Ford is doubling down on its racing pedigree, and it’s making the statement official. From January, the division known as Ford Performance will carry a new name: Ford Racing.
The move isn’t just a branding exercise. General Manager Will Ford called it a wholesale reintroduction of the company’s racing identity, promising a fresh way of thinking about the business, the brand, and the products born from competition. The first outing for the new name will come in early 2026, when Ford Racing lines up at the Dakar Rally and the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
A Broader Motorsport Strategy
The timing is no accident. Ford is expanding its presence across the highest levels of motorsport. A Formula 1 entry with Red Bull Powertrains is already in the works, alongside a major commitment to endurance racing with a new LMDh prototype scheduled for 2027. These join a packed programme that includes rally, NASCAR, IMSA, WEC GT3, and Australia’s Supercars Championship.
By aligning all of these efforts under the Ford Racing banner, the company is signalling that motorsport isn’t a side hustle—it’s central to how it sees its future. For fans, it means the Blue Oval badge will be even more visible at circuits and stages worldwide.
Leadership And Legacy of a Great Brand
Despite the name change, some things remain familiar. Mark Rushbrook will continue as global director, overseeing both racing and road car operations. The aim is to ensure the racing technology pipeline continues to feed directly into Ford’s street models, something the company has leaned on heavily since the GT40 days.
Visually, we’ll see a new logo and identity revealed ahead of Dakar in January, with further details on how Ford Racing plans to roll out across different disciplines.
Rebrands often feel superficial, but this one lands at a moment when Ford is aggressively trying to reassert itself on the global motorsport stage. While rivals like Toyota and Ferrari already leverage racing as brand-defining theatre, Ford’s renewed push under the Racing banner looks designed to give enthusiasts and buyers a more unified story.
Whether it’s rally stages in Europe, V8s thundering at Bathurst, or the start line at Le Mans, expect Ford Racing to become a bigger part of the conversation. The new name is just the opening lap.
