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This would be awesome.
Ever get the feeling that there are just too many Ferraris in endurance racing nowadays? Lonely Ferraris? You know, without Fords tinkling in their tortellini? Well, then today is your lucky day: Road & Track reports that Ford may be coming back to Le Mans with a new factory Ford GT program in 2016. Holy. Crap.
Why 2016? It coincides with the 50th anniversary of Ford's victory at Le Mans with the Ford GT40 Mark II, so it would be the perfect opportunity to take the fight to the Corvette and Ferrari in France.
It that doesn't fill you with feelings of patriotism, joy and 'Murica, I don't know what will. Who doesn't like the GT40 and its various descendents throughout the years? Terrorists, that's who. People who hate freedom and our very way of life. Oh, and Italians. Them, too. So, prepare your lasagna-holes, Ferrari. Hide yo' wife, hide yo' schnitzel, Porsche. And Aston Martin, it's time for a tea break.
Ford's return to Le Mans has been floating around the rumor mill for a while, but with nothing quite this awesome on the table. First, there was talk of a GTE Mustang program, and then, a P2 prototype. While those would likely produce a V8 roar so glorious that it would make bald eagles shed a single, proud tear, neither have quite the history of ruining Enzo Ferrari's day.
But now, even though the Mustang GTE program was nixed, R&T's Marshal Pruett reports that a representative with Ford was in attendance at the GTE constructors' meetings at Circuit of the Americas regarding the 2016 rules for the class.
Publicly, Ford Racing head Jamie Allison says that they're focused on their partnerships with existing teams as well as their Daytona Prototype cars in the Tudor United SportsCar series, but sources point to Canadian builders Multimatic as a likely partner for the GTE Ford GT entry.
The best part of all of this? The launch of a new Ford GT 24 Hours of Le Mans entry would most likely coincide with a new production car version. Road & Track lists the 2016 Detroit Auto Show as the car's likely debut.
If this is all true, this is fantastic, fantastic news and a sign that Ford really wants to kick Ferrari — and Corvette's ass at their own game.
Ever get the feeling that there are just too many Ferraris in endurance racing nowadays? Lonely Ferraris? You know, without Fords tinkling in their tortellini? Well, then today is your lucky day: Road & Track reports that Ford may be coming back to Le Mans with a new factory Ford GT program in 2016. Holy. Crap.
Why 2016? It coincides with the 50th anniversary of Ford's victory at Le Mans with the Ford GT40 Mark II, so it would be the perfect opportunity to take the fight to the Corvette and Ferrari in France.
It that doesn't fill you with feelings of patriotism, joy and 'Murica, I don't know what will. Who doesn't like the GT40 and its various descendents throughout the years? Terrorists, that's who. People who hate freedom and our very way of life. Oh, and Italians. Them, too. So, prepare your lasagna-holes, Ferrari. Hide yo' wife, hide yo' schnitzel, Porsche. And Aston Martin, it's time for a tea break.
Ford's return to Le Mans has been floating around the rumor mill for a while, but with nothing quite this awesome on the table. First, there was talk of a GTE Mustang program, and then, a P2 prototype. While those would likely produce a V8 roar so glorious that it would make bald eagles shed a single, proud tear, neither have quite the history of ruining Enzo Ferrari's day.
But now, even though the Mustang GTE program was nixed, R&T's Marshal Pruett reports that a representative with Ford was in attendance at the GTE constructors' meetings at Circuit of the Americas regarding the 2016 rules for the class.
Publicly, Ford Racing head Jamie Allison says that they're focused on their partnerships with existing teams as well as their Daytona Prototype cars in the Tudor United SportsCar series, but sources point to Canadian builders Multimatic as a likely partner for the GTE Ford GT entry.
The best part of all of this? The launch of a new Ford GT 24 Hours of Le Mans entry would most likely coincide with a new production car version. Road & Track lists the 2016 Detroit Auto Show as the car's likely debut.
If this is all true, this is fantastic, fantastic news and a sign that Ford really wants to kick Ferrari — and Corvette's ass at their own game.
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