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.
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.
The Ford v Ferrari film, featuring Christian Bale as Ken Miles and Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby, brought the tale of Ken Miles, Carroll Shelby, and Ford’s GT40 defeating Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966 to the attention of the world. But what was the actual sequence of events that led to what happened?
As you might anticipate from a Hollywood movie, the plotline strayed from reality a bit. What portions of the movie are therefore accurate, and what details were exaggerated for artistic and dramatic effect? Check out the second in a series of videos covering the actual race and the movie in the one up top (part 1 can be viewed below).
At a race in California, did Ken Miles actually throw a wrench at Shelby? Has he ever thrown a punch at him in public? Was Ford management sabotaging Miles after he had a multiple-lap lead at Le Mans because they wanted their other drivers to win? At the finish line, what actually transpired? What did the actual podium scenario look like?
Using exclusive footage from Motorsport.tv’s Le Mans archive and images from Motorsport Images, we tell the story of what actually happened with interviews with a number of motorsport experts, including Miles’s son Peter, who was a young boy when all the real-life drama unfolded. Tom Kristensen, a nine-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours, serves as the narration.
Who was the Ford driver who defeated Ferrari?
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.
What was the main race between Ferrari and Ford?
A significant portion of James Mangold’s “Ford v Ferrari” is devoted to a meticulous reenactment of the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and it all builds to a conclusion that, if you are unaware of it, feels almost too surreal to be true.
In which race did Ford vs. Ferrari compete?
The movie “Ford v. Ferrari,” which was nominated for two Academy Awards this year, depicts the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance competition. While the film discusses the competition between Ferrari and Ford Motor Company that underlies the race, its main focus is on the two racing legends who assisted in the development of Ford’s program.
What Ford vehicle defeated a Ferrari?
This article is about the winning racing vehicle from the 1960 Le Mans. See Ford GT for the supercar that was inspired by it. See DEC GT40 for more information about the graphic computer terminal made by Digital Equipment Corporation. Ford GT is a trademark (disambiguation).
The Ford Motor Company commissioned the high-performance endurance racing Ford GT40. It developed from the “Ford GT” (for Grand Touring) project, an attempt to fight against Ferrari in renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans races in Europe from 1960 to 1965. Ford had success with the GT40, winning the competitions from 1966 until 1969.
The project got underway when Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough, UK, started producing the GT40 Mk I, which was based on the Lola Mk6. The engineering team was relocated to Dearborn, Michigan in 1964 as a result of dismal race performances (Kar Kraft). Several American-built Ford V8 engines that had been adapted for racing powered the range.
The GT40 Mk II ended Ferrari’s winning streak at Le Mans in 1966, becoming the first American manufacturer to win a significant European race since Jimmy Murphy’s Duesenberg victory at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Mk IV was the only vehicle wholly developed and produced in the United States to take home the overall Le Mans victory in 1967.
The Mk I, the oldest of the vehicles, won in 1968 and 1969, becoming the second chassis to do so. (Until the Ferrari 275P chassis 0816 was found to have won the 1964 race after winning the 1963 race in 250P format and with an 0814 chassis plate, this Ford/Shelby chassis, #P-1075, was thought to have been the first.) With the addition of bespoke alloy Gurney-Weslake cylinder heads, its American Ford V8 engine’s 4.7-liter displacement capacity (289 cubic inches) was increased to 4.9 liters (302 cubic inches).
The “40” stood for its minimum permitted height of 40 inches (1.02 m), measured at the windshield. The initial 12 “prototype” cars had serial numbers ranging from GT-101 to GT-112. The Mk I, Mk II, Mk III, and Mk IV were officially referred to as “GT40s” once “production” started and were given the numbers GT40P/1000 through GT40P/1145. J1–J12 were the Mk IVs’ serial numbers.
In Ford vs. Ferrari, how quick was the Ford GT?
With a qualifying lap speed of 143 mph, Ford’s Dan Gurney won the pole position, and Miles was just over a second behind. Ford finished 1-2-3 at the Le Mans race thanks to the big-block GT40s’ aggression, which defeated the Ferrari entry’ subtlety and handling skills.
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.
The Ford vs. Ferrari rumor: is it true?
James Mangold directed the true story-based film Ford vs. Ferrari. The movie is about a 24-hour endurance event that occurred at the 1966 Le Mans race. A team of auto engineers engaged by Ford to develop a racing that can outperform a Ferrari sports vehicle at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France is the center of the movie’s plot. Carroll Shelby, a pioneer in the automotive industry, and British race car driver Ken Miles are in charge of the Ford team. Carroll Shelby is portrayed in the movie by Matt Damon, while Ken Miles is portrayed by Christian Bale, who also plays Batman.
How true to reality is the film Ford vs. Ferrari?
Yes. The three Ford race vehicles that finished the 24 Hours of Le Mans race together have been captured on film and in photographs. Although Ken Miles had been several minutes ahead of the competition, Miles was awarded second place rather than first due to self-serving Ford orders and a technicality.
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
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.
Shelby stopped racing, why?
Carroll The driver, Shelby Shelby’s racing career reached its apex in 1959 when he drove an Aston Martin to victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the pinnacle of international sports car racing. Shelby gave from racing in 1960 due to a cardiac issue.
Who has the largest collection of Ferraris?
The Sultan Hassanal is not the only member of the royal family that enjoys automobiles. Six 456 GT Venice Ferrari station wagons were ordered by his brother, Prince Jefri. The collection also includes an F90, a 1995 FX (the Sultan requested six of these cars), two 250 GTOs, and an F40, among other notable Ferraris.
There are several, numerous more. actually too numerous to list. The world’s largest automobile collection is so extravagant and lavish that it makes people cringe. However, every vehicle enthusiast must take a moment to collect themselves before leaving this literal sea of luxury due to the collection’s sheer size, worth, and beauty.