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Revving Up for Victory: Ford Performance Unveils Strategy for Hypercar Debut in FIA World Endurance Championship

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
February 21, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Revving Up for Victory: Ford Performance Unveils Strategy for Hypercar Debut in FIA World Endurance Championship

The No. 64 GTD Pro Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang of Harry Tincknell and Mike Rockenfeller crests the hill in Turn 6 during the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race Sunday, August 4, 2024, at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Ford Performance is revving up for the launch of its Hypercar program in the FIA World Endurance Championship, according to Mark Rushbrook, the company’s global director. Rushbrook recently revealed that preparatory work for the inaugural season of the LMDh prototype in 2027 is well underway.

The decision to wait for the Hypercar/GTP era to mature before joining the race circuit was strategic, says Rushbrook. The timing allowed Ford to align its motorsport strategy with its broader sporting commitments. With the end of the Ford GT program and ongoing discussions about convergence in prototypes, the company decided to focus on four key pillars: global Mustang racing, off-road racing, electric demonstrators, and Formula 1.

The company directed much of its energy towards the Mustang, especially with the seventh generation set to roll out as a road car. In parallel, Ford worked on a Raptor for Dakar and demonstrators for Pikes Peak, while also focusing on the design and development of three new race car designs for Mustangs. Rushbrook emphasized that while this work continues, the decision to join prototypes now aligns with their workload management strategy and plans to get on the track.

While many critical decisions have been made, there are still key details to be finalized. The LMDh platform was selected over LMH after careful evaluation. Rushbrook emphasized their belief in winning with LMDh and getting the tech transfer and learning right. A chassis partner, yet to be revealed, has been chosen to help with design concepts.

The choice of engine platform is another significant decision to be made. Rushbrook confirmed that the car will be powered by a V8, but the decision on whether it will be naturally aspirated or boosted is still pending. The design of the car is still in its early stages, with track testing set to begin in 2026.

In terms of styling, a platform to base the cues on has not been chosen. “We just want to be seen as Ford,” Rushbrook said, suggesting that the car may not necessarily be badged as a Mustang. Ford has decided to use a service provider to run the cars, rather than setting up its own race team. A shortlist of potential teams is being evaluated for a partnership to be signed later this year.

The Hypercar program has sparked much speculation. The allure of racing in a world championship and specifically at Le Mans is a big draw, and while Ford currently competes in IMSA with Multimatic Motorsports as the team, it cannot do the same in the WEC. However, the possibility of a full program in North America further down the line has not been ruled out.

Rushbrook stressed that Ford Performance is committed to this project for the long haul, leaving the door open for IMSA. The WEC effort will run through the end of the regulation cycle in 2029, and should the ruleset be extended, Ford may take the project even further.

The LMDh program will not impact the GTD PRO factory effort with the Mustang GT3, Rushbrook clarified, adding, “Nobody should expect any changes to what we are doing in GT3.”

With the Mustang GT3, GT4, and Dark Horse R enjoying strong sales and customer interest, and results coming in, Ford’s return to Le Mans to vie for its fifth overall win is eagerly anticipated.

Rushbrook concluded by emphasizing the significance of racing at Le Mans against major manufacturers and rivals like Ferrari. He expressed excitement about the competition and the number of manufacturers in LMDh and LMH, emphasizing Ford’s desire to be part of this top-level competition.

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