Ford's Return to GT Racing

[Dyson Mazda]

I thought that this deserved its own thread. Mid Week Motorsports was hinting at this last week during their broadcast and John Dagys had this to say in a recent article:

Rumors have run rampant over Ford’s possible involvement in a future LMP1 program for the FIA World Endurance Championship, which would see the Detroit automaker join Audi, Toyota, Porsche and Nissan in the top class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ford Racing director Jamie Allison told Sportscar365 Saturday morning in Detroit that “there’s no basis of the rumor for LMP1.” It’s believed, however, that Ford is evaluating a possible LMP2 engine supply program with its EcoBoost powerplant.

http://sportscar365.com/imsa/tusc/de...race-notebook/

I wonder if this would be the first step to getting a P1 class back in a North American series along with the rumored Nissan partnership with AAR.

[Breitling24]

...and since some said there would be an announcement made at Le Mans today, and that seems to not have happened (although there still is an hour and a half remaining of today), there appears to be no basis to any of the rumours.

Possible better title for this thread: "Ford returns to silence"

[Pandemonium]

LoL the words P1 and America are not compatible.

[Simmi]

Thread title is pretty misleading.

Was interesting to hear Graham Goodwin and Sam Collins on the test day coverage. Almost sounding gleeful that someone had seemingly gone down the wrong route of enquiry.

Rumours are that it's a GTE but where they've actually come from who knows.

[Rodger Davies]

For anyone that heard the coverage today, did they make a mention of the 'announcement' (that never was), at least to say it had been delayed or why.

Mustang GT3/E would make a lot of sense, seeing as they're marketing it globally again now.

[BudLightJaguar]

My suggestion is they should start from IMSA Prototype Lites as an engine manufacturer. Their 3-cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost should have enough hp to fit into Lites chassis. So, wider use of the EcoBoost engine familly.

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Originally Posted by BudLightJaguar

My suggestion is they should start from IMSA Prototype Lites as an engine manufacturer. Their 3-cylinder 1.0-litre EcoBoost should have enough hp to fit into Lites chassis. So, wider use of the EcoBoost engine familly.

Yes I agree and I think the v6 ecoboost will be better served running in Indy car plus ford has a longer history in American open wheel than Le Mans prototype.but they have already openly said no Indy car,I guess the pr from using a stock block is worth more to them.

If the mustang gets into gte that's going to open a whole new can of worms,but hey if an m3 and a z4 can do it, then Why not?


Like I said in the rumors thread, just seams like some one is riding the wave of excitement created from the Nissan announcement.and it is really easy right now to get us excited with Le Mans Toyota,Audi,and Porsche and now Nissan.any possible news will get us excited very easily.not saying dsc and rlm are toying with us but some body is,I hope we find out soon.

[Ginaro Zukovsky]

Originally Posted by Simmi

Thread title is pretty misleading.

Was interesting to hear Graham Goodwin and Sam Collins on the test day coverage. Almost sounding gleeful that someone had seemingly gone down the wrong route of enquiry.

Rumours are that it's a GTE but where they've actually come from who knows.

Ironic as it was the Racecar Engineering editor who mentioned Ford and LMP1...

[deggis]

For a second I thought I was going to see a press release in OP the way the title is worded...

[Dyson Mazda]

Originally Posted by deggis

For a second I thought I was going to see a press release in OP the way the title is worded...

It probably should have been "Ford Return to Le Mans?"

[Lagunaseca_4life]

Originally Posted by Dyson Mazda

It probably should have been "Ford Return to Le Mans?"

Or “Rumored Ford return to Le Mans????”

[Dyson Mazda]

Originally Posted by Lagunaseca_4life

Or “Rumored Ford return to Le Mans????”

Mid-Week Motorsports made it sound so promising last week (just listened to the podcast on a 3 hour drive over the weekend).

Another GTE program out of Detroit would be pretty awesome though. Also, a P2 program with Riley might be a good package moving forwards as well.

[chunterer]

Maybe Ford have seen what old WRC partners M-sport have done with the Bentley and are thinking they could also do wonders with a Mustang!

