M-SPORT SET FOR SECOND SOUTH AMERICAN CHALLENGE ON RALLY CHILE

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team heads into the second leg of its South American double-header next week, as Rally Chile marks Round 12 of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship.

Following an intense week of re-preparation in Encarnación, Paraguay, the team and its fleet of Puma Rally1 cars now make the journey across the Andes to Concepción – the vibrant Pacific-coast city that serves as the rally’s base.

Rally Chile is recognised for its demanding nature, where precision and confidence behind the wheel make all the difference. Fast and technical gravel stages cut through dense forests and rolling hillsides in the Bío Bío region, where visibility varies heavily depending on the weather conditions.

For the crews, preparation is everything. With the 2025 route mirroring last year’s format, those with detailed notes stand to gain an advantage, while less experienced pairings will face a steep learning curve.

Grégoire Munster and Louis Louka return to Chile for their third Rally1 outing in the Puma Rally1. The Luxembourg driver has fond memories of Concepción, having made his Rally1 debut here in 2023 before securing a strong seventh place finish in 2024. Armed with valuable notes and experience, Munster will be looking to build further momentum this year.

Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy face perhaps the toughest test of all. The Irish crew arrive in Chile without an existing set of pace notes, tackling an event that is essentially a carbon copy of last year’s edition. Precision reconnaissance will be key as they take on the Bío Bío forests for the first time.

Alberto Heller and Luis Allende make a welcome return to the M-Sport Ford line-up. The Chilean-Argentine duo will contest their home round in a Puma Rally1 for the second time, having debuted at Rally Chile in 2023 where they finished 15th overall and seventh in the Rally1 class. With the support of local fans, Heller will be eager to deliver a strong performance on home soil.

M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Principal, Richard Millener, said:

"It’s great to be back in Chile, which is always a challenging and rewarding rally. Grégoire comes here with valuable experience, having built up a good set of notes and some strong results in the past, while for Josh this will be a completely fresh challenge. Hopefully the two of them can work together, share their knowledge, and end our South American trip on a positive note. Having Alberto back with us on home soil also brings a fantastic boost of local support for the team, so it will be a joy to welcome him back."

Grégoire Munster said:

"Chile is an event I know quite well, as it was where I made my first Rally1 start at the top of the WRC. The itinerary is identical to last year’s event, which means we can reuse our pacenotes and focus on building more speed. It won’t be as rough as Paraguay, and we’re motivated to turn things around after last weekend. Chile is always tough on tyres, so it will be interesting to see how the Hankooks perform here and how that affects the car’s behaviour."

Josh McErlean said:

“It’s great to be going to Chile for the next stop in our South American adventure. The itinerary is the exact same as last year’s event, we will be writing fresh pacenotes as it’s our first time there - but we will do our homework and be prepared. It’s a stunning part of the world and I’m looking forward to the challenge and continuing to build momentum on these incredible roads."

Alberto Heller said:

“I'm very happy to be able to represent my country in the top category, as part of a tremendous team like M-Sport. Racing in my region and close to my hometown is something very special for me. In Chile, the motorsport culture has been growing, and I'm sure we'll have an even better event than in previous editions.

"Our country probably has the best roads in the world, and I feel truly privileged to be able to travel them in a Rally1 car."