Ford adds WEC Hypercar to program as their Red Bull F1 era loom

The American automaker will officially enter the WEC's Hypercar category in 2027, marking its return to top-level endurance racing nearly six decades after Ford's last factory effort in the discipline. They embark on F1 again, with Red Bull as of 2026.

The 2027 WEC announcement was made by Ford Motor Company executive chair Bill Ford at Ford Performance’s annual season launch event in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended by 2,000 guests and 50 drivers from their global motorsport programmes.

The American manufacturer will join Alpine, Aston Martin, BMW, Cadillac, Ferrari, Genesis, Peugeot, Porsche, and Toyota on the Hypercar grid in two years’ time.

Bill Ford stated on the official FIA WEC website: “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!’”, added the Ford chairman.

Ford’s history at the 24 Hours of Le Mans is well-documented. After its failed attempt to purchase Ferrari in 1963, Henry Ford II set his sights on ending the Italian marque’s dominance. The result was the Ford GT40’s four consecutive victories at Le Mans between 1966 and 1969, a rivalry so intense it inspired the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari*.

Since then, the American automaker has focused on GT-class competition, winning in the LMGTE Pro category on the 50th anniversary of its 1966 triumph with the Ford GT in 2016. More recently, the Mustang debuted in LMGT3 at Le Mans last year, finishing on the podium, before securing GTD Pro victory in this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona.

Ford’s return to the premier level will see a full-factory, Ford Performance-led prototype programme in FIA WEC. The move signals a renewed rivalry with Ferrari and a broader expansion of manufacturer involvement in Hypercar.

WEC CEO Frédéric Lequien said of the arrival: “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 championship’s top-tier in 2027 is a testament to FIA WEC’s stellar momentum and growth.”

Pierre Fillon, President of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), welcomed Ford’s top-level return: “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 they do not compete to finish second. The renewal of its famous rivalry with Ferrari is truly an exciting prospect.”

FIA Endurance Commission President Richard Mille added: “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.”