[Alex Langheck]

As I wondered in another thread – who would run/finance any programme? Ford America, Ford of Europe?
If they want maximum publicity then it surely has to be LMP1? Or is it GTE with the availability to use in TUSC? Which is being a bit parochial.

[I Rosputnik]

I want this to be true, I really do. Mustang GTE/GT3, LMP 1, I really would wish Ford would do an international Motorsports program at some point. However in the past any time anyone has tried doing anything (Matech GT, Robertson GT, Marc VDS Mustang) it's never been able to be sustained. So I don't see this happening.

On that note the last time I remember Mustangs at Le Mans were the Saleen Mustangs.

[MagVanisher]

If Ford is serious of going to Le Mans in the LMP1 class, let's hope that they won't use the "Mustang" brand as it's suitable for GTE class. I'm enough with one manufacturer like Nissan when it comes to brand marketing like the GT-R.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by MagVanisher

If Ford is serious of going to Le Mans in the LMP1 class, let's hope that they won't use the "Mustang" brand as it's suitable for GTE class. I'm enough with one manufacturer like Nissan when it comes to brand marketing like the GT-R.

That kind of naming is blatant and boring, but still fine with me. But if anyone tries to implement design cues other than headlights and if they're then slow, they deserve it. (Point: never going to be as fast as something not designed looks first.) One step away from Nascar grills (and not just Nascar, anything from DPs to BMW V12 LMR).

[Gulf]

I really can't see this happening Ford seem happy racing spec cars with Ford branding.

[knighty]

I am pretty well connected with people high within ford Motorsport in the UK, and I did recently ask what are the chance of Ford coming back to either F1 or LeMans now that turbocharged engines could be used a s a good marketing platform for the EcoBoost engine technology, the answer I received was a resounding "no"........the reality is Ford have realized to sell the most cars and be the biggest car producer in the world you do not need a motorsport program of any kind, the harsh reality is they get more customer exposure via sponsoring the champions league football tournament and other non automotive sports like bull riding and such like.......it aint going to happen soon, but things do change as different board members come and go......really it will take for a real petrol-head type board member to join and just push the button on either IRL, F1 or LeMans.......just like Jac Nasser did with the Jaguar F1 push after he went to the Silverstone F1 GP one year and decided the next year he wanted to witness a sea of green Jaguar flags......the next year it happened!......shame about the Jag F1 cars though, that hardly increased Jaguars sales did it :-/

[pablocomics]

Ford said that they was interested on the GT reunification rules..... That means 2017 and they will have enough time to develop the rumoured new Ford GT.

...but the new Mustang isn't that crazy or big, remember that competitive Bentley ContinentalGT, it may work with money enough.

[GT6]

Well they could always use the Mazda Brand, if Toyota fail this year and Mazda come back next year and beat both them and Nissan amagine the publicity that would generate in Japan, the heads of Toyota and Nissan would have to find the family heirlooms and fall on them

[deggis]

Originally Posted by GT6

Well they could always use the Mazda Brand, if Toyota fail this year and Mazda come back next year and beat both them and Nissan amagine the publicity that would generate in Japan, the heads of Toyota and Nissan would have to find the family heirlooms and fall on them

lol what?

Ford's ownership is a couple of percents.

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by GT6

Well they could always use the Mazda Brand, if Toyota fail this year and Mazda come back next year and beat both them and Nissan amagine the publicity that would generate in Japan, the heads of Toyota and Nissan would have to find the family heirlooms and fall on them

Mazda never was an allout Ford brand... and they are even less (read: not at all) today...

[MoMedic9019]

A Mustang GTE, OR the new Ford GT fit well in GTE. It depends on which they want to go. I don't think P1 was ever in the cards

I would expect it to be slated to return for Ford's 50th anniversary of their win.

No announcement occurred, because nothing was planned. I'm guessing, come LeMans week we will hear something from the Ford Exec's attending.

[MoMedic9019]

There is now a planned press conference to announce the return to LeMans of a "major manufactuer" on either Friday, or some are even calling for race day itself.

Very hard to pinpoint it. But, it sounds like it's going to be a huge announcement.

There is a chance this ISNT Ford.