Racing in the 1960s can hardly be compared with actual racing. Less than 10 per cent of the people had TV, colour TV didn't exist. Who wanted racing had to go to the tracks or to listen to the radio. The Korean economic crisis of the late 1950s was over and prosperity was growing quickly. In autosport F1 racing was not the all-dominating discipline as now. The four most popular races in the world were the Le Mans 24 hours, the Indianapolis 500 miles, the Monte-Carlo Rally and the Daytona 500 for Nascars. Only then came F1 in a pre-Ecclestone era. Of those races Le Mans was by far the one dominating all the rest. But, when in 1962 the FIA decided to launch an Intermake World Championship, with Le Mans as summit, endu-rance races became popular among autosport enthusiasts. Up from 1962 to 1965 there was an International Championship for Grand Tou-ring Manufacturers, going over 15 or more rounds.  In 1966 FIA replaced the former International Prototype Trophy (never popular among the broad public) by a more exciting International Manufactuer's World Cham-pionship for Prototypes going over 7 famous endurance races: the Daytona Continental, the Sebring 12-hours, the Monza 1,000-kilometres, the Targa Florio, the Spa 1,000-kilometres, the Nürburgring 1,000-kilometres and Le Mans.
Before 1962 American automobile manufac-turers were hardly interested in those races for typical Italian, French and British cars. But with the economy booming as never before the higher income class in the States was interested in a second car. Especially the youth was attracted by British and Italian sportscars having made their fame at FIA's endurance races.

On the American market Ford and General Motors were regularly beaten by cars imported from Europe, especially among the sportscars. Despite the fact that both giant corporations had signed in 1957 the so-called AMA-Treaty - stating that they never should support directly racing - Ford wished to change its policy. In 1962 a Texan autosport enthusiast, Carroll Shelby made an aggressive American sports-car, based on a British concept (by AC cars), and powered by a Ford engine: the AC Cobra-Ford 289 Roadster, It was somewhat the anti-Corvette Gran Sport of competitor GM. Shelby could convince FoMoCo that this car was not only able to beat the Corvettes, but even the legendary 3.0 Ferrari 250 GTO which won all races it entered. In 1963 the giant of Dearborn supported Shelby, but at the Daytona Conti-nental and the Sebring 12-hours the new Cobra was sharply beaten by Ferrari. Initially Henry Ford II tried to buy the Italian company, but failed to succeed the merger. It was the start of the legendary Ford-Ferrari combat, which do-minated autosport from 1963 to 1967. During the three first years Ford let build an own prototype, 40 inches high, called the Ford GT 40, equipped with a 4.2-litre engine. Based upon an English prototype by Eric Broadley - the 4.2 Lola Mk6 GT - the computer designed car failed to finish one single race in 1964. Most of those races were won among the pro-totypes by Enzo Ferrari's 3.0 Ferrari 275P. A closed version of the Shelby Cobra Roadster, the 4.7 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe, could in 1964 defeat a couple of times the Ferrari GTO, giving Ford's racing division enough appetite to continue the effort.

Of the 4.7-litre Shelby AC Cobra 289 Roadster, American Shelby Inc. made by the end of 1964 a 7-litre version, the AC Cobra 427 Roadster.  In 1964 the American factory drivers Jerry Grant and Dan Gurney finished 8th with a works Cobra 289 Roadster at the 1964 Targa Florio, however preceded by a private Ferrari 250LM shared by Luigi Taramazzo and C. Ferlaino (finishing 5th). The hairy 7-litre Cobras were less successful than the 4.7-litre cars. Eventually the 7-litre Cobra won only one important race, the 1966 Ilford Films Brands Hatch 500-miles (with David Piper and Bob Bondurant as drivers). The race was con-tested under heavy rain, exactly the same day as the 50th Targa Florio. The 289 Roadster was no overall winner. Seriously beaten by three Ferraris 250 GTO at the 1964 Daytona Continental (where they finished 4th and 7th) the 289 Roadster took revenge at the Sebring 12 hours of the same year, where they made a 5-6-10 against David Piper's  250 GTO brought home as 7th. At the 1964 Spa 500-kms a 9-11 for two works Cobras, against 1-2-3-4-6 for five private Ferrari gave full evidence that the 289 Roadster was far from unbeatable. Only at the 29th Tourist Trophy at Goodwood the 4-5 by the 289 Roadster against 6-9-10 for the 250 GTO, Cobra could beat its opponent a second time.

The 4.7 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe was Ford's ultimate weapon to beat the famous 3.0 Ferrari 250GTO and to win the Division III world championship for Grand Touring cars. Already at its first race, the 1964 Daytona Continental, the new car seemed on its way to beat the Ferraris GTO, until the car took fire on refuelling. The following round at Sebring the Cobra Coupe finishes fourth behind three Ferrari prototypes but as GT-III winner. Despite a splendid fourth place overall at Le Mans and a third place overall at the Goodwood Tourist Trophy, Ford failed to beat Ferrari at the 1964 Int'l Championship for GT Manufacturers (over 18! rounds). The 1964 Int'l Prototype Trophy (where Ford scored 0 points with the GT40) went also to Ferrari, just as in 1963. One year later FoMoCo won the Int'l Championship for GT-Manufacturers from Ferrari with its Cobra Coupe. However this was only possible since the FIA refused to recognise the superior 3.3 Ferrari 250LM as a Grand Touring car: it had to race with the prototypes. So Ford's first victory over Ferrari was hardly more than an empty box.

In order to be able to beat Ferrari for the 1965 Int'l Prototype Trophy, the racing division of Ford increased the engine capacity of its Ford GT40 from 4.2 litre (in 1964) to 4.7 litre and 5.3 litre in 1965. The same year a 7-litre version was developed, the 7.0 Ford MkII. The car could win the 1965 Daytona Continental (where Ferrari was only present with one semi-works car and two mechanics), but was seriously beaten at all other rounds, especially at Le Mans. Ferrari won all other rounds with its new 3.3 Ferrari 275P2, 4.0 Ferrari 330P2 and 4.4 Ferrari 365P2  prototypes or with its 3.3 Ferrari 250LM, a simple street car who could be bought at $ 19,500 US and which won Le Mans. Since the FIA refused in 1965 again to homologate the 250LM as a Grand Touring Car, Ford won its second empty box at the Int'l Championship for GT Manufacturers, again with the Cobra Daytona Coupe, having no serious adversaries in the Division III of the Grand Touring cars. At the scarce occasions Ferrari entered its 275 GTB/C the Cobra Coupe was beaten, e.g. at Le Mans where the 275GTB/C finished third.

The third year of the Ford-Ferrari combat was fully dominated by the Ferrari P2, existing in 3.3, 4.0 and 4.4-litre version and called res. Ferrari 275P2, Ferrari 330P2 and Ferrari 365P2. The 275P2 won the 49th Targa Florio in 1965, the 330P2 won the Nürburgring 1,000-kms and the Monza 1,000-kms; and the 365P2 won the Rheims 12-hours. Other rounds as the Spa 500-kms, the Circuito del Mugello, the Le Mans 24-hours, the Coppa di Citta d'Enna and the Austrian Grand Prix were all won by the simple 3.3 Ferrari 250LM, the famous Grand Touring Car which FIA refused to homologate.  That refusal helped the giant of Dearborn to win its second consecutive Int'l Championship for GT Manufacturers. 1965 was Ferrari's most success-ful year in endurance racing. In 1966 things should change thoroughly after Ford revisited the structure of its racing division.

