WEC: The Ford team has unveiled its hypercar for the first time.

      The Ford Racing factory team is preparing for its debut in the Hypercar category of the World Endurance Championship, and yesterday at the Paul Ricard Circuit in southern France, it showcased its latest sports prototype to the press for the first time during scheduled testing.

      The initial testing of the car took place in early August behind closed doors – reportedly at the track of the driver training center located nearby in Le Castellet. Since everything is going well, Ford decided it was time to present the prototype of the hypercar, which is set to race in 2027. Moreover, the car does not even have a designation yet, and Ford will announce its name later.

      The tests at Paul Ricard are the first full-scale trials of the sports prototype, whose chassis was developed by specialists from the French company ORECA, based not far from this circuit. Ford Racing focused on checking all onboard systems, ensuring their functionality, and the tests will continue both this week and next.

      Yesterday, the car was alternately piloted by Matt Campbell and Logan Sargeant, but other drivers from the new team – Mike Rockenfeller and Tom Blomqvist – were also present at Paul Ricard.

      Ford is returning to the top category of the WEC in hopes of once again competing for victory at Le Mans, just as it did in the 1960s, while the hypercar with a 5.4-liter V8 engine is currently dressed in camouflage colors. The tests in Le Castellet were preceded by an intensive simulator work program, lengthy bench tests, and in July, the team successfully conducted the first engine start, which was already installed on the chassis.

      In the future, Ford plans to organize tests at various European tracks, after which the car must undergo FIA homologation before the start of the 2027 championship.

      The new factory team has six drivers, all of whom will participate in the tests. Last winter, Ford confirmed contracts with Rockenfeller, Sargeant, and Sébastien Priaulx, and in June, experienced endurance racing professionals like Campbell, Blomqvist, and Nick Yelloly joined them. The first two had long collaborated with the factory team of Porsche, while the Brit has recently competed in the American IMSA series in Acura sports cars.