Friday 12th June 2015

Ford GT to race Le Mans

Surprise surprise, Ford's GT will race at Le Mans next year in celebration of the GT40's 1-2-3 victory

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Well, it didn't take huge powers of deduction did it. When an email landed earlier in the week from Ford Performance tipping us off there would be "significant news" on Friday all eyes looked to the GT, Le Mans and the fact 2016 will be the 50th anniversary of the GT40's 1-2-3 win in 1966. And sure enough Ford has confirmed that the GT will compete in next year's race in the GTE Pro category. No LMP1 or chance of overall victory? No, and you can rationalise the decision on many levels.

And we thought it looked good as a road car!

First there's the cost of developing a ground-up LMP1 car that - at best - would only make passing visual reference to the GT and its associations with the GT40. If Ford wants to demonstrate the road car's prowess it needs to do that against its peers, the idea of a race-prepped GT battling Aston Martins, Porsches, Ferraris, Corvettes and the like one that will very much appeal to the popular vote of Le Mans spectators.

The more pragmatic reason is that it stands a better chance of doing the GT40 history justice based on the fact the car's 3.5-litre Ecoboost V6 engine is a proven winner in Stateside endurance racing in the Tudor United Sportscar Championship. The GT will be a factory entry, 'operated' by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates - or CGRFS in its abbreviated form - and hoping to build on the victories scored by this partnership since it first competed in 2014. Since then Ecoboost powered CGRFS entries have won overall victories at the 12 Hours of Sebring, Rolex 24 at Daytona and more.

Entering a new car into a race like Le Mans always brings challenges but the knowledge the powertrain is reliable and competitive takes a good deal of the stress out of it.

Car is all-new but engine is race proven

"We've won races and championships, but we've never run Le Mans," team owner Chip Ganassi is quoted as saying in the press release announcing the entry. "When presented the opportunity to compete with the all-new Ford GT on the world's biggest sports car stage, and on the 50th anniversary of one of the most storied victories in racing history, how could any race team not want to be part of that? Will it be a challenge? Absolutely, but we couldn't be with a better partner than Ford."

For Ford's part product development head Raj Nair is clear motorsport was always part of the GT's remit. "From the outset, we wanted to ensure we had a car that has what it takes to return Ford to the world of GT racing. We believe the Ford GT's advances in aerodynamics, light-weighting and Ecoboost power will make for a compelling race car that can once again compete on a global stage."

Supporting the race car's development are Roush Yates (engine), Multimatic Motorsports and many more big name suppliers. Suffice to say, this is about more than doing a few parade laps...

To that end the car will make its racing debut next January in the Daytona 24-hour before taking part in both the FIA World Endurance Championship and Tudor United Sportscar Championship. On looks alone the GT stunned as a motor show star, looks mean as a test mule and combines both into one superb looking race car. Seeing it on a world stage racing against Ferraris, Astons and Porsches? Better still.

Watch the video here.

 

[olliethehut]

Likey likey, that GT has a HUGE rear diffuser!

[sumpoil]

..... OK, great - well done Ford, Le Mans it is. Now let us have the GT350 you muppets .....

[NDC]

Fantastic, hope it goes as well as it looks and is reliable, seems like the engine has been so far.

[wst]

That thing looks the part, I'm rather excited to see how this does.

Do the exhausts exit into the deep channels between the main body and the wheel fairings, or is that looking like just cooling exiting there?

[Fastdruid]

Nice. Good luck Ford.

Would be nice to see a Ford LMP but you understand why not.

Edited by Fastdruid on Friday 12th June 15:57

[MikeT66]

Brilliant news - come on Ford! Looks great, too.

Glad it's in the GTE PRO class as opposed to the LMP categories, which I actually dislike. To me, GT Racing is all about road-cars competing against each other, not the high-tech stuff of the LMP categories. Not that the Prototypes hasn't thrown up some great cars in the past (Porsche 917, among others), but the current crop are, IMHO, hideous and largely irrelevant to road cars. Yes, the technology is amazing, but the machinery leaves me stone cold - like Formula 1.

It does, however, throw up a real conundrum for me - Le Mans 2016 or Le Mans Classic 2016 for my 50th birthday? Hmmmmm...

[gregf40]

Ford have absolutely nailed the design of this GT. After putting my name down for one I'm praying my order gets fulfilled and I don't get shafted by the tiny UK allocation!

Would be great to see it win at Le Mans

[Johnspex]

I wonder if there was some significance to the startled (prancing) horse at the end.

[morgs_]

So happy about this It looks mega and if the sound in the video is accurate, sounds lush as well!

MikeT66 said:

It does, however, throw up a real conundrum for me - Le Mans 2016 or Le Mans Classic 2016 for my 50th birthday? Hmmmmm...