The 3.3 Ferrari 250LM was undoubtedly Ferrari's most successful car in endurance racing. Built in 1964 as a variant on the 275P, but now with a roof, Enzo Ferrari developed the car as the anti-Cobra Daytona Coupe. Despite a lower engine capacity of 3.3 litres, against 4.7 litres for the Cobra Daytona the 250LM was so outstanding that the grey lords of the FIA refused to recognise it as a Grand Touring car. If Ford could win in 1964 and 1965 the Int'l Championship for GT Manufacturers it thus was a rather artificial victory since in that class opposition was nearly nil after Aston Martin and Jaguar had retired their works cars in 1964. At Le Mans 1965 Enzo Ferrari, who refused to enter his 3.3 Ferrari 275GTB/C as an opponent for the Cobra Daytona Coupe in the other races, gave Ford a cutting defeat by finishing third overall, more than 500 kilometres ahead over the first works Cobra. The 250LM won the same year not only the Le Mans 24-hours, but also the Spa 500-kms, the Circuito del Mugello, the Citta d'Enna and the Austrian Grand Prix. Here the yellow #26 Ferrari 250LM of the Belgian Écurie Francorchamps, which finished second at the Le Mans 24-hours behind a similar car. The Belgian Ferrari was leading until 90 minutes before the end, when a puncture let loose its drivers Pierre Dumay and Taf Gosselin 10 minutes into the pits, enough to loose the race from a sister-car..

On Ford's failing attempt to buy Ferrari (1963)

The Ford-Ferrari combat is a part of social history which was never well written and never well studied. There must be an explanation why, at once, in 1966 attendance at the seven famous endurance races increased by more than 45 per cent, why the turn-over of autosport magazines increased in one year with more than 80 per cent, why motorised models of the Le Mans Fords, Ferraris and Porsches (sold by Monogram, Cox, Revell, Strombecker, Tamiya, Stabo and many others) tripled in one year time, also why motorsport became at once the burden of several success movies. In France Claude Lelouch makes his wonderful Un homme et une femme, where one finds Jean-Louis Trintignant testing the Ford GT40 at Montlhéry and winning the Rally of Monte-Carlo at the wheel of a Shelby Mustang. The movie wins the first prize at the Cannes Film Festival. America's John Frankenheimer makes Grand Prix with Yves Montand as guest star. And Steve McQueen is found in The Day of the Champion, turned at the Rheims Circuit.
I believe that the reason for that sharp increase in motorsport is to be found in what Europeans interpreted both as a scandal and a challenge. Indeed, by the end of 1965 an American magazine, Sports Cars Graphic, publishes as first the news that in 1963 Henry Ford II tried in vain to buy Ferrari. It was an idea of Lee Iacocca. What he had in mind was to have Ford involved in international racing despite the 1957 AMA-Treaty. If Ford wanted a quick start one had to buy brains, experience and facilities. And where they could find it any better than at Ferraris, winning time by time. After the defeat of the Shelby Cobras at Sebring 1963, Henri Ford II approached Enzo Ferrari in May with the idea of forming two companies out of a merger: (a) Ford-Ferrari with Ford as major stock holder, being created to sell the kind of luxurious sports and GT-cars Ferrari already was building, and (2) Ferrari-Ford as a racing company with Ferrari as majority stock holder, running all racing activities. Ford wanted also the option to purchase Ferrari's equity in this company upon the Commendatore's death.

So Ford sent over Donald Frey, its Division's general manager, to Maranello, together with a team that included an assets-determination specialist, a manufacturing expert and two lawyers. Proposals thus came after the construction of the GT40 by Eric Broadley, the British father of the Lola Mk6 GT, already was started. When Europe learns by the end of 1965 that the offer was made in the very period where Ferrari had financial troubles, and that an absolutely ridiculous price of $ 10,000,000 US was offered, indignation is general in the European press. Although Frey let understand that Ferrari was interested in the deal, its simply unthinkable that such libertarian spirit as Enzo Ferrari could take the offer one moment seriously. Ferrari was in those days a monument in Italy, part of the common proud of the nation. There are stories telling how the government, the Agnelli Bros and even the pope should have intervened to prevent that Ferrari accepted the deal.
The European press interpreted Ford's merger proposition as an attempt of colonisation. Estimating that poor Enzo was threatened in his independence hundreds of thousands of European enthusiasts found that they should support Ferrari openly. So, at once, they are 250,000 at Monza, 300,000 at the Targa Florio, 70,000 at Spa, 380,000 at the Nürburgring, nearly 400,000 at Le Mans. For them all Ford declared war to a European monument: Ferrari. That war, Europe had to win. They are all there: the Agnelli Bros, the political leaders, the European press, the tifosi, the Mafiosi, the mothers and the grandfathers. Even the pope is there, blessing with holy water the celestial cars and praying the Good Lord that he made prevent they should be beaten by a foreign invader: an enemy. Ferrari is at once an institution, a sanctuary. Ferrari just may not loose. It has to prove that there is no technology like European. No post-colonials to invade foreign soil.

