Malcolm Wilson has now signed Ott Tänak as the first driver for M-Sport Ford WRT in 2023, in a press release at lunchtime the news was confirmed by the team.
Tänak who last week was with the team and test drove the Ford Puma Rally1 on the test roads in Greystoke Forest. At the same time, negotiations continued there with the team about a seat for 2023, something that has now also been signed into an agreement.
The Estonian is back where his career started, he has many times Malcolm Wilson to thank for his career as the British team supported Tänak during his early career. He started with the team in 2011 driving a Ford Fiesta S2000 in the SWRC series and took his maiden victory 12 months later. He continued to drive for the team for several years and in 2017 he took his first win in the top class when he won the Rally Italia Sardegna followed by a victory on the asphalt of ADAC Rallye Deutschland.
After the 2017 season, he joined Toyota Gazoo Racing for two seasons and won the 2019 WRC title, he then moved over to Hyundai Motorsport for 2020 and stayed there until now.
“M-Sport is the place that raised me as a driver and the place that taught me all the hard lessons and experience to become a top level player in the World Rally Championship, since becoming a world champion I have not been able to defend the title, and I will not be able to make peace with myself until I do!” Tänak said.
“I have had many discussions with Malcolm and we definitely share the same ambition for the upcoming season. It is going to be a big challenge for us, but I know the people at Dovenby Hall, I know what they are capable of and with their passion to give everything they have, we can challenge for the championship.”
Tänak and co-driver Martin Järveoja will drive all 13 rallies in the 2023 WRC season, starting in Rallye Monte-Carlo. His two teammates for the season will be announced later, Pierre-Louis Loubet, Gus Greensmith and in some form, Adrien Fourmaux are expected to continue with the team in 2023 and the same applies to the entry of Sebastien Loeb.
