It’s been nearly 60 years since Ford claimed the overall crown at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which are regarded as the most prestigious endurance races in the world. Between 1966 and 1969, the Ford GT40 secured four consecutive overall victories, including the famous 1-2-3 finish in 1966, which coincided with a victory over their fierce rival, Ferrari. Although Ford has participated in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at various levels since then, they are eager to restore the magic of their 1960s racing glory by returning to the highest level of the sport with a new LMDh race car.
Ford has announced that they will field a full factory team and compete in the top-tier hypercar class within the FIA WEC in 2027. This series includes the famous Le Mans race, held at the Circuit de la Sarthe in France. “When we race, we race to win. And there’s no track or race that means more to our history than Le Mans,” said Ford CEO Bill Ford in his statement.
Details about the LMDh race car remain a secret as the company has yet to release any images or information. We’ll also have to wait to learn more about the team, including who will drive the top Ford race car. One potential driver could be German Dirk Müller, the man who helped the Ford GT win the Le Mans class in 2016. He was also trusted to take the Mustang GTD around the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under seven minutes. Other Ford GT3 drivers like Dennis Olsen, Christopher Mies, and Frédéric Vervisch are also obvious candidates.
Additionally, Ford continues to expand its racing presence globally. The company announced today that it will collaborate with Australian company Triple Eight Race Engineering, which will lead Ford’s homologation efforts for the 2026 Supercar Championship, which will take place in Australia and New Zealand. Ford and Triple Eight have a shared history, and they are reuniting after their collaboration from 2003 to 2009.
Although Ford has not officially confirmed anything, we would be surprised if they invested the necessary resources for a prototype program launch without also initiating a campaign in North America.