FIA's new rules starting the 1966 season

By mid-August 1965 the FIA modifies thoroughly its Appendix J for the International Manufacturers Championship. The publication of the new rules is received with very mixed feelings, and few good words are said about them or their effect on racing as regards spectator's appeal. In art 10 and 12 a new definition of GT-cars (now called Group 3) is launched, making very few cars eligible. The Porsche 904GTS (#47 on the right pictures), the Lotus Elan S2 (#38), the Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ-1 (last picture right) and TZ-2 and the Ferrari 250GTO (#1), having all been raced before as GT-cars are at once banned from the new Group 3. They do not meet the new condition of at least 500 manufactured identical cars within the same year. Having reduced Group 3 in such a way that only the MGB, the Corvette StingRay Gran Sport, the Triumphs, the Jaguars or the Volvos are left, the International Championship for GT Manufacturers, as organised since 1962, exists no longer.
Up from 1966 it will be replaced by a new International Sportscars Championship for cars of the new Group 4. It are cars manufactured at at least 50 identical units with a general line shape not varying from unit to unit. The above named former GT cars as Porsche 904GTS, Alfa Romeo TZ1 and TZ2, Lotus Elan S2 and Ferrari 250GTO, but also the Abarth 1000 and 1300 OTC, Fiat-Abarth 1000, Simca-Abarth 1300GT and 2000GT, Shelby Cobra 289 and 427 Roadster or a typical street car as the Alpine-Renault A110 Berlinette, are now all Group 4 cars. But former prototypes as the Ford GT40 Coupe and the Ferrari 250LM are now also sportscars of Group 4. The new sportscars are subdivided in three divisions: S1 (under 1,300 c.c.), S2 (1,301-2000 c.c.) and S3 (over 2,000 c.c.).
Under the new Appendix J the prototypes are classified as group 6. Article 17 defines them as "cars specially manufactured for speed and endurance races on closed circuit, but designed, however, as being the prefiguration of a future production car. That is why they must offer certain minimum conditions of habitability, and a standard equipment making them fit for normal driving on open road." A minimum luggage space and a spare wheel are obliged. There are two divisions: P1 for prototypes under 2,000 c.c. with a minimum dry weight of 575 kgs [Porsche 906P, Ferrari Dino 206S, CD-Peugeot SP66 and Matra-BRM MS620] and P2 for prototypes over 2,000 c.c. [Ford MkIIA, Ford GT-X1, Ferrari 365P2 and P2/P3, Ferrari 330P3, Chaparral 2D] with a minimum of 650 kgs for under 4-litre cars and 750 kgs for over 4-litre cars.
For this both divisions the FIA organises in 1966 the International Manufacturer's Championship, no longer the International Prototype Trophy. This is much more than just giving another name. From 1962 to 1965 the Manufacturer's World Championship (officially International Championship for GT Manufacturers, but nobody in the press used this description) was addressed to automobile producers specialised in manufacturing of Grand Touring cars, i.e. automobiles seen and used in daily traffic. In 1966 the Manufacturer's World Championship (now officially International Manufacturer's Championship for GT) addressed to manufacturers of typical racing machinery. By doing so FIA officials believed that Ford, Chevrolet and Ferrari should really compete for the new title. However, both Ford and Ferrari were much more interested in winning Le Mans and the enormous publicity around such victory, than winning a title only appreciated by the highly specialised motoring press. For the prototypes FIA scheduled initially eight rounds, but starting the season it was already known that the organisers of the Rheims 12-hours had no budget, thus the race was cancelled.
The International Sportscars Championship - being a minor target for most automobile manufacturers - goes over 9 rounds (since not only Rheims, but also the Bridgehampton Double was cancelled) for S3-cars, over 10 rounds for S2-cars and over 8 rounds for S2-cars. A short study of the entries learns that manufacturers had only eyes for the 7 rounds of the Manufacturer's World Championship and not for the 6 following races, where hardly works teams were seen at the start. The international motoring press too had only eyes for the same seven top races, not for the post-Le Mans rounds. In what follows we bring you a detailed report over the seven rounds of the  Manufacturer's World Championship and in appendix only a short survey of the six last rounds.
The point's system for the diverse championship was rather complicated, since FIA worked with no less than four different point systems. Barême I corresponded with the old 9-6-4-3-2-1 points for the six first. Barême 2 was 10-7-5-4-3-2 points for the six first. Barême 3 (only valid for Le Mans) was 12-9-7-5-4-3 points for the 6 first. Barême 0 - only applied at the Rossfeld Hill-Climb (Swiss Mountain Grand Prix) - is half of Barême 1. At the end of the season only the four best results per manufacturer are considered (five in S1 and six in S2).

Above: Abarth 1000SP (group 6)

Above Abarth 1000 OTC (group 4)

Above old Fiat-Abarth 850SS (group 4)

Ford's and Ferrari's policy starting the 1966 season

     FORD'S 1966 NEW STRATEGY
After three years of repeated defeats Ford decided that 1966 should be its year of success in endurance racing. However, mid-1965 the FIA decided to stop the organisation of its World Championship for Grand Touring Cars and to replace it by a Manufacturer's Championship for prototypes over 8 rounds (eventually round #8, the Rheims 12-hours should be cancelled, so that Le Mans 1966 was the decisive round). The new Appendix J of the FIA rule book made that the 4.7 Ford GT40 was no longer a prototype, but a sportscar, just as the 3.3 Ferrari LM. Winning the Manufacture's World Championship was thus only possible by building a better prototype than its failing 7.0 Ford MkII. In order to achieve its goal Ford decided to stop the activities of Ford Advanced Vehicles at Slough, England. That meant that John Wyer, responsible for the development of the Ford GT40 was fired. The GT40s - no longer able to play a first role - were to be driven by privateers, just as Ferrari did with its 250LM. They were sold to such racing stables as Essex Wire Corporation (USA), Scuderia Filipinetti (CH), F. English Ltd (GB), Ford France (F), and several private racers. The development of the GT40 came in hands of Alan Mann Racing Ltd, backing up the privateers. Especially the fact that the 7-litre prototype was humiliated in 1965 at the Nürburgring by a tiny 1.6 Ferrari Dino 166P, going faster than Ford's 7-litre prototype, let decide Ford to create a special race department, not longer situated in England, but in the States. It was American Kar Kraft, being the central brain of the project "How to beat Ferrari at Le Mans". The new Ford prototypes were designed at Kar Kraft were engineer Roy Lunn is the big boss, with Ed Hull and Bob Negstad as prime members of his staff.

John Cowley is in charge of managing all racing efforts, with two engineers - Homer Perry and Chuck Folger - as his direct aides. They decide to create an intramural competition at Ford. Since there is no longer a Grand Touring World Championship, they decide to race no longer the Shelby Cobras (the Roadster and the Day-tona Coupe). All efforts need to be focused upon a better prototype. Three companies have to develop the cars designed by Kar Kraft. It are Shelby American Inc., Alan Mann Racing Ltd and Holman-Moody Racing Inc. Engine will be the 6,982c.c. V8 with four-headed Holley carburettor, developing 470bhp at 6,000 revs/min. Chassis and body will be that of the MarkII, already used in 1965. Since Holman-Moody have the most experience with the 7-litre motor (used by them in Nascar racing) they have to develop the motor. John Cowley stays at the helm of the operation, co-ordinating the three teams and feeding information back and forth, so that each team can benefit from the findings of the others.
Cowley nominates Jack Passino, manager of Special Vehicles, and engineer Gus Scussel of Ford's Engine & Foundry Division to reduce as well as possible the weight of the engine and its consumption. Indeed, the 427 Nascar engine has a dry weight of 602 lb. By using aluminium heads, an aluminium hub on the vibration damper and a water pump of the same light alloy, Scussel succeeds in reducing the engine's dry weight to 550 lb. Valve size, gauge diameter of intakes and compression ratio are reduced. Indeed, Le Mans fuel is 101 octane against 102.8 at Nascar racing. Compression has been brought down from 12.5 to 10.5:1. The new and lighter engine develops 485bhp (15bhp more than the old heavier engine but 35bhp less than the Nascar engine).
However the race weight with full tanks and a 150lb driver is always 2,832 lb, which will cause braking problems at the end of Mulsanne.

Phil Remington is ordered to develop brake discs being easily removable. During the 1965 winter he develops a braking system where two bolts hold the calliper in place, while the wheel itself locates the disc's hat section axially.
At Kar Kraft the body of the GT40 MarkI is redesigned. Only the middle section is left unchanged, but front and rear sections are completely new. No adds-on tabs, fins or the like are still used. Starting the new season Roy Lunn, working on the car's aerodynamics, states proudly: "If Ferrari and Chaparral had mastered the lead in handling and aerodynamics, we would not have seen them with their drastically better power/weight ratios." Aerodynamics are studied in the Ford wind tunnel, capable of 130mph, and checked out on Ford proving grounds in Arizona by factory drivers Ken Miles and Walt Hansgen under 200-mph steady running.
But Kar Kraft is also working on a total new concept, called Ford J. The complete new body is the work of Homer C. LaGassey jr., Ford's head stylist. In October 1965 he started secretly a 5-month project, to develop a car, respecting all aerodynamic considerations for a peak speed of 250mph (402kph). Exterior shape is designed to pack air onto the upper surface to hold the car on the ground, and an equally important provision to release air pressure from wheel housings, engine compartment and cockpit. The new car is designed to be ready by March 1966, so that it can be tested at the Le Mans April trials. It is equipped with Kar Kraft's automatic two-speed gearbox. Curb weight without fuel will be 2,050 lb.
With two new prototypes, developed following pure scientific norms, Ford is confident that in 1966 it will defeat Ferrari at Le Mans. John Cowley creates even a Le Mans Committee to co-ordinate the whole activity of winning the 24 hours. Leo Beebe, public relations & promotion, has the task to inform the public that the new prototypes use an engine directly derived from a street car. Last but not least Henry Ford II will go to Le Mans to give the start. Winning in his presence is the sole objective.

