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Ford GT to return to Le Mans

Ford GT to return to Le Mans Ford GT to return to Le Mans Ford GT to return to Le Mans
50 years after famous Le Mans 1-2-3, Ford will compete again with GT racer.

Some excellent news from this year's Le Mans, about next year's Le Mans - Ford will be returning to the track where it so famously dominated in 1966 with an all-new GT racer.

Based, perhaps obviously, on the GT supercar unveiled at Detroit, Ford is officially re-entering GT racing for the first time since the legendary GT40 competed in the 1960s, although the previous model GT was developed for GT1 competition by independent teams.

When it takes to the grid in 2016, it will of course be the 50th anniversary of the Blue Oval's 1-2-3 finish at the French endurance classic, but it's not just for LM - it will also compete in a full season of the World Endurance Championship and leading American race series as well.

The car revealed in a live-stream press conference at Le Man 2015 looks suitably awesome and will be powered by the same 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 as the road version, albeit it should have much more power. And, if we're being picky, Gulf livery, too.

Anything else?

Chip Ganassi Racing will prepare the car, with the US racer himself saying: "We're excited about next year but we're always in these things to win." Given the way the GT40 stuck it to Ferrari back in 1966, such brave words today might not be as foolhardy as they first sound...

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Published on June 12, 2015