M-Sport evaluates progress after challenging first half of 2026 season

M-Sport Ford reaches the midway point of the 2026 WRC campaign holding 85 points and fourth place in the manufacturers' championship. With a focus on nurturing young talent, the British squad has spent the opening seven rounds balancing flashes of competitive pace against a series of developmental setbacks.

The season began with a difficult outing at Rallye Monte-Carlo, which saw the team’s long-standing points-scoring streak end. Despite that rocky start, drivers including Jon Armstrong and Josh McErlean have demonstrated significant growth, with Armstrong impressing on tarmac in Croatia and McErlean securing his maiden Rally1 stage win in Portugal. Mārtiņš Sesks has also contributed by showing strong speed during his selected appearances, particularly on gravel.

While technical issues and incidents have hampered overall results, the team views this year as a vital learning period. With a sequence of gravel events on the horizon for the second half of the calendar, M-Sport aims to refine its consistency and translate its raw potential into more stable finishes.