     FERRARI'S SOCIAL PROBLEMS
Enzo Ferrari is not impressed by the efforts of the Dearborn giant. He's confident that he'll win Le Mans a tenth time. Having no areodynamic research centre as Ford, he decides that the 4.0 Ferrari 330P3 should be equipped with a new body. The old Ferrarist Piero Drogo is asked to move from South-America to Italy. At Drogo's Carozzeria Sports Cars he develops one of the most beautiful cars Ferrari ever released, a real piece of art, the 4.0 Ferrari 330P3. The new car is 9 cms shorter than the P2, 11 cms wider and 6 cms lower. Enzo Ferrari retains the 3,967 c.c. V12 engine, rated at 420bhp at 8,200 revs/min. The cylinder heads have been redisigned by using Lucas fuel injection instead of Weber carburettors. A fine 65 lb has been saved on engine weight.
Continuous social problems and strikes in the Italian steel sector, however, made that Ferrari had to change its old strategy to use only spare parts manufactured by the own factory. A 3-plate dry clutch was to be imported from Borg und Beck A.G., while a 5-spead gearbox has to replace the former Ferrari one. Eventually dry weight of the new P3 prototype is 100 kgs lighter than the P2's. With only 720 kgs (1,584 lb) the P3 is only 20 kgs above FIA's minimum of 700 kgs.
Initially it's Ferrari's intention to make at least 7 or 8 copies of the new car. But the continuing social problems in Italy result in a much lower production. Going to the Le Mans April tests only two works cars are ready: a 330P3 Berli-netta and a 330P3 Barquetta. Il Commandatore decides that the old 4.4 Ferraris 365P2 of Maranello Concessionaires (GB), North-Ameri-can Racing Team (NART, USA), Écurie Francor-champs (B), Scuderia Filipinetti (CH) and David Piper must be updated, changing gearbox and brakes, and equipping them with a new body, similar to the P3's and revised by Piero Drogo's Carrozzeria Sports Car. Those cars are named commonly 4.4 Ferrari 365P2/P3. Typical for the problems in Maranello are the Dinos. When they were called "206S" it was Ferrari's intention to manufacture 50 identical units (the "S" for sportscar of Group 4), but financial problems prevented that more than a dozen of such cars were built.

 STRANGE TEXAN BIRD: CHAPARRAL 2D
Normally there are only two prototypes which are potentially able to beat the Ford and Ferrari prototypes. The first is the 5.4 Chaparral 2D, developed by Jim Hall and Hap Sharp. In 1965 they won several races for "big bangers", i.e. open American sportscars. Allowed to enter the 1965 Sebring 12-hours with their Chaparral 2C the Texans caused a stir by beating all prototypes. The 2D, equipped with a 5.4-litre Chevrolet motor is a closed version of the 2D, equipped with an automatic gear box. Initially the car was not equipped with the strange snorkel, but once in Europe, after the two American opening races at Daytona and Sebring, it came with its periscope-style air intake. The car was said to receive solid back-up from General Motors, but there was never full evidence if that rumours were true. With its 500bhp for a lighter weight than the Ford MkII or Ford J the Chaparral - named near the fastest running bird on earth - is the great unknown of the 1966 season.
The other car supposed to be able to beat the Fords and Ferraris is the new 2.0 Porsche 906 Carrera, but only at two of the four rounds, the Targa Florio in the Sicilian mountains and the Nürburgring 1,000-kilometres on the difficult track in the German Eifel. Extremely light and 200bhp strong the Carrera 6 is the successor of the 2.0 Porsche 904 GTS, where the 4-cylinder motor was changed for a 6-cylinder. At the opening race in Daytona only one copy, painted in blue, is ready. But within four weeks more than 25 others will follow.

2.0 Porsche 906 Carrera                                                        2.0 Porsche 904 GTS (1964-1965

The first round of the 1966 FIA Intermake World Championship has been won on convincing way by Ford, bringing after a 24-hour race four of its five works prototypes home, filling the three spots of the podium. Victory went to the Shelby American Inc. #98 7.0 Ford Mk IIA shared by Ken Miles (USA) and Lloyd Ruby (USA). They achieved 2,538.73 miles (4,157.22 kms) at an average speed of 107.66 mph (173.22 kph). Especially the fact that only one of the five entered new prototypes didn't finish gives full evidence that Ford is ready for the Le Mans 24-hours. The winning #98 Ford Mk IIA was also fastest at the qualifications, 2/10th of a second faster than the new #65 5.4 Chaparral-Chevrolet 2D being equipped with a moveable rear spoiler. The Texan car was withdrawn by owner-engineer Jim Hall, just before mid-race. There were no works Ferraris at the start. Among the under two-litre prototypes Porsche's new works Carrera 6, shared by Hans Hermann and Herbert Linge was seriously faster than the two factory 904 GTS Porsches coming res. 11 and 13 laps down. The #15 2.0 Porsche 906 Carrera finished sixth. Of the two Ferraris P2 at the start, res. entered by N.A.R.T. and by Écurie Francorchamps, only the American car, driven by Pedro Rodriguez and Mario Andretti reached the finish. The car was fourth behind three Ford prototypes, 14 laps slower than the winners. Among the sportscars only the old Porsches 904GTS could convince, but not the private Fords GT40 or Ferraris LM (the last ones erronously entered as ...prototypes).

The entry
February 5-6 - This year's Daytona Continental is the longest endurance race in America's racing history. Indeed, in order to test at race conditions the reability of its cars, Ford made a deal with the organisers to increase the length of their race to 24 hours. Ford is present with 5 works cars, all 7.0 Fords MkIIA. Of them 3 are entered by Shelby American Inc., and 2 by Holman & Moody. The four 4.7 Fords GT40 on te grid are entered by Essex Wire Corporation (2), and by the privateers Peter Sutcliffe and Ray Wonder. Two Cobras, two Shelby Mustangs and a Ford Cortina Lotus complete Ford's effectives.
The new 4.0 Ferrari 330P3 prototype is not here, since SEFAC Ferrari SpA enters no works cars. Although the 7 private 3.3 Ferraris 250 LM are officially entered as prototypes (due to an administrative error), there are only three Ferrari prototypes on the grid: an updated 4.4 Ferrari 365P2/P3 of the Belgian Écurie Francor-champs, a 4.4 Ferrari 365P2 of last year ente-red by N.A.R.T., and a two years old (no longer competitive) 4.0 Ferrari 330P by a privateer. Of the 8 private entered Ferraris 250LM only three are competitive: David Piper's green one, Jochen Rindt's red one and the two LMs entered by N.A.R.T. for res. Follmer/Wester and Rindt/Bondurant. The 3.0 Ferrari 250GTO on the grid is ...4 years old. It is the real first GTO ever built. With such a poor effective at the start Ferrari has no chance to win the first round, except if all Ford prototypes should have to retire.
Greatest eye-catchers on the grid are the new 5.4 Chaparral-Chevrolet 2D and 2.0 Porsche 906, both being present with one unit. Porsche Engineering System is present with 3 works cars, the two others being 2.0 904GTS of last year. There is also a private 904GTS at the start. With Autodelta and BMC being absent, there are no works Alfa Romeos GTZ2, no MGB MkIs and no factory Austin-Healeys.
In total 59 cars will start the race. Among them 18 prototypes with a plus 2-litre engine capacity and 4 prototypes with an under 2-litre engine capacity. Ý

