M-Sport Ford’s gamble to showcase the capabilities of a non-hybrid Rally1 car has paid off in spectacular fashion. The experiment, which saw Latvian rally driver Mārtiņš Sesks pilot the non-hybrid Ford Puma Rally1 at Rally Poland in June, was designed to promote a more cost-effective alternative for customers. The success of this initiative has led to the sale of the very car Sesks drove to a new customer, Indonesian rally enthusiast Putra Rizky.
Rizky’s purchase marks him as only the second private owner of a Puma Rally1 car, joining Jourdan Serderidis. The car, still carrying the same chassis that Sesks used to make headlines in Poland, was quickly transported back to the UK for a complete overhaul before being shipped to Indonesia in time for an upcoming event.
M-Sport’s head of car sales, Tom Krawszik, recounted how the deal came together swiftly. Rizky, who was vacationing in Edinburgh, reached out to M-Sport and sealed the deal after a visit to the team’s headquarters. The car was immediately pulled from its journey to Finland, returned to the UK, and underwent a rapid transformation, including a fresh paint job and a complete rebuild, all within a mere two weeks.
The connection between Rizky and Sesks, who has experience in Indonesian rallying, likely played a role in the sale, further highlighting the effectiveness of M-Sport’s strategy to market the non-hybrid Rally1 car through real-world performance.
M-Sport’s managing director, Malcolm Wilson, expressed his delight with the outcome, hoping this sale will spark further interest from global customers. The non-hybrid Puma Rally1, designed with more user-friendly features and closer alignment to Rally2 specifications, has the potential to become a popular choice for private teams and drivers.
M-Sport team principal Richard Millener also praised the success of the initiative, noting that the impressive performance by Sesks in Poland directly contributed to the sale. The team is optimistic that Rizky’s purchase could trigger a wave of interest in the non-hybrid model, which has already proven its worth on the competitive rally stage.
Rizky has already taken delivery of the car and is ready to make his mark in the Indonesian rally scene, potentially setting the stage for more non-hybrid Rally1 cars to find homes around the world.
Photo from WRC Instagram
