Currently reading: Ford Puma Rally1: 500bhp WRC hybrid racer officially revealed

M-Sport's electrified WRC 2022 car dons a striking new livery for its debut in Monte Carlo next week

Ford's M Sport rally team has revealed the striking livery for its 2022 Ford Puma Rally1 WRC car ahead of the season kicking off in Monte Carlo on 20 January.

Three Red Bull-sponsored Puma racers will be piloted by Craig Breen, Adrien Formaux and Gus Greensmith, with nine-time WRC champion Sébastian Loeb joining the team to take part in the Monte Carlo Rally.

2022 makes the 25th anniversary of Ford's partnership with M-Sport, during which time the team has claimed seven championship victories and 1500 stage wins. 

The car's final paint scheme has been revealed following its recent starring role in in a stunt sequence to celebrate the one millionth car rolling off the production line at Ford’s Craiova factory in Romania.

Filmed at the plant itself, with appearances from the standard Ford Puma – which is currently built there – and several plant employees, the film (below) shows the M-Sport team’s hybridised racer driven in anger by Formaux.

The Puma Rally1 is powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder Ecoboost engine, mated to a 134bhp EV motor for combined outputs of around 500bhp and 369b ft. A 3.9kWh battery supplies enough EV range to travel through towns and service parks with the engine off, and takes 25 minutes to charge. 

M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson said: “The new era of WRC cars is one of the biggest technological advancements in WRC to date. The introduction of the hybrid means that the cars will be more powerful than ever whilst also directly reflecting the powertrains within their road-going counterparts.”

He described the switch to the Puma as “very exciting”, noting that the nameplate has a rally history.

"The switch to the Puma is very exciting, with the name already having rally heritage," he said. "The car looks fantastic and I cannot wait to see it at the start line of the famous Monte Carlo Rally in early 2022."

A two-wheel-drive rally version of the original Puma was a front-runner in the Junior WRC and various national series in the early 2000s.

M-Sport has committed to the new WRC technical regulations for the next three seasons. The Puma Rally1 will take on works Rally1 challengers from Toyota and Hyundai, which will continue with the Yaris and i20 N respectively.

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James Attwood

James Attwood, digital editor
Title: Acting magazine editor

James is Autocar's acting magazine editor. Having served in that role since June 2023, he is in charge of the day-to-day running of the world's oldest car magazine, and regularly interviews some of the biggest names in the industry to secure news and features, such as his world exclusive look into production of Volkswagen currywurst. Really.

Before first joining Autocar in 2017, James spent more than a decade in motorsport journalist, working on Autosport, autosport.com, F1 Racing and Motorsport News, covering everything from club rallying to top-level international events. He also spent 18 months running Move Electric, Haymarket's e-mobility title, where he developed knowledge of the e-bike and e-scooter markets. 

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Zapetero 9 July 2021

I wouLdnt say Le fiesta wrc was succesfuL. One wrc titLe I think en 20 years.

artill 8 July 2021

If it didnt say it was a Puma i would never have known

289 8 July 2021

Are so called 'green credentials' and sustainable fossil free fuels supposed to impress Rally enthusiasts?

No motorsport is justifiable from an emissions point of view.....just be honest about this and stop trying to salve consciences.

Enjoy it for what it is.

lamcote 15 January 2022
True, but you need to look at the bigger picture.