Sargeant: Ford Hypercar has 'really hit the ground running'

Here's the thing about building a brand-new top-tier endurance machine: you never quite know how it's going to behave until it hits the tarmac. Thankfully, Ford Racing's all-new Hypercar has officially cleared its maiden full test, wrapping up a comprehensive shakedown and three days of running at Paul Ricard in southern France.

That puts the Michigan-based marque back in the top-tier of long-distance racing for the first time in almost six decades, with an eye firmly on FIA World Endurance Championship title glory next year. The yet-to-be-named prototype is powered by a 5.4-litre, Coyote-based V8 engine that first fired up at chassis partner ORECA in early July. Before rolling out in France, the project demanded dyno work in Dearborn, countless hours in the simulator, and a fire-up.

Behind the wheel at Paul Ricard, drivers Logan Sargeant, Matt Campbell, Tom Blomqvist, and Mike Rockenfeller piled on more than 1,000 kilometres. British duo Sebastian Priaulx and Nick Yelloly were also on hand to gather feedback and ready themselves for upcoming testing stages. Logan Sargeant, who currently competes for Ford customer outfit Proton Competition in the FIA WEC LMGT3 division, noted that the car really hit the ground running right out of the box.

Matt Campbell logged the most track time of the drivers and shared that while fans online love the sound, sitting inside the cockpit is absolutely deafening. Aside from a few minor teething issues expected at the start of any new programme, everything went smoothly. Campbell's schedule wastes no time ramping up: he heads back to the USA for three days of simulator work in North Carolina before returning to Europe for the next test.

That Paul Ricard outing is just the opening salvo in a grueling development schedule spanning three continents over the coming months. Following the North Carolina simulator stint, the team heads to Portimão in Portugal at the beginning of September. From there, the testing tour hits European circuits Silverstone, Monza, Imola, and MotorLand Aragón, before crossing the Atlantic at the end of the year for track time at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) and Sebring.