M-Sport Ford World Rally Teams

[AE1WRC]

It’s the weakest line up any team has ever had.

2005 Ford team: Toni Gardemaister and Roman Kresta

This line up was also one of the weakest but credit to Toni, he had a good season (even exceed the expectations)

[focus206]

I hope Sesks will get few rounds in a 3rd Puma. But to grow, he'd need a nice full season in WRC2 where he can learn on asphalt and slower gravel rallies.

[doubled1978]

2005 Ford team: Toni Gardemaister and Roman Kresta

This line up was also one of the weakest but credit to Toni, he had a good season (even exceed the expectations)

I thought Toni was really unlucky to end up out of a drive after 2005. He was never going to be a team number 1, but he would have been a good 2 or 3 in any team in my view.

[doubled1978]

Well Josh came right out of left field, I didn’t see that coming! If it is too early, time will tell, but he has the seat, so it’s up to him to use it now. Good luck to him.

I hope too that Sesks can get some drives as he has shown that he is worth that. Can they put a WRC2 season with a few WRC1 drives together?

[EstWRC]

2005 Ford team: Toni Gardemaister and Roman Kresta

This line up was also one of the weakest but credit to Toni, he had a good season (even exceed the expectations)

this was better, Gardemeister was a decent driver compared to Munster and Mcerlean

Look, i have nothing against those drivers but M-sport is my favourite team and im just sad to see such a weak line-up for them and another survival year.

But its been like that and will be like that, what can you do

[Backa]

2005 Ford team: Toni Gardemaister and Roman Kresta

This line up was also one of the weakest but credit to Toni, he had a good season (even exceed the expectations)

Some people here knew 2000s drivers much better than me but I think Toni was not that bad driver but unlucky with usually getting underperforming cars.

I am happy for McErlean, I think he has more potential than Munster to have long and solid WRC career. Solberg and then Sesks would be preferred choices in a vacuum but seems M-Sport just needs to survive season before costs will be decreased in 2027. Reminds me of Haas in F1 deciding to put Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in their seats some years ago.

Kinda dissapointed in Latvian business not doing more to give Sesks a seat. Would be also interesting for Orlen (polish oil company involved in Latvian market) to buy a seat to share between Sesks mostly on fast gravel and Marczyk mostly on tarmac. That would be cool concept, more cool than sponsoring dinosaurs like Kajetanowicz and Martin Prokop.

[macebig]

There will definitely be a 3rd Puma in most (if not all rounds). Sesks will get some rounds on fast gravel.

[Jarek Z]

2005 Ford team: Toni Gardemaister and Roman Kresta

This line up was also one of the weakest

...but only until today.

It's hard to even compare Munster and McErlean with Gardemaister and Kresta. Gardemeister was a former works driver for Seat and Skoda. He had several top 5 finishes in WRC, including 3rd place in New Zealand 1999. Kresta was 2 times Czech champion and also former works driver for Skoda.
Whereas Munster and McErlean have what achievements?

But I wish them both good luck and to M-Sport Ford, too, of course.

[Jarek Z]

This confirms how Rally1 was the wrong way to go if you want good numbers in WRC1 competition. Costs are just way too high for anyone except the big Manufacturer teams and those with huge personal or national MSA backing.

Exactly. This Ford lineup is the perfect argument against all those people who still say that Rally1 should stay.

[denkimi]

People: we need new blood on rallies, mainly in Rally1.
People too: oh no, not that new...

We need new top drivers, not rich kids.

While we have drivers like solberg, gryazin or rossel available, we have 2 rich kids without decent track record taking the best seats.

M-sport has become a full pay to arrive and drive team, they aren't even trying anymore.