Ford vs. Ferrari: Blue oval brand to return to top level of endurance racing and Le Mans in 2027

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Ford Motor Co. will return to the top level of prototype sports car racing in 2027 in the World Endurance Championship series with a factory team that will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“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,” said Bill Ford, the executive chairman of Ford. “When we race, we race to win. And there is no track or race that means more to our history than Le Mans."

Ford had four consecutive overall victories at Le Mans from 1966 and 1969 under the direction of the late Carroll Shelby. That dominance led to the storied rivalry with Ferrari depicted in the 2019 movie “Ford v Ferrari.”

“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,” Bill Ford said. "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.’”

Ford pulled out of competition after 1969 but celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first Le Mans victory with a return to the endurance event in 2016 in the GTLM class. A team fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing marked the return with a class victory. The Ford Mustang GT3 has most recently been competing at Le Mans as a customer car.

“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," said Frédéric Lequien, CEO of WEC.

Ford's return to Le Mans will come one year after it makes its return to Formula 1 as a partner with Red Bull.

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