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Max Verstappenracing a Ford at Le Mans isn’t a pipe dream someone floated on a podcast. It’s a conversation Ford is actively having with the man himself, and Mark Rushbrook isn’t hiding it. Speaking to Motorsport.com, Ford Performance‘s global director confirmed the discussions are real and ongoing.
When asked if talks had taken place, Rushbrook didn’t hide his enthusiasm to have an ally in the Dutchman: “Yes, of course.
“We love Max. We love what he does in the Formula 1 car, on the track. We love him off the track. He’s a great person, as much as he’s a great driver. We love his passion to be racing GT3, like he is, and what he does with developing drivers through sim racing and getting them on the track. So, of course, we have regular discussions with him about what are the opportunities to do more in sportscar, including Hypercar. He’s a racer. He wants to race,” Rushbrook said.
Verstappen’s name keeps coming up in the endurance world, given his appetite for long-distance racing and his existing ties to Ford through Red Bull Powertrains. The four-time champion has made clear in recent years that he wants to do more outside of Formula 1, and he will compete in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, his next step in GT racing.
A Le Mans outright bid is the obvious target, and Ford is the obvious partner – except for when the calendar gets in the way.
Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, keeping his schedule locked up for the foreseeable future with 24-race seasons.
“He wants to go race Le Mans and race for the overall win, but most years the schedule doesn’t allow it, right? While he’s a committed Formula 1 driver, most years now it’s a conflict. I think we’re just talking about what the opportunity is and if and when it makes sense, and everybody wants to do it, then great.”
MIAMI, FLORIDA – MAY 03: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (3) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB22 Red Bull Ford on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 03, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/LAT Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202605030194 // Usage for editorial use only //
Rushbrook also confirmed this wouldn’t happen in 2027, Ford’s debut year in the Hypercar class, and that any potential third-car entry at Le Mans would have to come after the programme’s first season.
Ford’s Hypercar will use an ORECA chassis powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.4-litre V8 built entirely in-house with support from Red Bull Ford Powertrains, making it one of only three non-turbocharged cars in the WEC Hypercar field.
The first three confirmed drivers are Sebastian Priaulx, Mike Rockenfeller, and Logan Sargeant.
What makes the Verstappen conversation something more than flattery is what Rushbrook said about his value as a development asset. He watched Verstappen work at the Red Bull F1 shakedown in Barcelona earlier this year, and came away with a good idea of what he brings to the table in terms of feedback:
“One of the great things about Max, is drivers like him don’t come along that often, in terms of what he accomplishes on track, right? But it’s how he accomplishes it. Especially this year when we were in Barcelona [for the F1 shakedown]. Hearing his feedback on the radio while he’s out on track, testing his brandnew car, and then he would come back in after doing, depending on the stint, 30, 40, 50 laps.
“The amount of detail that he’s able to give feedback to the engineers that is so much more valuable than all the data that the engineers have. It’s complimentary, it’s got to go together. Just the mental capacity and the bandwidth that he has for developing a car, for racing a car, for tuning a car. To have a driver like that in your programme, at some point, even if it’s only for one race, is pretty meaningful.”
The fact he specifies ‘only for one race’, meant they’re not shopping for a full-season Hypercar programme driver. They’re thinking about Le Mans, specifically, with arguably the best active racing driver on the planet.
Ford won four consecutive Le Mans outright victories from 1966 to 1969 with the GT40 and has been building back toward that kind of relevance ever since. Verstappen in a Ford at La Sarthe, fighting for the overall, would be exactly that kind of statement. Both sides know it. The calendar just needs to cooperate.
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When asked if talks had taken place, Rushbrook didn’t hide his enthusiasm to have an ally in the Dutchman: “Yes, of course.
“We love Max. We love what he does in the Formula 1 car, on the track. We love him off the track. He’s a great person, as much as he’s a great driver. We love his passion to be racing GT3, like he is, and what he does with developing drivers through sim racing and getting them on the track. So, of course, we have regular discussions with him about what are the opportunities to do more in sportscar, including Hypercar. He’s a racer. He wants to race,” Rushbrook said.
Verstappen’s name keeps coming up in the endurance world, given his appetite for long-distance racing and his existing ties to Ford through Red Bull Powertrains. The four-time champion has made clear in recent years that he wants to do more outside of Formula 1, and he will compete in the Nurburgring 24 Hours, his next step in GT racing.
A Le Mans outright bid is the obvious target, and Ford is the obvious partner – except for when the calendar gets in the way.
The Schedule Is the Problem, Not the Will
Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028, keeping his schedule locked up for the foreseeable future with 24-race seasons.
“He wants to go race Le Mans and race for the overall win, but most years the schedule doesn’t allow it, right? While he’s a committed Formula 1 driver, most years now it’s a conflict. I think we’re just talking about what the opportunity is and if and when it makes sense, and everybody wants to do it, then great.”
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MIAMI, FLORIDA – MAY 03: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (3) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB22 Red Bull Ford on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 03, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/LAT Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202605030194 // Usage for editorial use only //
Rushbrook also confirmed this wouldn’t happen in 2027, Ford’s debut year in the Hypercar class, and that any potential third-car entry at Le Mans would have to come after the programme’s first season.
Ford’s Hypercar will use an ORECA chassis powered by a naturally-aspirated 5.4-litre V8 built entirely in-house with support from Red Bull Ford Powertrains, making it one of only three non-turbocharged cars in the WEC Hypercar field.
The first three confirmed drivers are Sebastian Priaulx, Mike Rockenfeller, and Logan Sargeant.
What makes the Verstappen conversation something more than flattery is what Rushbrook said about his value as a development asset. He watched Verstappen work at the Red Bull F1 shakedown in Barcelona earlier this year, and came away with a good idea of what he brings to the table in terms of feedback:
“One of the great things about Max, is drivers like him don’t come along that often, in terms of what he accomplishes on track, right? But it’s how he accomplishes it. Especially this year when we were in Barcelona [for the F1 shakedown]. Hearing his feedback on the radio while he’s out on track, testing his brandnew car, and then he would come back in after doing, depending on the stint, 30, 40, 50 laps.
“The amount of detail that he’s able to give feedback to the engineers that is so much more valuable than all the data that the engineers have. It’s complimentary, it’s got to go together. Just the mental capacity and the bandwidth that he has for developing a car, for racing a car, for tuning a car. To have a driver like that in your programme, at some point, even if it’s only for one race, is pretty meaningful.”
The fact he specifies ‘only for one race’, meant they’re not shopping for a full-season Hypercar programme driver. They’re thinking about Le Mans, specifically, with arguably the best active racing driver on the planet.
Ford won four consecutive Le Mans outright victories from 1966 to 1969 with the GT40 and has been building back toward that kind of relevance ever since. Verstappen in a Ford at La Sarthe, fighting for the overall, would be exactly that kind of statement. Both sides know it. The calendar just needs to cooperate.
Continue reading...
