Discussions ongoing over Verstappen Le Mans Hypercar drive

Could four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen compete at the Le Mans 24 Hours with Ford's Hypercar program in the future? Speaking with reporters on Saturday at Spa ahead of Round 2 of the 2026 WEC season, Mark Rushbrook, the global director of Ford Racing, confirmed that discussions are ongoing.

"We would love to see it," he said. "A lot of things to align for that to happen, but that would of course be incredible for us, for the sport."

There is no firm timeline for him to take on the race with the Blue Oval, but with the Dutchman's career featuring such a packed schedule, a clash would need to be avoided between a Grand Prix and Le Mans in the future for him to take part in the French classic before his F1 career comes to a close.

What we do know, though, from Rushbrook is that this would not be for 2027, Ford's debut year in the FIA WEC Hypercar class, and that any potential for a third car to be entered at Le Mans would have to wait until after the debut season. "That would be taking on too much," he said.

"Depending on the schedules, it could be during (his F1 career) or both (during and post)," he responded when asked if it would be a move that would need to wait until he's finished in Formula One. "Discussions go back three plus years, it's just looking for the right opportunity with the right programs."

In the meantime, Verstappen is set to take on the Nürburgring 24 Hours next weekend for the first time with his GT3 team, Verstappen Racing. But he won't be taking on the race in a Ford Mustang GT3; instead, his brand of choice is Mercedes-AMG.

Asked for a reaction to his decision to race with a rival brand, Rushbrook said, "We prefer our Ford drivers to stay in Ford. We understand why he did that, we love his passion, we love that he's a racer, we love what he does with us in Formula 1, and we love him as a person. That's the right program for him right now, but we'd love to see him in a Ford in the sportscar world at some point."