M-Sport Ford World Rally Teams

[macebig]

Looks like Loeb is still very much on the cards for 2023.
https://twitter.com/MSportLtd/status...IxJR1M5yMJr3-g

[wyler]

Looks like Loeb is still very much on the cards for 2023.
https://twitter.com/MSportLtd/status...IxJR1M5yMJr3-g

well, it's just the redbull closing party for the '22 season in their garden... '23 is still to come, let's hope with no big change.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Seems to me that Tanak's sudden availability has been the catalyst to getting Ford to finally pay up for the top driver M-Sport needed. Plus his salary may also be lower than if they were poaching him from another team.

Missing out on him would've wasted the all the money they'd already paid out in making the Puma Rally1 Hybrid happen.

[Danny0405]

Looking at Solberg «*interview*» in Motorsport.com + Millener’s comments, I have the feeling it will be Loeb or Solberg in part-time 4th car (and maybe even a bit of 3rd if Loubet has not a full-time program).
Millener is wondering about sponsorship conflicts but does not discard it completly. I have the feeling they are pushing Red Bull for Loeb (and will not take Solberg in that case) but not sure Red Bull will invest again this season:
- 2022 results were bad
- Tanak’s deal is clearly not a Red Bull one, else communication would have been clear about that
- Loubet and Greensmith are not Red Bull drivers (no external sign of it) and I don’t think their results are enough to convince RB
- Very low probability that they help again Fourmaux (who misses out 3 of the 4 last rallies), and they began to help other youngsters such as Cais.
So is some drives with Loeb interesting enough for Red Bull to put some money for M-Sport? Not sure at all with a young Red Bull driver (Rovanpera) being the big fish.

And if Red Bull is not there, I would see M-Sport, Monster and Solberg finalizing for Solberg a deal equivalent to Loubet 2022 program (half-program).
Wouldn’t be surprised to see Solberg in his Polo in Sweden and then announcing a deal with M-Sport.

[Paul Hudson]

It might all have something to do with the Dakar project that M-Sport are working on with Ford, Some extra Finance to get some top drivers ready, Fourmaux has already been testing it, and Tanak no doubt will test at some point, then you throw Loeb into that mix !!.

[wyler]

Looking at Solberg «*interview*» in Motorsport.com + Millener’s comments, I have the feeling it will be Loeb or Solberg in part-time 4th car (and maybe even a bit of 3rd if Loubet has not a full-time program).
Millener is wondering about sponsorship conflicts but does not discard it completly. I have the feeling they are pushing Red Bull for Loeb (and will not take Solberg in that case) but not sure Red Bull will invest again this season:
- 2022 results were bad
- Tanak’s deal is clearly not a Red Bull one, else communication would have been clear about that
- Loubet and Greensmith are not Red Bull drivers (no external sign of it) and I don’t think their results are enough to convince RB
- Very low probability that they help again Fourmaux (who misses out 3 of the 4 last rallies), and they began to help other youngsters such as Cais.
So is some drives with Loeb interesting enough for Red Bull to put some money for M-Sport? Not sure at all with a young Red Bull driver (Rovanpera) being the big fish.

And if Red Bull is not there, I would see M-Sport, Monster and Solberg finalizing for Solberg a deal equivalent to Loubet 2022 program (half-program).
Wouldn’t be surprised to see Solberg in his Polo in Sweden and then announcing a deal with M-Sport.

some hints from news these days:
- fourmaux unofficially confirmed in wrc2 (but before tanak, might change, especially if redbull leaves)
- loubet racing in devouly with gilsoul in a fiesta rally2
- cais announced wrc2 + erc campain with skoda

[ictus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Woq8ltYUHbU a lot of M-Sporters in this video

[Danny0405]

some hints from news these days:
- fourmaux unofficially confirmed in wrc2 (but before tanak, might change, especially if redbull leaves)
- loubet racing in devouly with gilsoul in a fiesta rally2
- cais announced wrc2 + erc campain with skoda

About Ford Rally2 program: they already have Virves (and we can think that with Tanak there, he will have more than the 4 prize drives) and the last news from Belgium are saying Serderidis has cut half of his next year program to fund Grégoire Munster in 2023; and Munster has 2 possibilities, either Hyundai (his father is a contender to take the program left by RedGrey) or Ford, with a decision to be taken soon as he wants to do the Monte Carlo.

So I wouldn’t be 100% sure about Fourmaux in Rally2. Let’s see, probably some news soon.

[Kenneth]

Is there possibility that we will see Munster in Serderidis' Puma for some tests or even one race?

[Brynmor Pierce]

It might all have something to do with the Dakar project that M-Sport are working on with Ford, Some extra Finance to get some top drivers ready, Fourmaux has already been testing it, and Tanak no doubt will test at some point, then you throw Loeb into that mix !!.

That was the theory I threw up a few weeks back Paul, I think you’re spot on. Dakar fits exactly with Tanak wanting a new challenge.