Ford announces its first drivers ahead of Hypercar debut

Credit: Ford Racing

Ford is due to make its Hypercar class debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2027 and announced the first of its drivers, in tandem with other notable headlines at its launch event in Detroit. 

Current Ford factory drivers Mike Rockenfeller and Sebastian Priaulx were announced alongside former Williams Formula One driver, Logan Sargeant. 

All three will have racing programs within the Ford family as they prepare for 2027. Priaulx will have a congested schedule this year as he’s set to contest both WEC and the IMSA Endurance Cup in a Ford Mustang GT3, as well as a debut in prototypes with Proton in the LMP2 class of the European Le Mans Series.

The LMP2 effort, looking to emulate the success that Genesis Magma Racing’s ELMS entry with IDEC Sport had last year, allows Ford to allow its drivers to prepare for their Hypercar debut. Ford will also use the entry as a basis for its own engineers and staff from Venture Engineering as the organisation will provide technical and operational support for the in-house Hypercar programme. 

Credit: Ford Racing

Rockenfeller will partner Priaulx in the ELMS entry, with Jonas Ried completing the lineup. ‘Rocky’ will also race in the GTD Pro class of IMSA. Logan Sargeant will return to full time racing for the first time since exiting F1 as he will contest a full season in WEC with Ford in the LMGT3 class. 

“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,” said Dan Sayers, Ford Racing’s Hypercar programme manager.

“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.”

Credit: Ford Racing

Ford also announced that its Hypercar will be powered by a naturally aspirated 5.4 litre V8, “a power plant that already defines our Dark Horse R, GT4, and GT3 programs”.

“It is more than just a component; it is the identity of the car,” Sayers 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”.

”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.”

”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 of endurance racing.”

There is sure to be more news as the teams’ 2027 debut approaches. 2026 will likely include an aggressive testing programme to ensure the car is competitive ahead of its first race. Further driver announcements will be made in due course.

Credit: Ford Racing

Ford also confirmed its full IMSA and WEC lineups for 2026. In IMSA the #64 comprises Rockenfeller, Dennis Olsen and Ben Barker. The sister #65 includes Frédéric Vervisch, Christopher Mies and Priaulx.

In WEC, the #77 car includes Priaulx, Ben Tuck and Eric Powell. Powell raced for Ford customer team, Dollahite Racing, in GT World Challenge America in 2025. The #88 is made up of Logan Sargeant and the returning Giammarco Levorato and Setefano Gattuso.

They also announced that Mies and Olsen will contest the Bathurst 12-hour next month in a Mustang GT3 alongside Supercars star Broc Feeney.