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Today Ford Motor (NYSE: F) during opening events prior to the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans* announced its chassis partner, ORECA, and its program lead, Dan Sayers. The Ford WEC Hypercar program will debut at the season-opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in less than two years.
“Bringing Ford back to the top class at Le Mans has always been a dream for many of us including our Executive Chair Bill Ford,” said Ford Motor Company President and CEO, Jim Farley. “To be able to partner with ORECA is a proud moment for Ford. We are coming back to Le Mans to win, and we aren’t making that a secret. On Sunday, it will be exactly 56 years since we last took the top step of the overall podium here. That is long enough. In 2027, we are coming with the same level of expectation, and we are entrusting ORECA to help us take on Ferrari and the other top-class teams as we did back in the 1960s.”
Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance, named veteran motorsports director Dan Sayers as the WEC Hypercar Program Manager joining Ford from his current role as Program Director at Red Bull Ford Powertrains.
Race Car Manufacturer ORECA
Ford will partner with French race car manufacturer ORECA as the chassis supplier of its WEC Hypercar effort. Class rules mandate that one of four manufacturers supply the chassis on which Ford can build its contender for Le Mans. Competing in the Hypercar class, the Ford-powered, Ford-built and Ford-raced prototype will make its Le Mans debut in the event’s 95th running in June 2027.
Founded in 1973 by Hugues de Chaunac, ORECA Motorsport designs, assembles, develops and fine-tunes chassis, engines and system architectures. With ~240 victories in LMP2 and 10 consecutive wins at the Le Mans 24 Hours, and its presence in Hypercar through three major manufacturers, ORECA is an established global motorsport supllier (WEC, IMSA, ELMS, ALMS). It claims it is capable of providing all services with the global and customized customer support necessary to each client from its headquarters located in Signes, Magny-Cours and Indianapolis.
“We are honored that Ford has chosen ORECA to design the future WEC Hypercar for their return to the top tier of endurance racing” said Hugues de Chaunac, President, ORECA Group. “This strategic partnership is a key part of our ongoing commitment to the highest level of racing and to the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. We are excited to channel all our energy, expertise, and enthusiasm into this ambitious project. I would like to thank Bill Ford, Jim Farley, and Mark Rushbrook for their trust. They can count on the full engagement of all our teams around the world.”
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Ford Updates Nascent WEC Hypercar Program
Click for more.
Today Ford Motor (NYSE: F) during opening events prior to the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans* announced its chassis partner, ORECA, and its program lead, Dan Sayers. The Ford WEC Hypercar program will debut at the season-opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in less than two years.
“Bringing Ford back to the top class at Le Mans has always been a dream for many of us including our Executive Chair Bill Ford,” said Ford Motor Company President and CEO, Jim Farley. “To be able to partner with ORECA is a proud moment for Ford. We are coming back to Le Mans to win, and we aren’t making that a secret. On Sunday, it will be exactly 56 years since we last took the top step of the overall podium here. That is long enough. In 2027, we are coming with the same level of expectation, and we are entrusting ORECA to help us take on Ferrari and the other top-class teams as we did back in the 1960s.”
Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance, named veteran motorsports director Dan Sayers as the WEC Hypercar Program Manager joining Ford from his current role as Program Director at Red Bull Ford Powertrains.
Race Car Manufacturer ORECA
Ford will partner with French race car manufacturer ORECA as the chassis supplier of its WEC Hypercar effort. Class rules mandate that one of four manufacturers supply the chassis on which Ford can build its contender for Le Mans. Competing in the Hypercar class, the Ford-powered, Ford-built and Ford-raced prototype will make its Le Mans debut in the event’s 95th running in June 2027.
Founded in 1973 by Hugues de Chaunac, ORECA Motorsport designs, assembles, develops and fine-tunes chassis, engines and system architectures. With ~240 victories in LMP2 and 10 consecutive wins at the Le Mans 24 Hours, and its presence in Hypercar through three major manufacturers, ORECA is an established global motorsport supllier (WEC, IMSA, ELMS, ALMS). It claims it is capable of providing all services with the global and customized customer support necessary to each client from its headquarters located in Signes, Magny-Cours and Indianapolis.
“We are honored that Ford has chosen ORECA to design the future WEC Hypercar for their return to the top tier of endurance racing” said Hugues de Chaunac, President, ORECA Group. “This strategic partnership is a key part of our ongoing commitment to the highest level of racing and to the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. We are excited to channel all our energy, expertise, and enthusiasm into this ambitious project. I would like to thank Bill Ford, Jim Farley, and Mark Rushbrook for their trust. They can count on the full engagement of all our teams around the world.”
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.