The new car that can resurrect Ford's WRC winning pedigree
M-Sport has become the first to unveil its new-for-2022 hybrid World Rally Championship challenger, the Puma Rally1. Ford has upped its support in a bid for glory, but can the new machine roll back the years and return the Blue Oval to the top of the WRC tree?
This is arguably the most important challenger to ever come off the M-Sport production line. There’s a lot riding on the Cumbrian firm’s latest creation, far more to the Ford Puma hybrid Rally1 car than simply a bid to bring the team and manufacturer back to the top of the World Rally Championship.
The WRC’s decision to adopt hybrid technology from 2022 has thrown teams a new challenge: to construct all-new, tougher, safer and faster cars, powered by a 1.6-litre internal combustion engine coupled to a Compact Dynamics-built 100kW hybrid system. Under the new rules, hybrid power is expected to be used in every stage next year, as well as on road sections between tests. This new era for rallying has arrived to ensure the championship remains relevant and in line with current automotive trends, and provide a platform to attract new manufacturers.
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