Racing

Ford Reveals Four “Celebration” GTs Ahead of Le Mans 24 Hours

by Guillaume Rivard
All photos
Photo: Ford

Ford has just revealed a special series of “Celebration Liveries” for the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT cars that will compete in the 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 15-16. Each one bears a livery that celebrates the success of the Blue Oval company at the legendary French race.

In case you didn’t know, this is the final Le Mans for the current factory Ford GT program.

“In 2016, Ford returned to Le Mans to mark the 50th anniversary of our incredible 1966 win and we celebrated in the best way possible by winning the race,” recalls executive chairman Bill Ford. “To stand on that podium on behalf of the employees was a proud moment for me and I look forward returning to Le Mans this year to support the team as we approach our final race in this chapter.”

The Ford GT Celebration Liveries include:

  • The #66 Ford GT raced by Stefan Mücke (GER), Olivier Pla (FRA) and Billy Johnson (USA) has a black livery that echoes that of the Ford GT40 of Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon that won Le Mans in 1966.
  • The Ford GT40 that Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt drove to victory at Le Mans in 1967 is remembered in the new livery of the #67 Ford GT raced by Andy Priaulx (GB), Harry Tincknell (GB) and Jonathan Bomarito (USA).
  • The #68 Ford GT is the automaker’s most recent Le Mans winner. Dirk Müller (GER), Joey Hand (USA) and Sébastien Bourdais (FRA) will race in the same colours as when it won Le Mans in 2016.
  • The #69 Ford GT of Scott Dixon (NZ), Ryan Briscoe (AUS) and Richard Westbrook (GB) is inspired by the Ford GT40 that came second in Ford’s memorable 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans in 1966.

A fifth Ford GT wearing #85 will be raced in the GTE Am class by a customer team from Keating Motorsports. It features the same livery design as the four factory Fords but with the striking colours of its title sponsor, Wynn’s.

Fans will be able to follow the action from inside the cockpit thanks to Ford Performance’s Le Mans Livestream, returning for its fourth consecutive year.

Following the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Ford GT program will continue in 2019 with several IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship races.

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