Ford Reveals Ongoing Talks With Max Verstappen Over Future Hypercar Drive

Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 future is up in the air, with the four-time world champion disgruntled with the 2026 regulations and potentially pursuing a career in sportscars, with a potential Hypercar move now mooted.

Global Director of Ford Racing Mark Rushbrook confirmed ongoing discussions with the Dutchman about an opportunity in their Hypercar programme during the Spa-Francorchamps round of the World Endurance Championship, allowing Verstappen to potentially contest the famed Le Mans 24 Hours.

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

Rushbrook also highlighted that 2027 “would be taking on too much” to give Verstappen a drive in the Ford Hypercar, as it will also be the Blue Oval’s debut season in WEC.

“Depending on the schedules, (Verstappen to Le Mans) could be during (his F1 career) or both (during and post),” was the Ford boss’ response when quizzed on whether the Dutchman would wait to race their Hypercar until his Formula 1 career was finished.

“Discussions go back three plus years, it’s just looking for the right opportunity with the right programmes.”

Ford, in 2026, partnered with Red Bull as part of its in-house Red Bull Powertrains division, strengthening the energy drinks giant’s global alliance with the Blue Oval.

The last full-time F1 driver to contest the Le Mans 24 Hours during a Formula 1 season was Fernando Alonso in 2018, when he led an outright one-two finish for Toyota in a depleted LMP1 category.

Nico Hülkenberg, while racing in F1 for Force India in 2015, famously won the great race on debut for Porsche alongside Earl Bamber and Nick Tandy. The Weissach marque fielded a wildcard entry for the trio alongside its two full-time WEC 919 Hybrids.

While Verstappen has been vocally critical of the 2026 F1 regulations, compounded by Red Bull Racing’s own performance deficits, the Dutchman has moonlighted in the NLS GT3 series in a Mercedes. He is also set to tackle the gruelling Nürburgring 24 Hours, which has announced a sell-out crowd in anticipation of the four-time world champion competing.

Rushbrook also had his say on Verstappen racing a GT3 Mercedes-AMG: “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 One, and we love him as a person. That’s the right programme for him right now, but we’d love to see him in a Ford in the sportscar world at some point.”

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Written by

Jawad Yaqub

An eCommerce Specialist by day and reporting on F1 by night. Jawad is passionate about motorsport, having provided accredited F1 coverage for more than a decade. Live blogging (almost) every grand prix too since 2014, as well as articles on the Supercars Championship. Also keen on sustainability, photography, collecting vinyl, (trying to) expertly barbeque and learning to Dad.

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