The competition in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) promises to be intense next year, with the entry of Ford and McLaren in the hypercar division with their respective LMDh prototypes. With expectations that all current manufacturers will maintain their presence, the next edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2027 could see a ten-way battle for glory.
With over a year of work on the development of their new vehicles, both Ford and McLaren are well advanced in their preparations for their debut in the WEC. At a time when both brands have not competed in the top category of sports car racing for decades, they highlight their legacies at Le Mans. Ford achieved four consecutive victories between 1966 and 1969, while McLaren triumphed in its first appearance with the F1 GTR in 1995, surpassing prototypes specifically designed for competition.
Ford
Model: Name not revealed
Regulations: LMDh
Chassis partners: Oreca
Engine: 5.4-liter V8 Coyote; specific hybrid system
Ford has made significant progress in the development of its hypercar, activating its V8 engine for the first time this month. This is not a conventional test, as the complete vehicle with the hybrid system was activated at the Oreca factory in France. Now that integration between the chassis and power unit has been completed, Ford plans to begin track testing next August, with several European circuits selected for this phase.
This will allow the program to have nearly seven months of testing before the start of the WEC 2027 season in Qatar in March. The initial test phase will be carried out with a single chassis, but Ford intends to introduce a second test vehicle later. The final phase of development will take place in North America.
Although Ford is going its own way in testing, it has already confirmed its driver lineup for 2027, with names like Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller, young talent Sebastian Priaulx, and former Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant among its main drivers.
McLaren
Model: McLaren MCL-HY
Regulations: LMDh
Chassis partners: Dallara
Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6; specific hybrid system
The development of the McLaren MCL-HY is progressing favorably. The British brand has completed several tests with its LMDh prototype based on the Dallara LMP2. Recently, McLaren sent the MCL-HY to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where it made its first public appearance. The final design of the vehicle’s livery has not yet been revealed, but tests have so far been conducted with a special livery in honor of Bruce McLaren.
More tests are expected in the coming months, as McLaren and United Autosports continue to fine-tune the vehicle before its homologation in the Windshear wind tunnel in the United States. As for the drivers, McLaren has so far named Mikkel Jensen and 2024 Hypercar champion Laurens Vanthoor, who arrives on loan from Porsche, although they have also used several drivers for the tests.
The direction of McLaren’s hypercar team is led by James Barclay, who joined the team last year after achieving success with Jaguar in Formula E.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