Practice
Already at practice it is obvious that the only two competive Ferraris on the grid are no match for the brilliant factory Fords. Fastest Ferrari is the 4.4 365P2 of N.A.R.T., last year still winner of the Rheims 12-hours. Mexico's Pedro Rodriguez clocks 1'59"2, good for a fourth place on the grid. The Belgian yellow 4.4 Ferrari 365P2/P3 comes one place further with 2'00"2. Fastest cars is the Shelby American Inc. 7.0 Ford MkIIA. Driven by Ken Miles the #98 takes the pole with 1'57"8. The spectacular Texan 5.4 Chaparral 2D is close behind in 1'58"00. Positions of the other Ford prototypes on the grid are as follows: #95 Holman & Moody Ford MkIIA (Walt Hansgen/Mark Donohue) is 3rd in 1'58"2; #87 Holman & Moody Ford MkIIA (Ron-ny Bucknum/Ritchie Ginther) is 6th in 2'01"6; #96 Shelby Ford MkIIA (Chris Amon/Bruce McLaren) is 7th with the same time; and the #97 Shelby Ford MkIIA (Dan Gurney/Jerry Grant) is 11th in 2'04"0. Fastest sportscar (although officially entered as prototype) is the #8 N.A.R.T. Ferrari 250LM (Follmer/Wester) in 2'03"6, ahead of the Team Chemoco #28 Ferrari 250LM (Dennis Hulme/Vic Wilson) and the first 4.7 Ford GT40, the #91 Essex Wire (Skip Scott/Dick Thompson). First Porsche on the grid is the new blue #15 906 Carrera on rank 18 in 2'07"6.

#98 Ford MkIIA 1'57"8              #65 Chaparral 2D 1'58"0
(Ken Miles/Lloyd Ruby)            (Phil Hill/Jo Bonnier)

#95 Ford MkIIA 1'58"2             #21 Ferrari 365P2
(Walt Hansgen/Mark Donohue)  (Pedro Rodriguez/Mario Andretti)

#25 Ferrari 365P2/P3 1'59"2       #87 Ford MkIIA 2'01"6
(Lucien Bianchi/"Beurlys")         (Ron Bucknum/Ritchie Ginther)

#96 Ford MkIIA 2'01"6              #32 Ferrari 250LM 2'03"6
(Chris Amon/Bruce McLaren)      (Greg Follmer/Don Wester)

#28 Ferrari 250LM 2'03"8           #91 Ford GT40 Coupe
(Dennis Hulme/Vic Wilson)        (Skip Scott/Dick Thompson)Ý

The Race
Start is given after the pace car and leader after the first lap is the #65 Chaparral 2D with Sweden's Joachim Bonnier at the wheel. Before the end of the second lap Ken Miles passes the Texan car, offering the lead to the #98 Ford MkIIA. Already after 7 laps, the Chaparral, suffering from child diseases, has to come into the pits with electrical problems. The car will join the race in 53rd position. After 3 hours of racing N.A.R.T. looses its fast #8 Ferrari 250LM with a faqiling clutch. One hour later the yellow #26 Ferrari 250LM of the Écurie Francorchamps follows, also after clutch failer. Ahead we find 3 Ford prototypes grouped, followed by the two Ferrari prototypes. The #25 Ferrari 365P2/P3, however, will have to abandon after 180 laps with a burnt piston. Meanwhile the Chaparral 2D moves after several minor problems to rank 17 after 10 hours of racing. Then, a break of the rear suspension at 280kph, in the mid of the night, provokes the end of the Texan dream. The car is unhurt and not beyond repair, but Jim Hall finds it safer to retire his new prototype. Earlier we lost also the #24 Drummond Racing Ferrari 250LM, again with clutch problems, the old #31 Ferrari 330P with a broken wheel bearing, and Bill Wonder's #88 Ford GT40 with a broken wheel. At mid-race Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby (#98 Ford MkIIA) have a 4-lap lead over the #95 Ford MkIIA of Hansgen and Donohue, closely followed by the #97 Ford MkIIA of Dan Gurney and Jerry Grant. N.A.R.T.'s #21 Ferrari 365P2 is 4th, but already 8 laps down to the leaders after they lost time on needless refuelling pit stops, due to a miscalculation of the team director. First sportscar, on 11 laps, is the #91 Skip Scott/Dick Thompson Ford GT40, immediately followed on ranks 6 and 7 by the Ferraris 250LM of Rindt/Bondurant (#22) and Epstein/Hawkins (#29).
Panic shortly after mid-race when the #87 Ford MkIIA (Bucknum/Ginther) has to retire with a broken gearbox. At 8 a.m., after 17 hours of racing the Group 4 leading #91 Ford GT40 is also retired with a broken gearbox. The N.A.R.T. 250LM, having lost 30 laps in the pits, cannot take over, so that the #92 Essex Wire Ford GT40 of Masten Gregory and Peter Revson is the new leader, followed by the two factory Porsches 904.

It is, however, a certitude that Gregory and Revson will never win their class, since they can use only two gears. The two factory Porsches 904GTS are heavily purchased by the green #27 Ferrari 250LM of David Piper, having lost some 25 laps in the pits. With still 4 hours to go we find always the same 3 Ford prototypes on the lead, followed by the N.A.R.T. Ferrari 365P2, the #96 Ford MkIIA of Bruce McLaren/Chris Amon and the #15 factory Porsche 906. Then follows a trio with the 2 other factory Porsches and Piper's Ferrari. In front Gurney/Grant and their #97 Ford MkIIA can pass the #95 sister car when Mark Donohue has to pit with a broken wheel (right picture). They are, however, 7 laps down to the leaders. In the struggle for the first sportscar (Group 4) the Essex Wire Ford GT40 and Piper's 250LM - both struggling with gearbox problems - have to let go the Porsches 904 GTS of Gerhard Mitter and Joe Buzetta (#16) and of Günther Klass and Udo Schütz (#17). Jochen Rindt and Bob Bondurant, at the wheel of N.A.R.T.'s second Ferrari 250LM try to make their come back, but at no avail. Positions change no longer and Ford collects a splendid 1-2-3-5. Rodriguez/Andretti finish 4th in the N.A.R.T. Ferrari 365P2, 14 laps down to the winning #98 Shelby Ford MkIIA shared by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby. After 24 hours they have an advance of 8 laps over Gurney/Grant (#97) and 9 over Hansgen/Donohue (#95). On ranks 6 to 8 we find the 3 factory Porsches with Hermann/Linge winning among the small prototypes with their #15 Porsche 906 and Mitter/Buzetta and their #16 Porsche 904GTS finishing as first Group 4 cars. Ninth place is for the #22 N.A.R.T. Ferrari 250LM of Jochen Rindt and Bob Bondurant, followed by 2 private Porsches 904GTS. They believe having won the S3 class, but are informed later that their car, as all other 250LMs, has been registered as a prototype, due to the fact that Modena omitted to return the necessary forms. Of the 8 Ferraris 250LM only 3 reach the finish with Peter Clarke & Co finishing 13th, David Piper/Richard Attwood (#27) finishing 15th. Of the 4 Fords GT40 only 2 are brought home, but finishing as low as 14th (Sutcliffe/Grossman) and 17th (Peter Revson/Masten Gregory). First Grand Touring car is the 7.0 Corvette StingRay GranSport shared by Dick Gulstrand/Ben Moore/Geo Wintersteen. They finish 12th overall, followed in their class by the Ryan/Benker 2.0 Porsche 911 and the Kearney/Reina 5.3 Shelby Mustang 350GT. The four years old 3.0 Ferrari 250GTO of Slottag/Perkins finishes 19th. In total 32 of the 59 started cars reach the finish. Sutcliffe's green #86 Ford GT40 Coupe, having fell out 15 minutes before the end, is considered as a finisher and receives from the organisers the victory in S3 as a present, whilst the real winners should have been Rindt/Bondurant and their #22 N.A.R.T. Ferrari 250LM.

