Ford GT40 anniversary in Essen instead of Le Mans?
02/18/2016
At the Techno-Classica in Essenfrom April 6-10, Ford's classic car department will commemorate the legendary triple victory at Le Mans in 1966.
The then 40th anniversary was already celebrated at Le Mans in 2006. The three victorious and original Ford GT40swere parked on the line at the correct distance from the finish line at the time.
Another ten years have passed since then and now it is the 50th anniversary of what is probably the biggest event for Ford. The half-century is now being celebrated (for the time being) not traditionally in Le Mans, but in Essen at the Techno Classica.
With around 1250 exhibitors and around 200 clubs, Techno Classica is known to be the grand old lady of classic car fairs in Europe. Always somewhat short of space, it is a magnet for all classic car fans in spring and this year will be no different.
Incidentally, there will still be something going on with Ford at Le Mans, because on February 5, 2016, the ACO (Automobile Club de l'Ouest) confirmed the participation of four Ford GT racing cars in this year's 24-hour race in the Sarthe. It is now official: exactly 50 years after the historic one-two-three victory of the legendary GT40 in 1966, Ford will be back at Le Mans for the first time - on June 18 and 19, 2016, the four Ford GT race cars of the Chip Ganassi Racing Team will compete in the GTE Pro class at the world-famous endurance race. To mark the historic occasion, the current Ford GT race cars will be given the starting numbers 66, 67, 68 and 69 for 2016.
With the entry of the original GT40 at Le Mans in the 1960s, Henry Ford II wanted to prove that his company could beat the most successful and legendary racing car manufacturers. In 1966, Ford finally celebrated the hoped-for victory over the competition - it was a one-two-three, with the Ford GT40 taking the first three places. In 1967, the GT40 was given a new body for Le Mans. It entered the race as the MK IV and won. Later GT versions also won the legendary endurance race in the following years 1968 and 1969. This meant that GT drivers were always on the winners' podium in four consecutive years: 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969.
