Why Ford’s plans for a new chapter in its Le Mans story makes so much sense

America’s love affair with the Le Mans 24 Hours nonetheless burns vibrant. It has endured for greater than 60 years and is an enormous motive why a producer that has had a lot to do with propelling the French enduro into the consciousness of a continent goes again in pursuit of outright victory after a protracted absence.

Ford will return to Le Mans in the prototype ranks from 2027 with an LMDh contender, bidding to repeat its successes of the Nineteen Sixties when it received the French enduro 4 instances on the trot within the final years of the last decade. The race, says firm head honcho Invoice Ford, means extra to Ford than another.

That’s an enormous assertion from a producer that has loved a lot success in so many motorsport arenas — Formulation 1 included, albeit solely as an engine provider. However it signifies how embedded Le Mans is within the psyche of Ford’s senior administration within the current period.

In the event you doubt that, assume again to its GTE Professional class victory in 2016 within the maiden season of the Ford GT. The Blue Oval was determined to win the class in what was the fiftieth anniversary yr of its first outright victory in ’66 with the Shelby American-run MkII shared by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon. Tales of high-ranking figures from the corporate stomping as much as race management to complain that the Ferrari with which it was battling had inoperative race chief lights — the illuminations that present if a automotive is within the prime three – are nearly actually true.

Ford didn’t win GTE Professional once more, however it did have fun its wealthy historical past at Le Mans within the closing yr of the programme in 2019. Three of its 4 entries ran in retro liveries paying homage to its contenders from the Nineteen Sixties, the fourth within the colors of its 2016 class winner.

Coincidently, 2019 was the yr of the discharge of Ford v Ferrari, referred to as Le Mans ’66 in some markets. If anybody at or close to the highest of the Ford hierarchy didn’t know the story behind its Le Mans successes of 40 years earlier, they did after watching the film. Or a minimum of Hollywood’s model of it.

It hasn’t at all times been that approach. Ford suggests within the announcement of what is going to be a belated entry into the LMDh ranks that it has by no means challenged for outright Le Mans honours within the years since ’69. It insists that its focus has been on class wins, referencing the Ford GT and its present involvement within the LMGT3 class with its Mustang. That’s not appropriate.

It conveniently overlooks the Ford C100 of the early ’80s, a automotive that flew the flag for the model as a manufacturing unit entry at Le Mans solely as soon as in 1982. It’s an arguably forgettable machine; an underachiever that began life as a Group 6 automotive and have become a Group C was blighted by inner firm politics.

Simply when it regarded prefer it would possibly come good with a 3rd technology of automotive designed by Tony Southgate for 1983, the challenge was canned. What may need been doable is evident to see: a line of Southgate-penned V12 TWR Jaguars went on to take many of the huge prizes on supply in sportscar racing, Le Mans included.

Nor ought to it’s forgotten that Ford has received Le Mans outright within the years since ’69. Twice the truth is, however solely as an engine provider. The ever-present Ford Cosworth DFV powered the Gulf Mirage GR8 Group 6 roadster that triumphed in 1975 and the successful Rondeau M379B coupe in 1980.

What higher approach for Ford to cement its place within the Le Mans historical past books by going again to resume battle with Ferrari, but additionally Porsche, BMW, Toyota et al?

They weren’t Ford manufacturing unit tasks. The truth is, Cosworth boss Keith Duckworth was overtly hostile to the DFV’s use by John Wyer’s Gulf-backed workforce. He believed that the inherent vibrations from the engine made it unsuitable for endurance racing.

“I wouldn’t go lad,” have been Duckworth’s phrases, it’s stated, when Wyer advised him of his plans to place one at the back of his new automotive for Le Mans. Wyer needed to heed his phrases initially: the brand new M6 was scratched from the 24 Hours in 1972 as a result of it was nonetheless shaking itself to items.

Sportscar racing is far stronger now than within the mid to late-Seventies, a time of weak grids and poor spectator attendances at Le Mans. It’s additionally in a lot ruder well being now than it was when the Ford GT race programme ended after 4 seasons in 2019. The department of the game I’ve adopted for greater than 30 years is on the up, after which some. Ford will grow to be the tenth producer racing within the World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class, presuming, in fact, that every one these at the moment signed up dangle round till 2027.

What higher approach for Ford to cement its place within the Le Mans historical past books by going again to resume battle with Ferrari, but additionally Porsche, BMW, Toyota et al? What’s extra, in growing an LMDh prototype, Ford can slot straight into the IMSA SportsCar Championship in its homeland.

Ford returned to Le Mans final yr within the LMGT3 ranks, incomes a podium with associate squad Proton, and can now tackle the main Hypercar producers

Picture by: Alexander Trienitz

There was no point out of IMSA on the announcement of Ford’s bid for Le Mans victory quantity 5. It seems it didn’t need to dilute the message about its return to the Circuit de la Sarthe. Its assertion was gentle on element, however included phrases from all three of the sensible males of the WEC, Pierre Fillon, president of Le Mans organiser the Vehicle Membership de l’Ouest, FIA Endurance Fee head Richard Mille and collection boss Frederic Lequien. That’s important.

However it may be taken as learn that Ford will race its new prototype in its yard, maybe not in yr one in ’27 however certainly from the season after. In any case, Ford has more moderen historical past on the prime desk of North American sportscar racing than in Europe: that features the Mustang and Probe GTP IMSA racers of the Nineteen Eighties and, extra lately, the EcoBoost Daytona Prototype engine programme that yielded a Daytona 24 Hours victory with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2015.

That capability to race the identical automotive in each WEC and IMSA is what makes sportscar racing so enticing for producers proper now. They will compete for victory in any respect the massive races, Le Mans, Daytona and the Sebring 12 Hours, in addition to two main championships, at an inexpensive value with a single design. This duality is the muse of what I’m going to must name a golden period. A cliche, I do know, however there isn’t any higher time period for it.

The budgets stretching properly north of the 100 million mark – in kilos, euros, {dollars} or no matter – of the LMP1 period that preceded the present one are a factor of the previous. I’ve even been advised by somebody who ought to know that Peugeot is spending much less immediately than it was 30 years in the past when it twice received Le Mans with the 905 3.5-litre Group C automotive. Sportscar racing immediately represents good worth for cash.

All of it stacks as much as make a compelling case for Ford to return to the celebration at Le Mans and past. It may justify including a programme on the pinnacle of sportscar racing to an already broad international motorsport footprint. That’s even at a time when it’s ending its absence from F1 by way of its partnership with Pink Bull from 2026. Why its choice has taken so lengthy isn’t clear: it has been recognized to have been evaluating a Hypercar/GTP challenge for a while.

However there’s extra to Ford’s choice than numbers on a spreadsheet. There’s an emotional pull taking it again to Le Mans in an try and rekindle its 1960’s glories. You can positively name it love.

Foyt and Gurney received Le Mans outright in 1967 aboard a GT40 – can Ford emulate that when it returns 60 years on in 2027?

Picture by: Motorsport Pictures