The Ford Motor Co. will return to the top level of prototype sports car racing in 2027 in the World Endurance Championship series with a factory team that will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. “We are entering a new era for performance and racing at Ford.

After the 1960s, Ford exited from the top-tier prototype class and competed in production-focused class racing around the world. In 2016, it won the Le Mans GT class with a mid-engine GT, and then finished second in the GT class last year with the debut of its Mustang GT3.

The Blue Oval brand will field a full factory FIA WEC team to try and capture its first outright win in nearly six decades.