M-Sport Team Principle Malcolm Wilson has revealed that the team will receive more technical support from the US-based Ford Performance in order to help the teams 2018 World Rally Championship defence.
Ford Performance oversees the marque’s successful GT programme and their experience will be used to help update and improve the Fiesta WRC in order to keep competitive with their factory backed opposition.
Wilson also revealed that retaining the services of Sebastién Ogier was key in order to make the deal happen.
“Sebastien (Ogier) made it very clear that he wanted to see Ford involvement and obviously I do as well,” said Wilson.
“Ford Performance is controlled from America and we will be working closely with them on the technical side at the technical centre of excellence in America.
“Seb has met the people from Ford Performance, he met (global director, Ford Performance) Mark Rushbrook in Rally GB.
“The great thing for me is that we’ll have more technical support to keep us right at the very sharp end and that needs funding – but a lot of that stuff they can do in-house in America. The aero is one example where this is working, they have the facilities to really help us.
“There’s no question we had great technical support from Europe – and we shouldn’t forget that we were actually rallying a car in January this year that wasn’t even on sale to the public until May or June!
“But now we’re getting it from America where all the GT stuff comes from, there’s some really important aero-specific work being done with them, that kind of input and help is invaluable.”
