Ford's heading back to the World Rally Championship with a new car

Good news! Ford's coming back to the World Rally Championship! 'But Ford's already in the World Rally Championship', you might cry. Settle those bobble hats: this announcement marks Ford Racing's return as a full factory team.

Which means it'll team up with long-time partner M-Sport (who already race Fords in the WRC) to make a 2028 comeback with a brand-new car from its "upcoming line-up" of Euro cars.

Ford’s return follows a 14-year hiatus from WRC after a tough season and a challenging economic environment leading to its withdrawal in 2012. Despite M-Sport running the likes of the Puma Rally1 in WRC in the meantime, 2028 will mark the first return for Ford to full factory racing status.

Make no mistake though, Ford is no stranger to the world of rally. Take its 50-year history within the sport, which includes competing in the very first WRC in 1973 to four manufacturers' and three drivers’ championships. Not too shabby.

As ever, Ford's talking big about the race-to-road transfer. Competing in the WRC will aid the development of five new “unapologetic and agile rally-bred passenger vehicles” for Europe by the end of 2029. One of these yet-to-be revealed cars will eventually form the basis for the new rally car.

According to Ford’s European boss Jim Baumbick, the goal for the new cars is to be “responsive, confidence-inspiring, and rewarding to drive on the roads people use every day".

The return to WRC represents the latest piece in Ford’s embiggened global motorsport jigsaw. The manufacturer has already made a return to Formula One earlier this year in a powertrain partnership with Red Bull Racing, and wants to enter the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2027.