Ford Racing Returns to its Roots

Ford has announced a bold new direction in global motorsport, rebranding its performance division as Ford Racing on the eve of the company’s 125th anniversary, a move that both honours its history and signals its future.

The decision comes as Ford prepares to expand its footprint across the world stage, returning to Formula 1 while maintaining a presence in events as diverse as Dakar, Bathurst, Le Mans and Daytona. The aim is clear: link road car engineering directly to racing programs, with lessons from the track filtering straight to the showroom.

It is a philosophy that stretches back to 1901 when company founder Henry Ford stunned America by winning his first and only race in the Sweepstakes. That victory gave him the financial backing to form the Ford Motor Company, and it remains a pivotal moment in motorsport history.

Will Ford, general manager of Ford Racing and great-great-grandson of Henry, says the rebrand is about more than a name change.

“In 1901, my great-great-grandfather wasn’t a racer. But he had to win. If he lost that day, Ford Motor Company might not exist. He won,” Ford said.

“That DNA. that need to prove ourselves, to innovate under pressure, and to win, is why we are here today. It’s why we are going back to our roots. Today, Ford Performance becomes Ford Racing. This is not a marketing exercise. This is a promise. It signals a new, more focused mission to tear down the wall between our race teams and the engineering of the vehicles you drive every day.”

Ford Racing will now operate under one global structure, bringing together road and race car engineers. The first product born under this philosophy will be unveiled in January, carrying technology proven in the world’s toughest competitions.

“The aerodynamic lessons we learn at Daytona and Le Mans will be sculpted into the body of the next Mustang,” Ford said. “The technology that survives the Baja 1000 will be in the DNA of the next F-150 Raptor. This is a direct line from the track to your driveway, and it starts now.”

The rebrand – which thankfully returns the blue oval – also highlights the experiential side of Ford Racing, from racing schools to the Bronco Off-Roadeo, designed to prove capability directly to customers.

The full roll-out of the Ford Racing identity will begin in January when the company takes on the Dakar Rally, the Rolex 24 at Daytona and its own global season launch.

“Make no mistake,” Ford said. “We are competing at the highest levels across the globe—from Formula 1 to the World Rally Championship, from Le Mans to Bathurst. And we are going there with a single purpose. We don’t just go to races. We go to win.”

Ford’s racing heritage runs deep. From the GT40’s Le Mans dominance in the 1960s to Allan Moffat’s Falcon glory at Bathurst, from NASCAR’s 700-plus wins to world rally titles with the Escort and Fiesta, the Blue Oval has been at the sharp end of the sport for more than a century.

Now, with Ford Racing, the company is determined to ensure the next chapter will be just as successful.