The M-Sport team has shown the design of the Ford Puma Rally1 for the upcoming season in the World Rally Championship: the two regular drivers will compete in navy blue colors
The M-Sport Ford team has unveiled the design of the Ford Puma Rally1 for the 2025 season in the World Rally Championship (WRC): Unlike last season, when the team competed mainly in white colors, the rally car will shine in a new, navy blue color scheme this year.
There are no big surprises, though, as the collaboration with energy drink giant Red Bull and technology company SafetyCulture continues. A predominantly blue design is therefore already familiar from previous years.
M-Sport-Ford will fight for success with two full-time drivers this season: alongside Gregoire Munster, who is now the team leader, Rally1 newcomer Josh McErlean will also be competing. Martins Sesks will compete in a sub-program of a total of six events, while privateer driver Jourdan Serderidis is also expected to compete in selected WRC rounds.
In addition to a new livery, M-Sport has also worked on the Puma’s engine mapping and developed new gear ratios after the FIA decided to ban hybrid drive in Rally1 cars this year.
Gregoire Munster is under pressure in 2025
“It’s going to be a challenge this year and we have to be realistic about what we can achieve,” says M-Sport team principal Richard Millener in an interview with the English edition of Motorsport.com,
“The goal was to stay in the championship, that was the most important thing, and that’s harder than ever, and of course losing Adrien [Fourmaux to Hyundai] was a tough blow, but we just have to live with that. The goal was to find two drivers with whom we could continue.”
“The goal was always to keep Gregoire in the car for a few years to give him a chance to develop. A second year with him is great, but it will also bring pressure, because he is seen as the number one, and that brings expectations, but from the outside, not from the inside.”
M-Sport with realistic goals for 2025
“We want him to continue as he did last year, setting competitive times, and Josh has the biggest challenge of all, so we have to be very sensible,” says Team Principal Millener. ”If we try to take the fight to the other two teams, we’ll make fools of ourselves, we have to try to achieve as much as possible with the people we have.”
“But I’m glad we have these two drivers and a team to contest the season with, because I don’t think people understand that it’s either a young, inexperienced team or no team at all. I think that two young drivers gaining experience without pressure can be a good team environment and help us have another good year.”
“We will do our own thing and see where we end up,” Millener remains realistic. The 2025 WRC season kicks off this weekend with the traditional Rally Monte-Carlo around the demanding mountain roads of the principality.