M-Sport has offered a first glimpse at a Rally2 kit car which will be eligible to compete in the top class of the World Rally Championship next year.
Earlier this year, the FIA announced plans to introduce a concept that will allow Rally2 manufacturers to homologate an upgrade kit, costing €7,500, to offer “greater aerodynamic parity” between Rally2 cars and the all-new WRC27 vehicles that will form the WRC’s top class next year. The WRC27 and Rally2 kit cars are built to two separate technical regulations and are expected to produce similar levels of performance.
The kit will comprise new homologated front fenders, a front bumper and a rear aerodynamic device, while the car will also shed 10kg from its current minimum weight. It has also recently been confirmed that the car will run a 33mm turbo restrictor.
M-Sport is the first squad to commit to developing a kit to upgrade its Ford Fiesta Rally2 car. This week the team is conducting a week-long test with its revised 2027 challenger on asphalt in Spain.
Images and videos of the test have emerged online revealing an all-white Fiesta Rally2 car, featuring clearly visible changes to the car's front bumper and its rear wing. Former WRC driver Matthew Wilson was behind the wheel of the car during Tuesday’s test.
M-Sport plans to run three Rally2 kit cars next year across the championship’s recently expanded 15-round calendar. The team has just announced a new factory partnership with Ford that will officially begin from 2028, although the blue oval brand will increase its support to M-Sport from next year.
As previously reported, M-Sport is yet to confirm its driver line-up for next year.
“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,” said team principal Richard Millener when asked about the team’s driver options for 2027 at the WRC season finale in Sardinia.
“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.
“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.
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