At round #2 of FIA's Intermake World Championship we saw the first direct combat between Ford and Ferrari. Although it was an unequal fight with 6 factory Fords against 2 works Ferraris, one can no longer doubt that the giant of Dearborn should not be ready for the Le Mans 24 hours. By realising for the second consecutive time a complete podium, Ford gave full evidence that its new prototypes - so unreliable last year - are at once among the most reliable in endurance racing. Moreover Ford caused a stir at Sebring, since it came at the start with two new prototypes, nl. the 7.0 Ford  MkII X-1 Roadster (an open version of the MkIIA) and with the 4.7 Ford P40 Coupe (Alan Mann's faster and lighter prototype version of the GT40). Contrary to Daytona all important works teams were present at Sebring, not only Ford, Porsche and Chaparral, but also SEFAC Ferrari (with the new 4.0 Ferrari 330P3 Barquetta and with the improved 2.0 Ferrari Dino 206S Berlinetta), Autodelta (with the new 1.6 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2), Alan Mann Racing (with two 4.7 Fords Coupe), Donald Healey Motor Company (with the improved 1.3 Austin-Healey Sprite), Standard Triumph Motor Company (with the 2.2 Triumph TR4A) and BMC (with the works MGB). Only the French Matra and Alpine were missing at the start. All that means that competition was extremely though and that, contrary to the Daytona 24-hours, the race was all but boring. Normally Dan Gurney and Jerry Grant and their Ford MkIIA should have been the winners. But a broken engine during the real last lap, followed by a disqualification, made that Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby could win their second endurance race of the year.

The entry
March 26, 1966 - At the start we find 6 Ford proto-types. Shelby American Inc. is present with the #2 7.0 Ford MkIIA which finished 3rd at Daytona and with a brand new #1 7.0 Ford GT X-1, a spyder version of the closed prototypes. The car has only vague resemblance with Chris Amon's 7.0 Ford GTX seen at last year's CANAM Series and at the Nassau Speedweek. Miles/Ruby will drive the #1; Gurney/Grant the #2. Holman-Moody has two 7.0 Fords MkIIA on the grid. One of them is the Daytona #87 which was retired shortly after mid-race. Now it has #3 and will be driven by Walt Hansgen/Mark Donohue. The second car is totally new and goes to A.J. Foyt and Ronnie Bucknum. Last but not leasr Alan Mann Racing Ltd. is here with its two new, faster and lighter 4.7 Fords P40, being a further evolution of thr GT40 Coupe. Apart from those 6 works cars there are 7 private Fords GT40 pr-sent, among them the #19 and #20 entered by Essex Wire Corporation. There are also 2 Shelby Mustangs 350GT and 3 Shelby Cobras at the start.
Although SEFAC Ferrari was expected to be present with 3 new P3 prototypes, there is only the #27 4.0 Ferrari 330P3 Barquetta, with just a tiny #46 2.0 Dino 206S as back-up. The "why" of this strange comportment is not to be found in the social problems of the Italian steel industry, but in the Emilian pride of Il Commendatore, playing games with the Dearborn giant. Especially the fact that FoMoCo already spent more than $ 19,000,000 US in an attempt to beat the Prancing Horse, and that they never succeeded in beating only once a Ferrari works car in a direct combat, tickles his vanity. He - nothing but God in his own Emilia - heading a small factory, employing hardly 400 persons, knows that he's a permanent nightmare for Henry Ford II, for Donald Frey, for Leo Beebe, for Carroll Shelby, for Alan Mann, for John Holman, for Roy Lunn, for Jack Passino, for that wholeupper-ten of American top-racing. On sending only two factory cars to Sebring and on putting - to race director Eugenio Dragoni's highest despair - his two best drivers Lorenzo Bandini and Lodovico Scarfiotti at the wheel of the diminutive Dino 206S, Enzo Ferrari is building his own American legend: he plays the role of the poor underdog, having not enough money and workers, to send more of his pieces of art to the US. He knows very well that he has nothing to loose in such psychological game. If he succeeds to beat the 6 Ford factory car with his lonely P3, and to beat the 4 Porsche works cars with his lonely Dino, he will be no longer God in Italy but the godless God of the States. And if he's defeated he can only reply that strikes prevented him to send a bigger army. The only other Ferra-ris on the grid are N.A.R.T.'s tired 365P2 (#26), a private 250LM and Jack Slottag's 250GTO.
There are 2 Chaparrals in the pits (#11 and #12), however no longer equipped with a movab-le rear spoiler. Of the 12 Porsches at the start there are 4 works cars: 3 new 906 Carreras with numbers #52 and #53 and 2 Porsches 904GTS with numbers #54 and #55. Three other 906 Carreras are entered by privateers. Autodelta SpA brought 2 new TZ2s (#61 and #62) to Sebring. A third TZ2 is a private entry. BMC has a 2-litre MGB prototype (#44) at the start, Standard Triumph 3 new TR4As. Of the 68 cars which practiced 64 will take the start.

Practice
At practice Mike Parkes records with the #27 Ferrari 330P3, being at its real first race, immediately 2'56"6, going a full second faster than last year's record realised by the "big banger" Chaparral 2A. One has to wait the very end of pracice before Dan Gurney and his #2 Shelby Ford MkIIA can improve Parke's sharp time. Gurney sets the pole in 2'54"6. The red and gold #24 Ford P40 of F1 ex-world champion Graham Hill realises the third best time in 2'57"4, but it is not impossible that a lap time error was made. Rank 4 is for the #3 Holman & Moody #3 Ford MkIIA of Walt Hansgen with 2'58"0. The open #1 Ford GT-X1 is 5th in 2'58"6. The Chaparrals disappoint slightly, coming no higher than 6th and 8th on the grid. They are split by the #25 Alan Mann Ford P40 driven by sir John Whitmore. No doubt, the improved works GT40s, now P40s, are hyper fast. The remaining factory Ford is the brand new #4 of A.J. Foyt and Ronnie Buck-num. Equipped with an automatic gearbox like the Chaparrals, the car misses acceleration and is 10th on the grid, preceeded by N.A.R.T.s #26 Ferrari 365P2. The 7 private GT40s are all headed by 2 two-litre prototypes, with the #are found on ranks 11 and 12. It are the #53 Porsche 906P of Gerhard Mitter, preceding the #46 Dino 206S of Lorenzo Bandini. The fastest Cobra 427 is headed by 3 other Porsches 906 and 3 Fords GT40, being 19th on the grid in 3'10"8 which is 2/10th of a second faster than the Roger Penske Corvette proto. The 4 new Alfas Giulia TZ2 are together, preceeded by the two works Porsches 904GTS. The Triumph TR4 proto of Bob Tullius and the MGB proto of Pad-dy Hopkirk disappoint, being headed by a sim-ple 1.6 Lotus Elan S2.

