The 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans was a turning point for Ferrari, which not only lost the race, but also lost its value. The pre-race tensions, the various strategies between the two teams of vehicles and drivers, the 1966 Le Mans Race left a deep mark on the history of motorsport. In this article, we tell the little-known before and after story of that match.
1. Let's start with the basics, what is the 24 Hours of Le Mans?
To better understand the story between Ford and Ferrari, it is good to know what the 24 Hours of Le Mans is. Le Mans matches last a total of 24 hours. The race will take place on a 13,469-kilometer circuit in France. Different teams from many different countries participate in the race and try to finish the race, which takes a total of 24 hours. Before the 80s, most teams had 2 drivers, but later for the safety of the drivers, it was changed to three drivers for a group, driving one car.
The race lasts 24 hours and is huge, and it's an endroom race that's pretty brutal for those exhausted riders. Before the next race, the team designed many vehicles, conducted a lot of driver and vehicle testing, and wanted to be part of the race that completed this challenging race. Many factors such as strategy, vehicle and driver play an important role in the team's race. Loading fuel and changing wheels is also a kind of race.
2. In 1963, just 3 years before the race, competition and tension between Ford and Ferrari exploded
The rivalry between Ford and Ferrari is legendary. The competition started 3 years ago. Since Le Mans racing is a very famous enduro, many brands try to stand out and become famous all over the world. To be respected, they need to win the world number one at Le Mans' top car manufacturer in the competition. This means huge brand value growth. Henry Ford II, the CEO of Ford at the time, set his sights on Ferrari, which had been trendsetting the trend for years.
Having won consecutive Le Mans titles from 1960 to 1963, Ferrari had a great reputation in the world but was in desperate need of funding. Ford, on the other hand, wants to buy the brand by signing a deal with Ferrari to add value to itself and turn the car around.
The Ford team went to Italy for negotiations, but Enzo Ferrari did not accept. The terms of the negotiations included handing over the management of Scuderia Ferrari to Ford. Ferrari did not want to lose their independence, which was not accepted when the other terms were close to resolution. Ford bought a Ferrari and left empty-handed. After this incident, Ford decided to take revenge in the Le Mans race. Ford and Ferrari have since become mortal enemies.
3. The 1964 and 1965 races were a huge disappointment for Ford
Henry Ford is working on a new car to help them compete with Ferrari. That car would become legendary in 1966. The V8 with the Ford GT40 is him. Unfortunately, the Ford GT 40 didn't perform well at Le Mans early on. The winner of the 64 and 65 races was Ferrari, which had the better cars and drivers. The Ford GT40, despite being a successful car in terms of aerodynamics as well as performance, was rather unstable and had many other problems even in the 1964 race, causing the Ford GT40 MKIs model to malfunction and not be able to finish the race. Failed in 1964, Ford tried to reinforce the vehicle and conducted several tests. They had better results at the 1965 Daytona race, and despite their great success in racing, the Ford team was unable to finish the race when they arrived at Le Mans. From then on, Ford focused all its efforts on making the Ford GT 40 the 1966 Le Mans champion. The Ford GT 40 legend is about to be born.
4. The legendary Ford GT 40 MKII before Le Mans 1966 is ready
The legendary Ford GT 40 has many models. In the races of 1964 and 1965, Ford Racing Team and legendary racing driver Ken Miles learned from their failures. He tried to optimize the GT 40. Changes were made in terms of engine and transmission, and several tests were carried out. Between 1966 and 1969, Ford's legendary Ford GT 40 MKII, which won four consecutive championships, was ready for the 1966 race. A total of 8 Ford cars participated in the race, and they were placed in the top 3 rows. All 3 vehicles are Ford GT 40 MKII. Vehicles with a cylinder capacity of 6697 cm3, 485 hp and a top speed of 320 km/h. The Ferrari side is well designed and prepared for the border break for the Ferrari 330 P3.
