Ford Factory Prototype Program Returning to WEC, Le Mans in 2027
Ford is going back to Le Mans with designs on competing for an overall victory.
Ford Performance officials confirmed Thursday night what had been rumored for some time that the company will be entering a full factory LMDh team in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027. And that entry will include a return trip to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the Hypercar prototype class.
Ford took the overall win at Le Mans four consecutive years, from 1966-1969. It took a class victory in 2016 with its Ford GT effort.
Ford has raced in recent years at Le Mans with customer teams in the GT class, most recently with a three-car Ford Mustang GT3 team run by the German-based Proton Competition team.
There was no mention of a rumored possible entry in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series, which includes the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
'We are entering a new era for performance and racing at Ford," said Ford Motor Company Executive Chair Bill Ford in a press release. "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.''
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