Ford's bid for a win at Le Mans will be a massive undertaking. But the Ford Racing team is currently hard at work ensuring its race car is up to the task.
The Ford Hypercar is finally on track for proper testing. The motorsport division of the Blue Oval brand has been putting the LMDh competitor through its paces at Circuit Paul Ricard in France. And the car sounds incredible.
Gallery: Ford Testing New Le Mans Hypercar
Photographer @leo.rampal captured footage of Ford's V8 hybrid rocketship running laps at the track (click to listen). In the clip, you can easily hear the sonorous 5.4-liter V8 engine at work. As the tone echoes off the track and the surrounding hills, there's an aural mash-up that feels a bit like stock car meets fighter jet.
There's a lot going on with the bodywork as well. That aggressive nose rises rapidly to meet the awesome front fenders. There are massive vents atop those fenders, and the body flows sharply rearward to meet the even larger rear fenders. The camo blue-and-white livery doesn't hide the car; it actually makes it look even cooler.
Still, we assume Ford has some strong design work in store for the actual race livery. And we can't wait to see it.
Motor1's Take: There's plenty more testing to be done, with Ford slowly working its roster of drivers into the mix for upcoming test days. More testing will take place in Europe before the team heads to the States to fine-tune the car.
After that, there's a looming date with motorsport destiny once the 2027 WEC season gets underway.
