24h Le Mans
In addition to the enormous entry at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between 1964 and 1969, Ford also financed an engine that not only dominated Formula 1, but also won in La Sarthe, namely thanks to Rondeau.
With the humiliation after Ferrari backed out of the sale to Ford in 1963, Henry Ford II was set get revenge on all fronts, whether at the 24 Hours or Grand Prix. In Le Mans, this gargantuan duel culminated in 1967, the same year that in Formula 1 new 3-cylinder engine regulations came to be. At Colin Chapman's initiative as Lotus founder, Ford accepted to finance the DFV V8, designed by Cosworth by Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth. The engine won its first victory in its first race at the Grand Prix of Holland. The engine reigned over Formula 1 by winning all the driver and constructor titles from 1968 to 1974 (with a total of 156 victories from 1967 to 1983), it wouldn't win the 24 Hours of Le Mans until the mid-1970s. When the prototype cylinders were also definitively balanced at three-liters as of 1972 after the success of the Porsche 917, Matra and its V12 became the one to beat with three consecutive wins in La Sarthe in 1972, 1973 and 1974. The last year, the Ford-Cosworth entered the top 5 in Le Mans for the first time with the fourth place of Mike Hailwood and Derek Bell. In 1975, Matra was no longer there and the duo Jacky Ickx-Derek Bell gave the Ford-Cosworth V8 its first win at the 24 Hours.
In 1976, Le Mans driver Jean Rondeau became a constructor and chose this engine to power his prototypes. Top 10 finishes racked up with great consistency: eighth in 1976, fourth in 1977, ninth in 1978, fifth and 10th in 1979…until the exploit of 1980. Along with Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, Rondeau became the first driver-constructor to win the 24 Hours, beating none other than Jacky Ickx and Reinhold Joest. A complete triumph with the third place of the other Rondeau of the Belgian brothers Jean-Michel and Philippe Martin, along with the Brit Gordon Spice. The combination Rondeau-Ford Cosworth finished once again second and third in 1981, before the implementation of new technical regulations, called Group C, for the prototypes.
Henry Ford II won his bet, in Le Mans as well as in Grand Prix. Awaiting the new adventures with the new Ford GT prsented Monday, January 12 at the Detroit Motor Show...
The 83rd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14, 2015.