#2 Ford MkIIA 2'54"6                 #27 Ferrari 330P3 2'56"6
(Dan Gurney/Jerry Grant)             (Mike Parkes/Bob Bondurant)

#24 Ford P40 Coupe 2'57"4         #3 Ford MkIIA 2'58"0
(Graham Hill/Jackie Stewart)        (Walt Hansgen/Mark Donohue)

#1 Ford MkII GT-X1 2'58"6         #11 Chaparral 2D 2'59"6
(Ken Miles/Lloyd Ruby)               (Jim Hall/Hap Sharp)

#25 Ford P40 Coupe 3'00"4          #12 Chaparral 2D 3'00"6
(Eric Whitmore/Frank Gardner)      (Joachim Bonnier/Phil Hill)

#26 Ferrari 365P2 3'01"2               #4 Ford MkIIA autom 3'03"4
(Pedro Rodriguez/Mario Andretti)   (A.J. Foyt/Ronnie Bucknum)

#53 Porsche 906P 3'03"6           #46 Ferrari Dino Berlinetta 3'05"
(Gerhard Mitter/Gûnther Klass)     (Lorenzo Bandini/L.Scarfiotti)

#19 Ford GT40 Coupe 3'07"0      #20 Ford GT40 Coupe 3'08"0
(Peter Revson/Skip Scott)            (Augie Pabst/M. Gregory)

The race
At the Le Mans start Lodovico Scarfiotti is fast-est away in the #46 Dino 206S. He leads nearly the entire first lap to be passed on the finish line by Graham Hill's  #24 Ford P40 and Pedro Rodriguez's #26 Ferrari 365P2. It's noteworth that all three they are at the same time F1-racers (unthinkable at our days). Another F1-racer, Dan Gurney, not getting started, comes far behind with the #2 Ford MkIIA TQ-car. Ex-F1 world champion Graham Hill (dad of Daemon Hill) has to make a short stop to close his door (a typical disease on all Ford prototypes). That brings Briton Mike Parkes and his hyperfast #27 Ferrari 330P3 on the lead, followed by Graham Hill, Walt Hansgen (#3 Ford MkIIA), Pedro Rodriguez, Lodovico Scarfiotti and Ken Miles in the red #1 Ford GT-X1. Gurney, making his way through the field, is after 5 laps still one minute down to the leading Ferrari P3. The #12 Chaparral 2D, with Sweden's Joachim Bonnier at the wheel (another F1-racer), is loosing oil, just as in practice. After 20 laps, nearly one hour of racing, order is: 1. Parkes (#27 Ferrari 330P3), 2. Miles (#1 Ford GT-X1), 3. Gurney (#2 Ford MkIIA), 4. Graham Hill (#24 Ford P40), 5. Rodriguez (#26 Ferrari 365P2), 6. Hansgen (#3 Ford MkIIA), 7. Sharp (#11 Cha-parral 2D), 8. Whitmore (Ford P40), 9. Buck-num (#4 Ford MkIIA), 10. Scarfiotti (#46 Dino 206S).
Gurney passes team mate Miles of Shelby American Inc, and both begin a fascinating duel, only stopped by a furious Carroll Shelby, running to the track with a hammer in his hands. After 25 laps both Fords follow the #27 Ferrari 330P3 on less than 6 seconds. After driver's change, with Bob Bondurant now at the wheel of the Ferrari P3, Gurney takes profit from Bob's lack of experience with the new car. He can pass it and is with the #2 blue Ford MkIIA out at the lead. Before the end of the second hour both Chaparrals - really disappoin-ting - are already out: the #12 with an oil leak, the #11 with a broken suspension. Out too with an oil leak is the #61 Autodelta Alfa TZ2. Earlier the private #64 Alfa TZ2 was abandoned with a broken head gasket. Small panic at Holman & Moodys when Bucknum, in the gold-bronze #4 Ford MkIIA automatic, has to pit with brake problems. After 3 hours of racing only 4 cars are still together in the same lap. Gurney/Grant and their #2 Ford MkIIA are still leading, followed within one minute by the #1 Ford GT-X1 of Miles/Ruby and the #27 Ferrari 330P3 of Parkes/Bondurant. One minute further we find Hill/Stewart and their #24 Ford P40. One lap down to the leading quartet are Rodriguez/Andretti in the #26 N.A.R.T. Ferrari 365P2, Gardner/Whitmore in the second Alan Mann Ford P40 and Scarfiotti/Bandini in the little Dino. First Porsche 906P is 10th, one lap behind the faster Dino.  

During the fourth hour Canada's Bob McLean, a privateer driving one of the two Comstock Racing Fords GT40, looses control over his car and hurts a non-protected (unbelievable, what a shame) telephone pole. His care immediately takes fire and the driver is burnt alive. Sebring is blamed for its scandalous weak protection of racers and public. Comstock Racing retires its second GT40. Stewart, following McLean's car, cannot avoid a collision and looses with the #24 Ford P40 more than one hour in the pits with a car beyond repair. Autodelta looses its second works Alfa Romeo TZ2, the #62 of Lucien Bianchi/Jean Rolland with a broken gearbox. Other abandoned cars are Roger Penske's Corvette prototype (accident) and Arthur Swanson's #33 Ferrari 250LM (broken head gasket). Mario Andretti has a moment as he spins and hurts another car. The nose of the #26 Ferrari 365P2 is seriously touched, and he looses valuable time in the N.A.R.T. pit. Only 2 vailliant Ferraris are left now: the 2 factory cars (since after not only Swanson's LM, but also Slottag's 250GTO is already abandoned). After a new driver's change Mike Parkes and his #27 Ferrari 330P3 can pass the red #1 Ford GT-X1 for the second place. The factory Dino, equipped with Dunlop tires, goes considerably faster than the works Porsches running on Goodyears. Last ones last longer than Dunlops, enforcing Scarfiotti/Ban-dini to more pit stops, so that for the 5th place they are passed by two Porsches 906P, the #48 of Scooter/Wester and the factory #53 of Mitter/ Klass. At mid-race standings are: 1. Gurney/ Grant (#2 Ford MkIIA), 2. Parkes/Bondurant (#27 Ferrari 330P3) at 46 secs., 3. Miles/ Ruby (#1 Ford GT-X1) at 1 lap, 4. Rodriguez/Andretti (#26 Ferrari 365P2) at 4 laps, 5. Wester/Scooter (#48 Porsche 906P) at 7 laps, 6. Mitter/Klass (#53 Porsche 906P) at 7 laps, 7. Scarfiotti/Bandino (#46 Dino 206S) at 7 laps, 8. Whitmore/Gardner (#25 Ford P40) at 8 laps, etc.
During the following hour the Dino, on fresh Dunlops, passes both Porsches and is again 5th. The Klass/Mitter #53 906P falls out with a burnt valve. Shortly after both Alan Mann Fords P40 are retired (clutch on the #25, valve and consequen-ces of accident for the #24). The Holman & Moody #3 Ford MkIIA, having been delayed by brake problems and the #19 Essex Wire Ford GT40 of Revson/Scott (having had also brake problems) come back in the top-10, where the diminutive Dino 206S is always 5th. Not for long however: a gripped gear shift during the 9th hour, makes it loosing 5 laps in the pits, bringing the private Wester/Scooter "48 906P again in the top-5. In front difference between the leading MkIIA and the 330P3 oscillates around one minute. After 9 hours ranking is as follows: 1. Gurney/ Grant (#2 Ford MkIIA), 2. Parkes/Bondurant (#27 Ferrari 330P3) at 1 minute, 3. Miles/Ruby (#1 Ford GT-X1) at 1 lap, 4. Rodriguez/Andretti (#26 Ferrari 365P2) at 8 laps, 5. Wester/Scooter (#48 Porsche 906P) at 13 laps, 6. Hansgen/Donohue (#3 Ford MkIIA), 7. Revson/Scott (#19 Ford GT40) on 15 laps, 8. Hermann/Buzetta (#52 Porsche 906P) on 17 laps, etc.

