Ford has announced that they will return to the pinnacle of prototype car racing in 2027 with a new hypercar design. The hypercar field has blossomed over the last few years with representation from multiple manufacturers set to grow the Lmdh Hypercar class in the World Endurance Championship. Ford has a rich history in endurance racing but that legacy has been renewed with the announcement of their hypercar program. The team is looking to find the same success they unlocked 60 years ago during their 4 years of dominance at Le Mans with the GT40 that Shelby American mechanic/driver Ken Miles and owner Carol Shelby helped design and develop. Ford won 4 consecutive titles at Le Mans 1966 to 1969.
Bill Ford, Ford Motor Company Executive Chair: “We are entering a new era for performance and racing at Ford. You can see it from what we’re doing on-road and off-road. When we race, we race to win. And there is no track or race that means more to our history than Le Mans. It is where we took on Ferrari and won in the 1960s. It is where we returned 50 years later and shocked the world and beat Ferrari again. I am thrilled that we’re going back to Le Mans and competing at the highest level of endurance racing. We are ready to once again challenge the world, and ‘go like hell!’”
Frédéric Lequien, FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) CEO: “Ford has been synonymous with success both on and off-track for decades, and we are delighted that the company has chosen the FIA World Endurance Championship for its latest challenge. To have at least ten major automotive brands committed to the series’ top-tier in 2027 is testament to the championship’s stellar momentum and growth.”
Pierre Fillon, Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) President: “It is wonderful news to welcome Ford back to the top level of the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time in almost 60 years. It is a brand that has always had a close affinity with this very special race, and history shows that Ford does not compete to finish second. The renewal of its famous rivalry with Ferrari is truly an exciting prospect.”
Richard Mille, FIA Endurance Commission President: “Ford and endurance racing are a perfect fit, as has been proven time and again. It is a brand with a long and proud motorsport heritage, and a passion for competition instilled by Henry Ford himself. The company’s return to the highest level of the discipline is further validation of the success and appeal of the current Hypercar regulations. Endurance racing’s golden age is right here, and right now!”