M-Sport Hopes Strong Debut of Non-Hybrid Ford Puma Will Boost Rally1 Car Sales in WRC
As the World Rally Championship (WRC) season heats up, M-Sport is optimistic that the impressive debut of its non-hybrid version of the Ford Puma Rally1 car will stimulate sales of its top-tier rally machines. The team took advantage of a new FIA regulation introduced this year, which allows teams to enter non-hybrid powered Rally1 cars in WRC events.
At the Rally Poland earlier this month, M-Sport fielded rising star Martins Sesks behind the wheel of the non-hybrid Puma, which produced 130 fewer horsepower and carried 100 kilograms of ballast to compensate for the lack of hybrid power. Despite this, Sesks put on an impressive show, finishing fifth overall and coming within 0.3 seconds of claiming a stage win.
The FIA’s regulation tweak aimed to provide a more affordable Rally1 option, priced at €150,000 less than the €800,000 hybrid version, and offer a platform for younger drivers to transition from Rally2 to Rally1. M-Sport team principal Richard Millener believes the project’s success will make the car an attractive option for prospective buyers.
“I hope [we can sell some more cars]. That was also part of the goal to showcase it and show that you can still come here and have fun and be in amongst the top guys and more importantly a long way ahead of Rally2,” Millener told Motorsport.com.
The outing raised questions about the necessity of hybrid units in Rally1 cars, but Millener believes the non-hybrid Puma’s performance was masked by the fast-paced nature of the Polish rally. “It would be a very different conversation if we were at a different rally. We know on the fast rallies it [the hybrid] is less advantageous, but you can still see that Martins was on the edge everywhere and probably the bits he was missing out on were the bits where people were using the hybrid.”
Sesks will get his chance to pilot a full hybrid version of the Puma when the WRC visits Latvia next week, marking the final round of his two-rally programme. As the WRC 2023 season continues, fans can stay up-to-date with the latest WRC news, WRC live timing, and WRC rally action.
🔗 Source