Ford has surprised the racing world once again by clearing the air on its upcoming 2027 FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar program.
For months, rumours suggested that the American automotive giant might collaborate with its reputed NASCAR partner, Team Penske, to kick-start the project. Those rumors have now been firmly put to rest as Ford confirmed that it will run the Hypercar program entirely in-house. It will build a brand-new team in the UK and manage every aspect of the program internally.
What Is the Latest Twist in Ford’s Hypercar Project?
The American giant’s return to top-level endurance racing comes nearly 60 years after its historic victories at Le Mans. The program will feature an LMDh Hypercar designed with the help of French chassis experts ORECA, who have a solid record in prototype racing. Former Red Bull Ford Powertrains director Dan Sayers has been appointed to lead the project and oversee technical development and race operations.
Venture Engineering, a motorsport consultancy with decades of endurance racing experience, will provide additional support. The Hypercar team will have access to the company’s facilities in the UK and its operational facilities in Michigan and North Carolina.
Ford Racing’s Global Director, Mark Rushbrook, explained, “It’s an exciting time as we continue to build and develop our Ford Racing Hypercar programme. Competition runs through our veins and, as ‘America’s Race Team’, it seems only right that we carry the banner ourselves. Breaking from the traditional model of many manufacturers, Ford Racing will oversee and manage every aspect of our prototype racing project.”
“We are not looking outside of our walls to find who can run a programme for us; we are looking within Ford Racing to build programmes infused with our passion. This gives us the ability to react more quickly on-track, enhancing our competitiveness. It also allows us to bring technology back to our road cars more effectively and efficiently than ever before,” he added.
By running the program in-house, the American company is stepping away from the approach used in recent years, when teams like Multimatic Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing managed previous factory efforts. This move will give Ford complete control over its car development, race strategy, and team culture.
What Are the Challenges and Opportunities Ahead for Ford in WEC?
While building a program from scratch is ambitious, the automotive giant is confident in its plan. Recruitment will be critical with dozens of roles across engineering, operations, and testing needing to be filled before the 2027 season. The team aims to carry out its first shakedown in summer 2026, which leaves less than two years to develop the car and establish a fully functional race team.
“It doesn’t come without challenges, of course. In less than two years, we need to not only build the car itself but every part of the team, too – but we are building quickly and systematically,” Rushbrook admitted.
The decision to operate independently places the US giant directly against endurance heavyweights like Ferrari, Toyota, and Porsche, who have leaned on experienced partner teams to help manage their Hypercar programs.
By handling every task, they can create a team culture fully aligned with its goals and values. Collaborating with ORECA and Venture Engineering provides valuable expertise, but the project will ultimately reflect Ford’s vision.
Despite the challenge, Ford’s return to the WEC’s top class has already created a lot of excitement in the racing world. After years of speculation and rumours, the company has finally made its intentions clear to compete at the highest level of endurance racing under its own banner.
