Ford's LMDh breaks cover

Ford Racing's 2027 LMDh prototype, which is set to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship from 2027 onwards, has finally broken cover. The American marque has released shots from a track test at Paul Ricard, after several days of shakedown testing which got underway on August 5th.

The V8-powered, ORECA-based prototype, pictured in a camouflage livery, is being developed for Ford's push to win the Le Mans overall for a fifth time, and fight for an FIA World Hypercar Manufacturers' Championship title.

The test at Le Castellet, a stone's throw from ORECA's headquarters, follows extensive simulator work, dyno testing and a successful fire-up of the 5.4-litre Coyote-based V8 engine in the test chassis last month.

Going forward, Ford plans to test the car across Europe ahead of homologation, before the start of the 2027 season. All six of Ford's signed Hypercar drivers are set to take part in the test program.

Mike Rockenfeller, Seb Priaulx and Logan Sargeant were the first named back in January, before longtime Porsche works driver Matt Campbell and Tom Blomqvist and Nick Yelloly from the Acura GTP program were added to the stable in June. 

According to Ford, the first full track test today, during which Campbell and Sargeant took the wheel, went "smoothly and according to plan".

"The team worked methodically through a comprehensive program to activate and verify each control system, all of which are now fully functional and ready ahead of the first track tests scheduled for this week and next," Ford added.

Blomqvist is set to test the car in the coming days, with more information and feedback on the test expected to follow next week.