Ford should certainly be able to afford part of the cost of developing a WRC27-spec car with M-Sport. The new Cars are considerably cheaper than the Rally1 and sales should be good to privateers....
Behind the scenea of Fiesta Rally2 development https://youtu.be/sFDYXDonZqw?si=cTwo0YES80rXra8r
1 more year, and then it's up to Ford to back the Rally2 entry if there's already Toyota, Prospeed and Lancia; plus others.

Kalle Rovanperä feels he was born 20 years too late. “I would have liked to be a professional in the 1990s, when life was much simpler and rallying was, in my opinion, cooler,” Rovanperä continues. ...
Kalle Rovanpera - rallying's...