The launch of the new Ford Focus RS and a commitment to launch 12 new Ford Performance vehicles by 2020 will not automatically lead the firm back to top-level global motorsport, the firm's European president, Jim Farley, has confirmed.
Ford withdrew its factory support for the M-Sport team in the World Rally Championship at the end of 2012, since when it has focused its backing on the World Rallycross Championship and grassroots motorsport.
However, last month’s reveal of the new Ford GT, which will go on sale in 2016 to coincide with the anniversary of the car’s Le Mans win, plus the return of a new Focus RS, had led to speculation that Ford could make a return to front-line competition.
Farley said: “While we’ll continue to look at all opportunities, our focus right now is on spending all our resources on pushing the road-going products. I’d prefer to pour everything we have into launching the very best Focus RS possible, rather than diverting our attentions elsewhere.
“Being in motorsport requires a long commitment. Today, we want to use Ford Performance road cars to get people’s eyes on the cars they can buy. They might see an RS and end up buying an ST or even a standard Focus, but that’s the great thing about cars like this: they reflect across the whole brand.”
M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson was present at the reveal of the Focus RS in Cologne, but he emphasised that he was there as a guest as a result of winning the British Rally Championship in a Ford Escort RS rather than because of any ongoing negotiations to represent Ford in the WRC again.
Ford’s Europe’s losses were around $1 billion (£662 million) in 2014 and are projected to be around $250m (£165m) in 2015.
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