Ford adds second Hypercar to WEC testing programme
Ford will expand its LMDh testing programme to two cars at Monza later this month, stepping up preparations for its 2027 World Endurance Championship campaign. The manufacturer has completed its first three tests with a single chassis of the yet-to-be-named car, developed with ORECA Motorsport.
The second car will allow Ford to split its work between mechanical performance and control systems, before one chassis is assigned to endurance testing. The approach follows Ferrari, which brought a second 499P into testing early in that car’s development.
A second chassis will divide the test programme
Ford’s Hypercar programme manager, Dan Sayers, said the team will use the two cars for different tasks at Monza. So far, testing has concentrated on resolving issues in the hybrid machine’s complex control systems, with the team avoiding major changes that could complicate its assessment of them.
Adding another car should give the performance group a dedicated focus while control-system work continues. Ford plans to move from the Monza running to its first Le Mans-distance simulation at Aragon in Spain in November.
The programme builds on Ford’s first LMDh shakedown at Le Castellet. The car first ran at Paul Ricard’s activity centre on 5 August, then completed three days on the full circuit during a week of testing.
Ford has progressed from systems work to longer runs
Ford followed the Ricard outing with four days at Portimao, where it covered about 1,300 kilometres. A similar distance was completed at Ricard. The team then spent two days at Silverstone last week, beginning longer runs for the first time.
The car is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8 based on the architecture of the Mustang’s Coyote engine. Ford has expressed satisfaction with the early running, while using the tests to identify problems and areas requiring development.
The name of the 2027 contender is due to be announced at its official launch on Thanksgiving later in November. Ford’s wider preparations for the category have also included work away from the circuit, including virtual preparation for Le Mans.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.