When the Rally3 regulations were presented to be introduced for the 2021 season, the British outfit M-Sport Ford was quick to introduce a new car but now the Ford Fiesta Rally3 will face competition as the French manufacturer is set to be joining the Rally3 field with a newly developed car in about one year.
With the M-Sport being first and alone with a car for the cheaper four-wheel-drive category, the choice fell easily on M-Sport when the FIA Junior World Rally Championship switched to four-wheel drive. But now the brand looks to have competition, as the French manufacturer Renault is in tests with a brand-new Renault Clio Rally3.
Renault started with the Clio Rally5, continued with developing a Clio Rally4, and announced at its launch that they were expected to take the next step, over the past few days former JWRC driver Jean-Baptiste Franceschi has been testing the car for the company on French dirt roads and earlier he was testing the car on tarmac.
The launch and sale of the car cannot be expected to start until the second half of 2023 and to be ready for the 2024 season. Renault will probably be a contender to supply the JWRC class with cars come the 2024 season as well.
