After Ford defeated Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966, Ken Miles’ stardom was sadly short-lived. He died while testing a Ford J-car two months later, on August 17, 1966, at a California racetrack. On contact, the automobile shattered into pieces and caught fire. Miles was 47 years old.
Even after passing away, Ken Miles was a forgotten racing hero. Ford envisioned the J-car to be the Ford GT Mk II’s successor. The Ford Mk IV was given a new designation after Miles’ passing, and a steel rollover cage was added. The cage is thought to have saved Mario Andretti’s life when he crashed the car at Le Mans in 1967.
Ken Miles’ passing is regarded as one of the worst catastrophes in auto racing, despite a conspiracy belief that he survived the collision and led a quiet life in Wisconsin. In addition, his whole legacy serves as a motivating example of what individuals can do when they pursue their passions.
After reading about racing legend Ken Miles and the real-life events surrounding Ford v. Ferrari, you might be interested in learning more about Carroll Shelby, who collaborated with Miles on the creation of the Ford Mustang GT40 and Shelby Cobra, or Eddie Rickenbacker, a World War I fighter pilot and Indy 500 champion.
In This Article...
The Real Meaning of “Ford v. Ferrari”
A battle of the automobile titans took place. At the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance event, a long-awaited battle pitting upstart Ford against reigning champion Ferrari for the checkered flag and bragging rights.
Enzo Ferrari, a former race car driver and the creator of the brand bearing his name, was the representative of the old world. The Ford GT40, a new version of a car that would go on to become a classic of international motor racing, and the skills of automotive designer Carroll Shelby were used by Henry Ford II to carry the torch for the new world.
How Actually Died Ken Miles (& Why Ford v Ferrari Changes It)
Ford v Ferrari’s depiction of Ken Miles’ passing isn’t too dissimilar from the truth, despite some specifics being altered for the sake of the narrative.
Ford v Ferrari’s depiction of Ken Miles’ passing isn’t too dissimilar from the truth, despite some specifics being altered for the sake of the narrative. The real-life account of Ford’s victory over the defending champion Ferrari at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans has long been a Hollywood dream come true, and for good reason. It’s a fascinating story of squabbling egos, backroom dealings, and gifted artists trying to strike a balance between artistic integrity and commercial viability. It all culminates in a thrilling car race where one wrong move could result in a catastrophic collision and possibly instantaneous death for the drivers.
Ford v Ferrari, directed by James Mangold, eventually made it to the big screen after an earlier version starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt failed (Logan). In the movie, Matt Damon plays Carroll Shelby, a former racecar driver-turned-automotive designer tasked with creating the Ford GT40, a new racing vehicle that will enable Ford to finally dethrone Ferrari as the winners of the yearly Le Mans competition. Previously collaborating with Mangold on his 3:10 to Yuma adaptation, Christian Bale co-stars as Ken Miles, a highly skilled but temperamental World War II veteran turned professional racer who Shelby (an old friend) asks to assist him.
The film tragically shows how Miles was killed while testing a new Ford automobile (the J-car) at the Riverside International Raceway in Southern California, just a few months after Ford defeated Ferrari in the 1966 Le Mans (and he missed out on being the individual winner on a technicality). In reality, Miles was thrown from the car and killed instantly as it unexpectedly flipped, crashed, and caught fire for reasons that are still unknown to this day. After a full day of test runs, something happened just as the driver was approaching the track’s end. Viewers are dealt a cruel blow as the last laps of Ford v. Ferrari are wrapping up.
Who was the Ford driver who defeated Ferrari?
It’s accurate to say that Ken Miles’ passing at the conclusion of Ford v. Ferrari felt hurried and nearly forced. We most likely won’t ever learn the real cause of his tragic crash. But at least he will be recalled for those two and a half hours of James Mangold’s movie. I salute the underdogs.
Who was the Ford versus. Ferrari driver?
However, with Ken Miles (Christian Bale) at the wheel and Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) in charge of the project, they set out to defeat Ferrari at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans competition. The fact that “Ford v Ferrari” tells a variety of storylines while maintaining its fundamental structure is one of its key advantages.
Ford vs. Ferrari: Who Won in 1966?
The actual world Le Mans ’66 came to a thrilling conclusion with a historic result as all three Ford vehicles tied for first place when they passed the finish line.
Who was the GT40 driver who defeated Ferrari?
The Ford v. Ferrari screenwriters John-Henry Butterworth, Jez Butterworth, and Jason Keller used some artistic license with the true narrative because not all rivalries are attractive enough for Hollywood. Here are five deviations from reality that the film made:
Turn 1: Henry Ford II addressed the assembly line at the Dearborn, Michigan, Rouge River facility.
Between the assembly line and his jurisdiction, Ford had 20 lieutenants. Instead of the CEO, any one of them would have delivered the speech.
The CEO of Ford Motor Company would never enter a race car without sufficient safety measures.
Turn three: Lee Iaccoca had a crucial role in the discussions with Enzo Ferrari.
Henry II did direct a Ford contingent to travel to Maranello, Italy, in order to purchase a Ferrari, but Iacocca was not a part of the team.
Both Shelby and Miles were brash, very intense, and smart men. They had disagreements frequently, there is no doubt about it, and the movie makes no secret of that. However, there is no proof that they actually got into a fight physically.
If officials had seen that on the track, the car would have been disqualified.
What prevented Ferrari from selling to Ford?
