M-Sport Ford is set to field a fifth Puma Rally1 Hybrid at August’s Rally Finland, with Jari Huttunen taking the wheel of the latest generation hybrid car for the first time.
DirtFish understands the deal is close to being agreed for the 28-year-old to make his debut at the sport’s highest level. He will join M-Sport regulars Craig Breen, Gus Greensmith, Adrien Fourmaux and Pierre-Louis Loubet in a Ford Rally1 car in Jyväskylä.
M-Sport remained tight-lipped on the deal, with managing director Malcolm Wilson only going as far as to say discussions were ongoing for a potential fifth car in Finland.
Pressed on his intentions for his home round of the series, Huttunen told DirtFish:
“It could be in another car,” he said.
Asked if that would be a faster car than the Fiesta Rally2 MkII he drove to a WRC2 podium in Sardinia last week, he replied: “I think so.”
“The Puma is a fast car. I haven’t tested one yet, but if I do Finland then I would test [the Puma] for one day before.”
Huttunen has competed in top-level machinery before, driving Hyundai’s i20 Coupe WRC on Finnish championship rounds – winning the Pohjanmaa Ralli – in 2019.
The Finn switched from Hyundai to M-Sport in time to win WRC2 on his debut in a Fiesta at last year’s Monza Rally.
What does he think could be possible from a Rally1 WRC debut?
“I don’t know,” he said, “but for sure nobody can expect I’m in top three. Let’s see.”
