M-Sport Ford World Rally Teams

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Is it the worst Ford line-up ever?

Sadly very possibly.

And its appropriate you say Ford, as it's mainly thanks to their lack of full-factory team investment that better drivers aren't affordable.

[Danny0405]

To be precise, it’s the first time since Ford left M-Sport that M-Sport has a line-up without a driver having already made a podium in career.
And even the 1st time for Ford if we include since 1986 even if there were close sometimes (2003, 2005, 2015, 2021).

But I think a lot will depend on their bet on Fourmaux; if Fourmaux succeeds in adding consistency to his speed, I think he can do a couple of podiums and M-Sport having a season like 2015 or 2019 (and avoid a new 2021 season).
And it could work, it’s not totally a dumb bet considering what he has shown last year and the limited number of competitors in other teams.

I’m much more skeptical about Munster, a bit like Loubet, for other reasons. Maybe on the 4 tarmac events he could do something reasonable (4th position with some speed) but on gravel… (except the other retiring)

[Jarek Z]

Spot-on:
https://scontent.fktw1-1.fna.fbcdn.n...zg&oe=658A4189

[AndyRAC]

Look at Ford's Mustang GT3 line up of drivers......Ford have got the cheque book out for them. They do have money for motorsport - just not for their WRC effort.....

[HKSjbg]

Look at Ford's Mustang GT3 line up of drivers......Ford have got the cheque book out for them. They do have money for motorsport - just not for their WRC effort.....

Despite insisting that the WRC only has value for them with the hybrid car… Yet it’s still not enough to provide M-Sport with the proper resources needed to compete with Hyundai and Toyota

[TypeR]

I wouldn't only blame Ford for that.. Finally it's M-Sport who prepares the cars.
They got Tanak for this year and still couldn't up their game.
So many recurring errors and issues that shouldn't be on there. I don't even talk about any updates about the car.. no point for updates if the car doesn't work anyway.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Unreliability aside, the car itself can be fast and I believe most of the issues were to do with it not suiting Tanak's driving style.

And solving any issues and development does cost money which their budget just isnt there to allow. And remember that a big chunk went on paying Tanak in the first place.

Not only have M-Sport not got the factory-backing cash like Toyoya & Hyundai, they have lost a lot of sales with/since Covid and the unsuitablilty of the Rally1 car for private drivers.

Fighting with one arm tied behind your back is tough. We should be glad they havent just quit WRC by now.

[HKSjbg]

I wouldn't only blame Ford for that.. Finally it's M-Sport who prepares the cars.
They got Tanak for this year and still couldn't up their game.
So many recurring errors and issues that shouldn't be on there. I don't even talk about any updates about the car.. no point for updates if the car doesn't work anyway.

Where does the development budget come from if M-Sport doesn’t have 100% manufacturer backing from Ford? This is clearly nothing like the days between 1997-2012 when it was a full factory team.

M-Sport haven’t become incompetent all of a sudden, they don’t have the same resources of Hyundai and Toyota. If in the old days M-Sport produced a duff car or got caught behind on development you could blame them for dropping the ball, but in the current situation it’s nonsense to expect anything better than the 3rd best car each year.

[dimviii]

Ford M-Sport entered the "target" of a major investor – Information leaked but signatures did not fall

The day after the statements, the English media published that a strategic investor, with Greek roots, is entering M-Sport, aiming for a very high percentage of the company. Nothing official yet. However, as the saying goes "where there's smoke there's fire" something is up and we'll find out shortly before the first WRC race in Monte Carlo.

https://www.zougla.gr/automoto/racin...es-den-epesan/

[bomber21]

What??? Greek??