Max Verstappen in confirmed talks over potential Le Mans 24 Hours entry

Ford has confirmed that it has held talks with Red Bull F1 driver Max Verstappen over a potential future Le Mans 24 Hours entry.

It comes ahead of Verstappen’s first appearance at the Nurburgring 24 Hours next weekend.

Ford ‘would love to see’ Max Verstappen in hypercar at Le Mans 24 Hours

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Ford has returned to Formula 1 activities in F1 2026 by linking up with Verstappen’s Red Bull team as its new technical partner.

The US-based manufacturer is also planning to enter the hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship, the leading category of endurance racing, in 2027.

Verstappen, the four-time F1 world champion, has regularly voiced his desire to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans over recent years.

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The 28-year-old, who is officially under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, warned earlier this season that he could walk away from F1 over his unhappiness with the F1 2026 rules.

The FIA has since announced a series of measures to refine the current rules, with the latest on Friday set to remove the 50:50 split between internal combustion and electrical power for the F1 2027 season.

Speaking at this weekend’s WEC round at Spa, Ford Racing boss Mark Rushbrook confirmed that the brand has held talks with Verstappen over a potential Le Mans appearance.

According to Sportscar365, Rushbrook said of the prospect of Verstappen competing at Le Mans in a Ford hypercar: “We would love to see that.

“A lot of things need to align for that to happen, but that would of course be incredible for us, for the sport.”

Rushbrook went on to rule out linking up with Verstappen for Ford’s maiden season in the WEC, insisting that a 2027 Le Mans appearance with Ford is highly unlikely.

He added: “That would be taking on too much.”

The Ford boss revealed that talks with Verstappen over Le Mans began around the time its deal with Red Bull was announced in early 2023.

Asked if Ford would need to wait until the end of Verstappen’s F1 career, he said: “Depending on the schedules, it could be during [his F1 career] or both [during and after his F1 stint].

“Discussions go back three-plus years. It’s just looking for the right opportunity with the right programs.”

Two drivers on the current F1 grid have triumphed at Le Mans over recent years.

Audi driver Nico Hulkenberg memorably won the endurance classic with Porsche in 2015 while competing in F1 with the Force India (now Aston Martin) team.

Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso is a two-time winner at the Circuit de la Sarthe having claimed victory twice with Toyota in 2018/19.

Alonso’s first Le Mans win came during his final season with the McLaren F1 team before he returned during his sabbatical the following year.

Verstappen originally planned to compete at Le Mans with Alonso and his father, the former F1 driver Jos Verstappen.

As reported by PlanetF1.com last year, however, the Dutchman confirmed that his father had decided to drop out of a potential Le Mans assault.

Ford announced the signing of former Williams F1 driver Logan Sargeant in January ahead of its hypercar entry next year.

Sargeant is one of three confirmed drivers for Ford’s hypercar program along with Seb Priaulx and Mike Rockenfeller, a Le Mans winner with Audi in 2010.

The Ford hypercar will be based on an Oreca LMP2 chassis and a naturally aspirated 5.4-litre V8 engine, designed entirely in-house for the first time in the company’s history.

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