What a horrible position to be in

[R2T2]

MikeT66 said:

It does, however, throw up a real conundrum for me - Le Mans 2016 or Le Mans Classic 2016 for my 50th birthday? Hmmmmm...

Both?

[zebedee]

MikeT66 said:

Brilliant news - come on Ford! Looks great, too.

Glad it's in the GTE PRO class as opposed to the LMP categories, which I actually dislike. To me, GT Racing is all about road-cars competing against each other, not the high-tech stuff of the LMP categories. Not that the Prototypes hasn't thrown up some great cars in the past (Porsche 917, among others), but the current crop are, IMHO, hideous and largely irrelevant to road cars. Yes, the technology is amazing, but the machinery leaves me stone cold - like Formula 1.

It does, however, throw up a real conundrum for me - Le Mans 2016 or Le Mans Classic 2016 for my 50th birthday? Hmmmmm...

GT racing is not LMP racing, as you say. They might not be the nicest things to look at, but seeing those LMPs going at it hammer and tongs and passing and re-passing several times a lap and going side by side through traffic at the speeds they do is sensational, and to me a lot of that emotion and thrill seems to absorb back into these extraordinary machines when the heat of battle is over. I used to think the same as you but over the years I have grown to love the prototypes and this year at Le Mans really should be thrilling. I can't see anyone having a clear run at it, I think we will have more time in the pits for the P cars than in recent years, so the question is how far will each get pushing at 100% (which I am sure they will) and what problems will it lead to and will they have built up enough gap to fix it and maintain their lead?

[Galileo]

MikeT66 said:

Brilliant news - come on Ford! Looks great, too.

Glad it's in the GTE PRO class as opposed to the LMP categories, which I actually dislike. To me, GT Racing is all about road-cars competing against each other, not the high-tech stuff of the LMP categories. Not that the Prototypes hasn't thrown up some great cars in the past (Porsche 917, among others), but the current crop are, IMHO, hideous and largely irrelevant to road cars. Yes, the technology is amazing, but the machinery leaves me stone cold - like Formula 1.

It does, however, throw up a real conundrum for me - Le Mans 2016 or Le Mans Classic 2016 for my 50th birthday? Hmmmmm...

1966 was a good year. I'll be celebrating my 50th at Le Mans next year as well. Maybe we could get hospitality as we are the same age as the cars first victory? Worth a go.

[Ayahuasca]

[Atmospheric]

The new Ford GT is a seriously exciting car. I think it beats the Europeans at their own game design wise. Clever, modern, yet roots in history? Well done Ford.

[Gandahar]

Love the car upsetting the dark horse near the end and causing it to prance in terror ...

Really good vid.

Cracking looking car. Looking forward to 2016

[Gandahar]

zebedee said:

MikeT66 said:

Brilliant news - come on Ford! Looks great, too.

Glad it's in the GTE PRO class as opposed to the LMP categories, which I actually dislike. To me, GT Racing is all about road-cars competing against each other, not the high-tech stuff of the LMP categories. Not that the Prototypes hasn't thrown up some great cars in the past (Porsche 917, among others), but the current crop are, IMHO, hideous and largely irrelevant to road cars. Yes, the technology is amazing, but the machinery leaves me stone cold - like Formula 1.

It does, however, throw up a real conundrum for me - Le Mans 2016 or Le Mans Classic 2016 for my 50th birthday? Hmmmmm...

GT racing is not LMP racing, as you say. They might not be the nicest things to look at, but seeing those LMPs going at it hammer and tongs and passing and re-passing several times a lap and going side by side through traffic at the speeds they do is sensational, and to me a lot of that emotion and thrill seems to absorb back into these extraordinary machines when the heat of battle is over. I used to think the same as you but over the years I have grown to love the prototypes and this year at Le Mans really should be thrilling. I can't see anyone having a clear run at it, I think we will have more time in the pits for the P cars than in recent years, so the question is how far will each get pushing at 100% (which I am sure they will) and what problems will it lead to and will they have built up enough gap to fix it and maintain their lead?

Problem with the LMP cars is they sound like my vacuum cleaner now the bearing has gone. And you can have the close racing without that sound if the regs were right.

[ZX10R NIN]

I wonder if they'll take a look at Montoya to drive one, he'd be on for the sweep then it's unlikely now he's with Penske but you never know

[Leggy]

Great video and awesome weapon. 1966 was a great year, looks like half of PH will be 50 next year!

[DJRC]

Johnspex said:

I wonder if there was some significance to the startled (prancing) horse at the end.

You really have to ask that?!

[Dan Friel]

R2T2 said:

MikeT66 said:

It does, however, throw up a real conundrum for me - Le Mans 2016 or Le Mans Classic 2016 for my 50th birthday? Hmmmmm...

Both?

I would do both if you can.. perfect excuse!

Have been away from Le Mans for a decade, but shall be going back in 2016 for a slightly lower birthday celebration.

The Ford looks fantastic, and video is excellent.