Named after the French town, Le Mans, 24 hours of Le Mans is the oldest car race globally, which has remained active for almost a century. The yearly race is one of the most illustrious and renowned automobile races in the world. Being one of the legs of the Triple Crown of Motorsport, alongside the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix, the 24 hours Le Mans is a race where the efficiency and reliability of the automobiles are proven.
Like its name, the event is a 24 hours race where rides from different top brands such as Ferrari and Ford compete against one another. Unlike other races with definite distance to be covered and the winner being determined based on the car speed, the 24 hours Le Mans is won based on the distance covered for a long duration of 24 hours.
The car with the largest distance covered will emerge as the winner, hence the need for the racing teams to work on balancing the car's speed with its ability to race for a long time without any mechanical failure. This is how the car's efficiency and reliability are proven.
The 24 hours of Le Mans race has inspired various 24 hours races across the globe, in places like Daytona, Nurburgring, and more. Though initially a sports car race only, a motorcycle version of the same type is now being held.
The 24 hours of Le Mans demand for a fast and yet enduring car has promoted several innovations and technological advancements in automobile manufacturing, one of which is the production of fuel-efficient cars. The race has been a successful one over the years, fulfilling its purpose of presenting a challenge of manufacturing enduring sporty cars.
1966 24 hours Of Le Mans
The 1966 24 hours of Le Mans was the 34th edition of the event, which took place between the 18th and 19th of June, 1966. The '66 edition was a notable one, largely remembered for the rivalry between Ferrari and Ford. The year's race is one of the most memorable battles in the automobile industry between the two giants. The movie 'Ford vs Ferrari', which depicts the 1966 race was a breakout hit in 2019.
The Le Mans races had been dominated for the consecutive six years preceding the 1966 race by Ferrari, with Ford in the shadows. The 1966 24 hours of Le Mans was a turnaround in the rivalry between the two as Ferrari suffered an embarrassing defeat at the mercy of Ford. Ford's victory over Ferrari was also regarded as a victory for the entire American automobile industry.
The 1966 edition also marked the debut of legendary drivers: Henri Pescarolo, the man with the most starts at Le Mans; and Jacky Ickx, with a record of six wins in the Le Mans race, a record which remained unbroken till 2005. The 1996 race ended with Ford taking the first three spots, with the three crossing the finish line at once. Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon emerged as the winners, covering more distance than the others. Ford's car with absolute dominance in the 1966 24 hours race is the Ford GT40 - the best car from Le Mans 1966.
The Best Car From Le Mans 1966
Following disappointing results in races, the Ford Motor Company commissioned the production of a high-performing and enduring racing car, the Ford GT40, in the early 1960s. With the intent of winning long-distance races, especially against Ferrari, the GT40 was created by Carroll Hall Shelby, an American driver who has won the Le Mans. Although very fast, the car had an initial struggle in lengthy races, also having stability issues causing the first few batches rolled out to be unreliable, losing to Ferrari both in 1964 and 1965.
Extensively worked on by Shelby and assisted by Ken Miles, an engineering specialist, and a go-to test driver, the GT40 was reinvented with several modifications, improving its handling and stability. The dynamometer was also used to figure out the suitable force, power, and speed. Built with a 7 liter, 427 cubic inches V8 engine, the engine was made to run for 24 to 48 hours to ensure its reliability ahead of the 1966 Le Mans. Its speed ranged from 200 to 210 mph.
The Ford GT40 success at the 1966 Le Mans was a victory for the entire American automobile industry. It was the first-ever Le Mans win for an American contractor, as well as Ford's, at a time when the European superpowers were dominating these races. The GT40's win proved that America-built cars could be as good as the Europeans. This brought fresh confidence to American manufacturers.