Ford Racing shared key news about its forthcoming 2027 FIA WEC Hypercar programme during its 2026 season launch event this evening in Detroit, Michigan.
The main headline is confirmation of the engine choice for its ORECA-based prototype. It will be powered by a naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8, sharing the same architecture as its Mustang GT3, mated to the spec LMDh hybrid system supplied by Bosch.
“It is more than just a component; it is the identity of the car,” Dan Sayers, Ford Racing’s Hypercar programme manager, said. “When you hear a Ford coming down the Mulsanne Straight at three in the morning, you shouldn’t have to look at the badge to know who it is. That is why we chose the Coyote.
“We are powering our Hypercar with a naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8. When you have an engine this iconic in your arsenal, a powerplant that already defines our Dark Horse R, GT4, and GT3 programmes, you don’t look for alternatives. You lean into your DNA. This V8 is a bridge between the legends of 1966 and the future of 2027.
“For the first time in our history, this competition engine is being developed entirely in-house, with our team in Dearborn working hand-in-glove with Red Bull Ford Powertrains to marry high-voltage technology to raw, Detroit-born power.”
It has also signed up its first three drivers for the programme. Sebastian Priaulx (a second-generation Ford factory driver after his father, Andy) and former Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, will step up from the team’s Multimatic-operated factory GTD Pro effort, while ex-F1 driver Logan Sargeant joins the brand to write a new chapter in his career.
It will be Rockenfeller’s second top-class factory drive in sportscar racing after his LMP1 stint with Audi Sport, and Priaulx and Sargeant’s first.
“A machine this ambitious requires more than just engineering; it requires a specific kind of driver, one who is as much a scientist as they are a racer. We have found them in Sebastian Priaulx, Mike “Rocky” Rockenfeller, and Logan Sargeant,” Sayers explained.
“Seb and Rocky are already part of the Ford family, having proven the Mustang GT3’s mettle with two wins in IMSA last year. Seb is a pure, natural talent; Rocky is the veteran who has seen it all and won it all.
“They are joined by Logan Sargeant, who comes to us fresh from the F1 circuit, bringing a level of technical sophistication and high-downforce experience that is vital for a programme of this scale. Having an American back in a Ford at Le Mans feels right. It’s a nod to giants like Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt, who showed the world in 1967 what happens when American grit meets global ambition.”
Alongside development duties for the Hypercar project, Priaulx and Rockenfeller will also spearhead a preparatory LMP2 programme in the European Le Mans Series with Proton Competition this year.
In a similar fashion to Genesis Magma Racing’s ELMS presence last year with IDEC Sport, Ford will place some of its own engineers into one of Proton’s garages, plus staff from Venture Engineering, which is providing technical and operational support for its Hypercar project. The third driver will be Jonas Ried.
There’s plenty more key news still to come from Ford as it edges closer to its Hypercar debut, including a full reveal of the look of the car to add to tonight’s teaser, additional drivers and its model name.
“We are building a team, refining our processes, and earning our stripes in the real world,” Sayers concluded. “We are taking the building blocks of this programme and stress-testing them under the most demanding conditions on the planet.
“We have the engine. We have the drivers. We have the vision. Being able to pull back the curtain at Season Launch 2026 is a milestone, but the work is far from over. We are building more than just a car; we are building a legacy. We are reclaiming our seat at the top table of endurance racing.
“We are America’s Race Team, and we are coming for the world.”
Images courtesy of Ford
