Latest news with #DanSayers
News24
5 days ago
- Automotive
- News24
Ford assembles dream team for WEC Hypercar attack in 2027
World Endurance Racing is entering its golden era thanks to a set of technical regulations that have made the sport financially inviting to myriad manufacturers, including Aston Martin, Porsche, Toyota, Cadillac, Alpine, BMW, and Peugeot in the front-running Hypercar class. This is a far cry from 2017 when only Toyota and Porsche contested the overall win at iconic races like Le Mans. The recent attention and growth hasn't gone unnoticed by Ford Performance, who have been on their own motorsport quest lately, expanding their CV with participation at Dakar, Mustangs in GT3 racing and upcoming Formula One partnership with Red Bull's Formula One team. As of 2027, Ford Motor Company will return to the top tier of prototype sports car racing, hoping to recapture its previous success, which dates back to 1966 and 1969 when Ford secured four consecutive overall victories at Le Mans with the GT40. In the hours leading up to this year's Le Mans race, Ford announced its chassis partner, ORECA, and its programme lead, Dan Sayers, as the WEC Hypercar Program Manager. Sayers will join the Ford team from his current role as Program Director at Red Bull Ford Powertrains. Quickpic Class rules mandate that one of four manufacturers supply the chassis on which Ford can build its contender for the top step at Le Mans. With ORECA on board, the recipe for success is in good hands: ORECA has won ten of the last races at Le Mans and provides the chassis to three major manufacturers, including Alpine, in the same category. '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 partner with ORECA is a proud moment for Ford. We are returning to Le Mans to win and aren't keeping that a secret. It will be exactly 56 years since we last took the top step of the overall podium on Sunday. 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 in the 1960s.' 'The chassis partner and the programme head for any major factory programme are foundational elements,' said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance. 'ORECA and Dan Sayers give us the right platform to build this entire programme. We have all been working closely since these decisions were made, and every step has proven correct. We are two years away from sitting on the grid at Le Mans with our Ford WEC Hypercar programme, and we now have two of the key building blocks for a successful return to prototype racing at this great race.' Ford's next motorsport undertaking will be with the electrified Mach-E – dubbed Super Mach E - taking on Pikes Peak on 22 June.
TimesLIVE
7 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Ford confirms Oreca and Sayers for 2027 WEC Hypercar return
Ford will return to the top class of endurance racing in 2027, confirming its chassis partner and programme lead before this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The US manufacturer on Friday announced it will collaborate with French race car constructor Oreca to build its FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) Hypercar. The programme will be led by Dan Sayers, who joins from Red Bull Ford Powertrains. '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 president and CEO Jim Farley. 'We are coming back to Le Mans to win and we aren't making that a secret.' The car is expected to debut at the opening round of the 2027 WEC season and compete at Le Mans in the same year. Ford's Hypercar entry will be built on a customer chassis supplied by Oreca, one of four approved constructors under WEC rules.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Has Picked a Chassis Supplier for Its 2027 Le Mans Hypercar Plans
Ford has selected sports car manufacturer Oreca as the chassis supplier for its upcoming LMDh project, setting the stage for a run at the overall 24 Hours of Le Mans win in 2027. The brand's Friday announcement also noted that Dan Sayers has joined the project as program manager. The deal means that Ford will be the fourth manufacturer to partner with Oreca, joining Acura, Alpine, and Genesis: Acura currently races the Oreca-based ARX-06 in IMSA; Alpine runs the A424 in the FIA World Endurance Championship; and Genesis plans to enter both over the next two years with their GMR-001. Since LMDh rules require teams to build their car around a safety cell from one of four approved chassis manufacturers, this means that the Ford will share some common parts with all of those cars. Most of the vehicle will be unique to Ford, however, including the engine. Sayers joins the now Oreca-affiliated prototype project directly from Red Bull Powertrains, a Ford-aligned group that will be building engines and hybrid systems for the energy drink brand's two Formula 1 teams. His responsibility will be getting the new racer from conception to the 2027 season opener — a daunting challenge that has led to early struggles for many current LMH and LMDh manufacturers on the grid at Le Mans for the 2025 event. While these announcements bring Ford closer to its return to the top class at Le Mans, some major questions remain. The brand still has not announced a partner team or official plans to build its own factory team, let alone the drivers. Ford has also only announced plans for the Europe-based FIA World Endurance Championship, meaning that the American manufacturer's long-awaited GT40 successor is not actually set to race in the U.S.-based IMSA championship just yet. An engine layout has also not been shared, although Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook mentioned in February that the brand had decided on a total cylinder count for its final race car. Those details will trickle out over the next two years. Until then, Oreca and Sayers will get to work helping Ford get their new prototype on the track. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
