|
KC, I think historically the situation with the Mk IV's success impacted our acceptance of sportscar racing(and probably F1 racing as well) over the years. When we built a great car, what was the response from FIA? A rule change shortly after our All-American Le Mans 24 Hours win in 1967 which restricted engine capacity--3 liters for Group 6 Prototypes and 5 liters for Group 4 Production Sports Cars.
The European perspective at the time was that 7 liter engines were too extravagent for 2 seaters. It was also felt that a limitless budget as Ford had would inevitably lead to success. There also was concern about rising speeds at Le Mans, not so much as the 220mph speeds reached on the Mulsanne straight as it was for the 180mph speeds reached before the drivers lifted for the right-hand bend after the pits. Ford even agreed and even underwrote the construction of the Virage Ford chicane to solve this problem.
I think Ford had reached its initial goal of producing an American car that beat Ferrari (which they tried to buy in the early 1960's) and winning the most historic Le Mans race so it was best step aside from the politics as the GT40 program was very costly anyway. However, if rules remained the same I am sure Ford would have hung in there a few more years and I am sure that there would have been more success for the Mark IV. I think this would have boded well and created more enthusiam for sportscar racing here in the U.S..
All in all, I think this example in history served as reason why we cultivated and developed our own motorsports series. Avoid FIA politics, spend the money at home and put it into more popular forms of motorsport.
[This message has been edited by Joe Fan (edited 18 March 2000).]
|