Berlin - Ford is pulling out of the world rally championship at the end of this season, Ford Europe's vice-president Roelant de Waard announced on Monday.
"It's better for the company and the Ford marque to pull out of the world championship," De Waard wrote on the American constructor's Facebook page in comments reported by German news agency SID, an AFP subsidiary.
He added that the decision, based on economic reasons with Ford sales in Europe down 19 percent on this year's first set of figures, had not been an easy one to take.
Ford will however continue to supply the M-Sport organisation, its partner in the championship, with cars and engines.
Ford's Finnish driver Jari-Matti Latvala is placed third in the standings behind already crowned champion Sebastien Loeb, who has announced his intention to only compete in a handful of rallies next term.