The Ford Motor Company, through Ford Performance, announced on Wednesday that they have signed a multi-year partnership with M-Sport for the DAKAR, the most famous endurance rally in the world, starting in 2024 with the help of Neil Woolridge Motorsports with variations of the Ford Ranger and the Ford Raptor.
Purpose-built, race-ready and most “bad-ass” yet Ford Ranger T1+ will compete in the 2024 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia in Rally Raid T1+ class on a “finish and learn” basis.
The joint Ford Performance, M-Sport and NWM team has implemented a series of development phases through 2023 and continues testing with the Ranger T1+, based on the previous generation global Ranger, with a 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine. Test races are expected to include Spain’s Baja España Aragón and Morocco’s Rally du Maroc rallies in July and October, respectively, before tackling the Dakar Rally next year.
Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports, commented saying:
“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.”
M-Sport and Ford have a long-standing partnership in the FIA World Rally Championship, where M-Sport currently occupies third in the Manufacturer’s championship and speaking about the DAKAR program, M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson commented saying:
“The Dakar Rally is truly among the pinnacle of global off-road racing events. “We’ve achieved great success over the years with Ford in FIA WRC rally racing and can’t wait to apply this same level of focus, energy and effort to competing with Ranger in Dakar.”