyond following its new partnership with Ford Racing.
The British team heads into the off-season with its future in the championship secure following confirmation that it will run Ford’s factory WRC programme from 2028. Preparations for the Blue Oval’s return will begin next year, with the marque increasing its support for the team.
Ford and M-Sport plan to field an upgraded Ford Fiesta Rally2 kit car in 2027 and 2028 before introducing an all-new car, built to the 2027 regulations, for the 2029 campaign.
Those plans will shape the team’s driver selection, with the focus extending beyond the next two seasons to 2029 as development of the new car begins.
For next year, M-Sport anticipates fielding three Ford Fiesta Rally2 kit cars across the 15-round season. Testing of the revised Rally2 car is taking place on asphalt roads in Spain this week.
This year, M-Sport fielded full-time entries for Josh McErlean and rookie Jon Armstrong alongside a six-round programme for Mārtiņš Sesks, while Grégoire Munster and Jourdan Serderidis both made one-off appearances.
So what is M-Sport looking for in its 2027 line-up?
“We have budgets to be here next year, so we don’t have to worry about this. The goal is to start building that team,” explains M-Sport team principal Richard Millener.
“There has been no discussion, no decision [on drivers]. Up until now, our driver selection is based on people we think have good enough talent to have the opportunity to develop. They needed to bring some support. Now we are able to be in a slightly different position, but it doesn’t mean we’re going to rush out and change everything overnight.
“The goal is to win in 2029 with the new car. We have two years to get ourselves into a good position. We want people who fit into the structure we have and fit into the team environment and help build the team around them. But also help deliver what Ford wants as well. They need to be ambassadors. They need to be understanding. They need to be bought in on the vision and role of Ford. And we need people who want to work incredibly hard. That’s what’s going to happen.”
© WRC
Millener says Ford’s increased involvement requires a shift in the team’s approach to signing drivers.
“We still need to develop some junior talent, but we need to have a really strong vision and focus on winning as well. That means we have to maybe change a little bit how we do things,” he said.
“We also need to think about people for the long term. This is already a multi-year programme, and if we get it right and if it works, and Ford Europe’s plan engages well, then there is endless potential. So we need to think about this properly in a clever way. We will take our time.
“We start straight away with the preparation and development alongside running, hopefully, at least some of the drivers that we want to try and work with for the full season.
“With an additional round next year as well, that’s going to be a busy year. So we need people who are prepared to commit to everything they’re asked to do. And you know it’s not a small request we’re asking. So there’s a lot of things we want to consider, but like I say, we don’t want to rush. We’re not just going to run out and say we’ve got money, we can buy everything.
“We still need to be efficient. We still need to be sensitive. We know that the process we’ve used up until now works. We make sure we continue to follow that, but also we have to work with Ford Racing and make sure that they’re aligned as well. It’s their programme, so we have to work together.”
