Ford Performance will enter the Dakar Rally for the first time in 2024.
Confirmed:
- US automaker to partner with M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM)
- First year of entry will be exploratory, before a custom-built entry in 2025 that targets victory
Context: M-Sport and Ford have been partnered in the World Rally Championship (WRC) since 2006, so this represents an expansion of the US marque’s off-road racing programme.
Comment: Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports, said: “To lead the charge at one of the ultimate global off-road events – the Dakar Rally – has been a goal of ours. We cannot underestimate the enormity of the challenge ahead of us. We need to finish and learn first with Ranger T1+ and partners like M-Sport and NWM, who bring their expertise to bear. Together, we can do amazing things in the sand dunes of the Arabian Peninsula.”
Coming next: Ford will take part in the Dakar Rally for the first time from 5th to 19th January 2024, hosted in Saudi Arabia.