Sadly, the narrative is not quite so straightforward. Henry Ford II tried to buy Ferrari in 1963, according to The New York Times. However, according to Forbes, the real action begins in 1962. Ford was attempting to recover from a decline in sales at the time. Ford Division general manager Lee Iacocca persuaded CEO Henry Ford II, the eldest son of Edsel Ford and the eldest grandson of Henry Ford, that the company should purchase a sports car in an effort to reverse the trend.
Ford was on the verge of acquiring Ferrari and all of its assets in 1963, making Ford’s ambitions of owning a sports car a reality. Forbes claims that Enzo Ferrari also anticipated the deal’s completion. Sadly, his excitement was short-lived when he learned that the deal had a provision that would give Ford control over the Ferrari racing team. Enzo rejected the agreement because he was unwilling to give up control of the Ferrari racing team.
When Ford won the Le Mans, who was the driver?
In 1964, Ford Motor Company began making an effort to defeat Ferrari at Le Mans. After two disastrous seasons in which Fords were unable to even complete the race, the American carmaker experienced an exciting 1-2-3 sweep in 1966. On the podium, Henry Ford II celebrated the decisive victory alongside the two New Zealand-born race winners, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon.
What did Henry Ford hear from Enzo Ferrari?
Tell your pigheaded employer that all of his, eh, pompous executives are worthless sons of whores, said Ford Italian Translator Gary. Italo Ferrari Inform him that he is not Henry Ford
How true to reality is the film Ford vs. Ferrari?
At the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of racing’s most contentious incidents occurs, and as bizarre as the deliberate photo finish may seem, it actually did take place. Since Ken Miles was laps ahead of the pack, he purposefully slowed down so that all of the Ford cars would arrive at the finish line together. However, because to a mysterious regulation, Christian Bale’s character actually places second rather than tying for first.
All of that actually did occur. While the film depicts a three-way photo finish, only two vehicles actually crossed the finish line together, with the third Ford vehicle following closely after. It is stated that the picture finish in the Ford v. Ferrari race was a PR trick, and that is exactly what it was. Leo Beebe, the man who orchestrated it and who plays the main antagonist of Ken Miles in the film, has always maintained that it was also done to prevent the cars from breaking down or crashing as the drivers tried to race each other to the finish line, as that would have completely denied Ford the victory.
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what transpired near the finish line of the race because there are so many diverse and occasionally contradictory accounts.
Many of the facts depicted in Ford v. Ferrari and the personalities portrayed by Matt Damon and Christian Bale are true. Last but not least, the real Ken Miles, played by Christian Bale, perished in a collision barely two months after the 1966 race. Undoubtedly, it was a heartbreaking conclusion to a heroic tale.
Why didn’t Ford win the 1966 Le Mans?
The image of a showy Ford victory was fantastic publicity since Ford executives had told the drivers of all three cars to cross the finish line together. That required creating a tie for first place because the first two cars were competing on the same lap. Eleven laps later, the #5 in third place.
The #1 was in front as the race approached its final hour. On the 347th lap, Ken Miles took over the controls. The #2 car, which had already refueled and wouldn’t require another pit stop, trailed him by 34 seconds. According to Carroll Shelby’s instructions, he was running 4-minute laps. The #2 was occasionally going quicker than 3:54. As a result, as of lap 351, the two vehicles were side by side and remained so until the finish. Who was first, though?
According to the legend, there was a brief uproar when the race commentator, whose view of the finish line was less than optimum, declared the #1 the winner. Race Heritage & Museum Director Fabrice Bourrigaud continues the narrative: It was nearly difficult to win a photo finish. You must keep in mind that it was raining and that the low clouds made visibility nearly nonexistent. Only a few centimeters of the finish line are thick. Drivers have a small field of vision and are basically seated at track level. To pull off a prank like that wasn’t the best use of any of those. As the final straight approached, Car #1 had a tiny lead. Has Miles slowed down while waiting for McLaren? Has McLaren picked up speed to catch up? Is that how the #2 got ahead? Or was it a calculated action to secure a victory? a
Whatever the situation, Miles and Hulme (#1) led the race by 34 seconds with an hour to go, a lead that would have been challenging to close under normal circumstances. The #2 had previously led the race for four hours. Everyone eventually followed the rules. Professional drivers followed instructions, and officials followed the rules.
Shelby allegedly made Ford cry.
11 Henry Ford II Cried When He Saw The Speed And Power In the film, Shelby seizes Beebe and drives Henry Ford II away in the prototype to demonstrate the GT40’s capabilities. In the film, Henry Ford II sobs as a result.
Ford owns Shelby, right?
Carroll Shelby worked with Dodge during the 1980s as a result of his close friendship with Lee Iacocca. However, the Shelby name will always be associated with the Ford Performance Division. Shelby American, however, continues to exist separately. Enterprise, Nevada serves as the location of the headquarters.
Ford Performance re-released the Shelby Mustang in 2005. The GT badge was also brought back shortly after. Carroll Shelby died on May 11, 2012, yet he was able to secure the future of his business.
Shelby American creates authentically American performance vehicles with roots in Carroll Shelby’s past that go all the way back to his father’s two-door Ford car and his passion for flying extremely quickly in the storied B-26 bomber. Although Shelby American isn’t formally owned by Ford Motor Company, the Shelby story isn’t done, and collaborations with Ford Performance are certain to continue.