Ford Considers Entering Hypercar Racing to Challenge Ferrari and Porsche

Ford’s Potential Entry into Endurance Racing

Ford, known for its recent return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Ford Mustang GT3, is now contemplating entering the top class of endurance racing with a hybrid hypercar, according to a new report. This move would allow Ford to compete with the likes of Ferrari, Cadillac, Porsche, BMW, Alpine, Lamborghini, Toyota, and Peugeot in the Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) series or the Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) series.

Ford’s Growing Motorsport Repertoire

Under the leadership of Jim Farley, Ford has renewed its interest in motorsport in recent years. The company currently competes in various series including the World Endurance Championship’s (WEC) GT3 class, WRC, NASCAR, the Dakar Rally, and Australia’s Supercars series. Additionally, Ford has built several unique motorsport vehicles, such as the F-150 Lightning Supertruck.

The Convergence of LMH and LMDh Rules

Mark Rushbrook, the director of Ford Performance’s motorsport division, expressed interest in the world of hybrid hypercars. He highlighted the recent convergence of rule sets in sports car racing, making the idea of entering hypercar racing even more compelling. Rushbrook mentioned the convergence of GTE, GT LM, and GT3 rules, as well as the ability to race LMH and LMDh cars together.

Potential Partnerships

Rushbrook revealed that Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner approached Ford about partnering on the RB17 hypercar. However, Ford decided that its ambitions in the hypercar space were already being met by the GT MkIV. If Ford decides to enter hypercar racing, it will likely collaborate with another specialist motorsport outfit.