5. At the start of the race at Le Mans in 1966, Ferrari looked relaxed
An interesting aspect of the race is that Ferrari competes confidently with fewer cars. Ferrari has just competed in 2 P3 cars. Ferrari has confidence in themselves, in the new car and in experienced drivers. They believe it will succeed. Things didn't go well and racer John announced that he would not be able to race. In the first 4 rounds of the qualifiers, Ford won the championship. Ferrari will pay a heavy price for John's absence and his few car races. The 1966 Le Mans race began, the greatest symbol of the eternal rivalry between Ford and Ferrari.
6. Le Mans 1966 did not start well for Ford
The 16-hour race began, and Ford confidently started the race in first place. In the evening, the situation took a terrible turn when the first two rows of Ford and Ferrari managed to win. In addition, Ford has a total of 4 out. At the time, the Ford team was very nervous and told the drivers not to drive at full speed. By morning, things were starting to work in Ford's favor again. Ferrari has nightmares.
7. Ferrari is out, Ford is in the top three with 3 cars
Ferrari cars had accidents and breakdowns in the morning. As a result, he was out and the race turned to Ford. By noon, the first three rows belonged to Ford's vehicles. The car driven by legendary racer Ken Myers came out on top. Ford is on the verge of winning the victory he's been seeking for two years. Ford team judge Leo Beebe was heading towards the finish line when the drivers asked some interesting questions. All three Ford cars had to complete the race together. The top three Ford cars will complete the race together, which will be an unforgettable experience for Ford.
8. Ford won the 1966 Le Mans race with three cars and Ferrari was defeated
In this legendary major league race, which began after tensions in 1963, Ford was on the verge of defeating rival Ferrari. Ken Myers postponed waiting for other Ford drivers. The arrival of Bruce McLaren has elevated Bruse McLalen to the first place. The third lap was also 12 laps, and although Ford was behind, he finished in third place. Ronnie Buckmun With the arrival of Ford, Ford became the winner of the race and completely took the top three. Ferrari suffered major failures after years of extraordinary success.
9. In the same year, legendary driver Ken Myers died during a vehicle test
The death of legendary driver Ken Miles, who contributed immensely to Ford's victory at Le Mans in 1966, was also quite tragic. After the Le Mans victory in August 1966, Ford began a vehicle project called the GT 40 MKII J-Car and decided to test it. Ken Miles, who took part in the test, overspeeded and started somersaults while testing a vehicle with a speed of 320 km/h. The vehicle started catching fire and Miles jumped out in a somersault. The lifeless body of the legendary pilot by the river lies on the runway. Due to a tragic accident that Ford claimed was due to a mechanical failure, legendary pilot Miles lost his life in place and unfortunately died. Even more tragic was Ken Myers' 1966 race. Myers slowed down after Ford's special completion requirements, but lost to his teammates due to distance calculation issues. Although he did not finish first that year, he became a driver and deserves to be one of the most memorable drivers in Ford racing history.
10. The Ford GT40 has won the race for four years in a row
Ford not only got what he wanted, but managed to conquer the top three with his 3 cars. In 1967, 1968 and 1969 the Ford GT 40 successfully won the Le Mans race. Ford couldn't buy a Ferrari, was disappointed in racing '64 and '65 and is now winning four consecutive years. For Ferrari, this becomes even more difficult.
11. Ferrari sells most of its shares to Fiat
By the end of 1969, Ferrari was financially out of steam. The offer was rejected in 1963 and failed 4 times in a row since 1966. After its financial situation deteriorated, Ferrari had to sell half of its stake to Fiat. From 1988 to 2015, Fiat took over a stake in Ferrari. Up to 90% of them hold it. Ford's victory over Ferrari put Ferrari in big trouble.
In this article, we touch on the true story of the 1966 race at Le Mans. What do you think of this race and the fierce rivalry between Ford and Ferrari? You can share your valuable opinions with us in the comment area.