With the 2017 Ford GT stealing damn near everybody’s thunder at the Detroit Auto Show, we figured it would only be fitting to find some historical footage of the GT40 to explain why everyone goes absolutely nuts for Ford’s super car series. We could talk about the reasons why the car came into being in the first place, but truth be told, it took the car a few years to get sorted out before it started kicking Ferrari’s ass in on the track. By 1969 the car was close to obsolete, with the Porsche 917 striking hard, but 1969 would still be a winning year for the Ford. The car didn’t become legendary until it was dialed in, but once it was Henry Ford II had Enzo Ferrari’s number pulled for the next four years.
This video is a hot lap of the Circuit de la Sarthe in 1969. As you listen to the Ford scream it’s way around the course (including a chicane-free Mulsanne Straight!), be sure to listen to the drivers explain the techniques behind how they drive. This is an awesome look back into LeMans history…
