The legendary rivalry between the Ford Motor Company and Ferrari didn't begin on a racetrack. It started in a boardroom in 1963, when Henry Ford II attempted to purchase Ferrari to instantly dominate international motorsport. When Enzo Ferrari abruptly walked away from the acquisition over a dispute regarding racing control, an insulted Ford vowed revenge. He gave his racing division a blunt directive: build a car that could go to France and humiliate the Prancing Horse at the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans.
That multi-million-dollar revenge mission gave birth to the Ford GT40 and culminated in the historic 1966 race. While Hollywood dramatized the conflict for the silver screen, the real story of engineering failures, corporate politics, and relentless testing is far more complex than a simple grudge match between two stubborn executives.
The Failed Buyout and the Birth of the GT40
In the early 1960s, Ferrari was the undisputed king of endurance sports car racing, winning Le Mans year after year. Meanwhile, Ford was struggling to appeal to a younger, performance-oriented demographic. Company executive Lee Iacocca convinced Henry Ford II that buying an established racing manufacturer like Ferrari would instantly secure motorsport credibility.
Ford sent a massive team of accountants and lawyers to Maranello, Italy, spending weeks auditing Ferrari's books. The deal collapsed at the final hour when Enzo Ferrari discovered a clause that would have stripped him of ultimate authority over his racing department, Scuderia Ferrari. Enraged by the abrupt rejection, Henry Ford II unleashed an unlimited budget to build a competitive machine from scratch.
Because Ford lacked the specialized expertise to build a lightweight, mid-engine racing prototype, they partnered with Lola Cars in England and established Ford Advanced Vehicles near Heathrow Airport. The resulting vehicle was named the GT40 simply because it stood a mere 40 inches tall.
Early Disasters and the Entrance of Carroll Shelby
The initial years of the Ford GT40 program were an unmitigated disaster. During the 1964 and 1965 Le Mans races, the cars suffered from catastrophic mechanical failures. Gearboxes broke, head gaskets blew, and at high speeds along the terrifying Mulsanne Straight, the aerodynamic lift was so severe that cars experienced dangerous wheelspin and instability. Test drivers were terrified, and some quit the program entirely.
Realizing that corporate engineers couldn't solve the car's dynamic flaws alone, Ford handed the program to American designer and former racer Carroll Shelby in 1965. Shelby brought in his secret weapon: Ken Miles, a brilliant, uncompromising British test driver and mechanic.
Miles didn't just drive the GT40; he systematically diagnosed its flaws. He transformed an unstable, fragile prototype into a rugged, high-speed endurance machine. Despite frequent friction between Miles and corporate Ford executives—who often viewed him as abrasive and unpolished—his technical feedback proved indispensable to the car's development.
The 1966 Le Mans Triumph and Controversy
By June 1966, Ford returned to France with a massive contingent of heavily funded Mk II GT40s, displacing their previous failures with brute horsepower and massive 7-liter V8 engines. Ferrari countered with their new 330 P3 prototypes, but mechanical endurance failures plagued the Italian team.
As the race entered its final hours, Ford cars held a commanding lead. Senior Ford executives, eager for a promotional marketing photo, orchestrated a staged finish. They instructed Ken Miles—who was leading the race—to slow down so he could cross the finish line side-by-side with his teammates, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon.
A technicality in race regulations decided the ultimate victor. Because McLaren's car had started further back on the grid at the initial flag drop, officials calculated that McLaren had traveled a slightly greater distance over the 24 hours. Consequently, McLaren and Amon were awarded first place, while a bitter Miles was relegated to second. Despite the controversial finish, Ford achieved its primary goal: a 1-2-3 podium sweep that utterly dethroned Ferrari at its own game.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Enzo Ferrari actually attend the 1966 Le Mans race?
No. Despite being heavily featured trackside in cinematic adaptations, the real Enzo Ferrari remained in Italy during the 1966 event, waiting anxiously by telephone for updates while his team struggled against the Ford onslaught.
What happened to Ken Miles after the 1966 race?
Tragically, Ken Miles never got the chance to redeem his victory at Le Mans. Just two months after the 1966 race, while testing Ford's experimental J-car at Riverside International Raceway, a catastrophic mechanical failure caused the vehicle to crash and catch fire, claiming Miles's life at age 52.
Did Ford continue to beat Ferrari after 1966?
Yes. Ford's dominance at endurance racing continued long after that initial victory. The Ford GT40 went on to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans again in 1967, 1968, and 1969, cementing its legacy as one of the most successful endurance racers in motorsport history.
Was the Ford GT40 entirely an American car?
Not quite. While funded entirely by the Ford Motor Company in Detroit, the core chassis design and foundational development heavily leveraged British engineering expertise through Lola Cars and Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough, England.