The factory Dino comes back in 12th position. It goes as a train and moves quickly to 7th, passing the Porsches again one by one. So the Ferrari threat - both on the leading Ford MkII and on the class leading Porsche 906P - remains, despite the fact that in each class (P2 and P1), Ferrari entered only one single car. The BMC factory MGB prototype - never good in the race - is abandoned (con rod). But then, at once, Bondurant and the #27 Ferrari 330P3 passes no more: a stupid gripped gear blocks his car just after the Hairpin. A few minutes later the second Ferrari, the N.A.R.T. #26 Ferrari 365P2 is retired with a broken gearbox. Struggling with the shift of the P2 Mario Andretti touches Wester's #48 P. The car quits the road, killing four spectators. Never before Sebring was blamed so sharply by the international press for its disastrous safety policy. Only the FIA is mild and closes the eyes. With the cars in positions 2, 4 and 5 all three out all others make the move. The Dino is now 5th, only 3 laps behind the #52 works Porsche 906P. Without the loss of 15 minutes for the gripped gear (=5 laps) the diminutive car should be 2 laps ahead of Porsche, despite the wrong tires. During the last hours the Dino fails to catch the #52. During the real three last minutes of the race Dan Gurney brakes the engine of the leading #2 Ford MkIIA. An official stimulates him to push the car by hand to the finish line. Meanwhile he is passed by the #1 Ford GT-X1 of Shelby team mates Ken Miles/Lloyd Ruby. Later he's disqualified. That implies that the Holman-Moody #3 Ford MkIIA, having achieved 12 laps less than Gurney's car, is classified 2nd. The Essex Wire #19 Ford GT40 of Peter Revson/Skip Scott is classified 3rd, winning Group 4 and the S3 division. Then follows the #52 Porsche 906P of Hermann/Buzetta, winning P1 ahead of the factory Dino. Division 2 of Group 4 (S2) is won by the #54 semi-factory Porsche of George Follmer/Peter Gregg, finishing 7th. First GT is Penske's #9 Corvette shared by Ben Moore and Geo Wintersteen. The car finishes 9th overall, 4 laps ahead over a Cobra 427. Only one of the works Autodelta Alfa Romeos Giulia TZ-2 reaches the finish: the #63, finishing 14th. The little 1.3 works Austin-Healey #67 of Timo Makinen/Paul Hawkins finishes 18th, just behind the disapointing BMC #59 works MGB and ahead of the first factory Triumph TR4A. In total 29 of the 64 started cars are classified. For FIA's Intermake Word Championship Ford has now 20 points, Ferrari only 4. For the first time in history a Ferrari factory prototype has been beaten by a works Ford.
For Ford the balance of the two American endurance races was extremely positive. It was now fully proven that the new MkIIA prototypes and the spyder GT-X1 version were absoltely reliable. The test with the automatic gearbox on the #4 Ford MkIIA let see that the approach was too experimental to try such adventure at Le Mans. Unexpectedly the new 4.7 Ford P40 of Alan Mann racing was a success. The cars were fast, had no brake problems. At Sebring one was eliminated by accident, the other by a stupid clutch problem. But after the splendid performance of one lonely P3 being able to follow the fastest Ford MkIIA, doubt persisted if beating Ferrari at Le Mans should be realised.

Le Mans April Trials (F)
SECURITY PURE SHAME: W. HANSGEN KILLED

April 2-3, 1966 - One week after Le Mans the protagonists of the Ford-Ferrari combat are expected at the French La Sarthe for the tradi-tional Le Mans April tests. Ford is present with two of its famous MkIIA prototypes, having so convincingly won the Daytona 24-hours. One is a Shelby American Inc., the other a Holman & Moody. But Dearborn is here too with its secret weapon, the famous Ford J, following the computer capable to realise at the long straight of Hunaudières a top speed of 250 mph (400 kph). The same computers calculated that the Ford J should realise without any problem laps at 3 mins. 30 secs. One year earlier New Zealand's Chris Amon realised still 3'33"0 at the wheel of a Shelby American Ford MkII, against 3'35"1 clocked by John Surtees at the wheel of a 4.0 Ferrari 330P2 in April.
The 7.0 Ford MkIIA at La Sarthe is the same which finished one week earlier second at the Sebring 12-hours; the same also having finished third at the Daytona 24-hours: a Holman & Moody entry. At both occasions the car was driven by Walt Hansgen and Mark Donohue. On Saturday morning Ford's Walt Hansgen is first out. On a wet track he records a fine 3'48"5. On passing the pit lane in his following lap his car is victim of aquaplaning. Approaching at considerable speed the fast but dangerous curb at the grand stands, the experienced Hansgen is struggling with the wheel to regain control over his car. The only way out seems to opt for a spin. On spinning the car will be crashed, but never in a fatal way. Hansgen, however is a conscientious factory driver, so he wishes to avoid the crash and to save the prototype.

Since Hansgen wishes to avoid the crash, he engages the Holman & Moody Ford MkIIA on the short échappatoire prolonging the straight and ending in a sand bank. Speed of his car, unfortunately is much too high, and the shock is so heavy that his car plies double. Walt Hansgen, seriously injured, gets stuck in the wreckage. Then, at once, the whole shame of Le Mans and its conservative ACO organisers, becomes terribly obvious. French rescuers have the most primitive tools and are unable to free Hansgen. So Ford people decide to send their own people, equipped with much better tools. After a stupid and endless discussion between the official rescuers, refusing to let do the job by others, and the Ford people, the last ones can eventually free the seriously injured Hansgen. He is transported to a Le Mans hospital, where he will die five days later in the Hospital.
Hansgen made his name through the world as a top-driver when, in 1957, he got a chance to drive the Briggs Cunningham 3.4 Jaguar D, being 250bhp strong. That year he won for Cunningham the SCCA Champion-ship. One year later he had to drive Cunning-ham's Lister Jaguar, and again he won the SCCA Championship. In 1961 he won for his boss the President's Cup, now at the wheel of a Type-61 Maserati Birdcage. In 1962 and 1963 Hansgen continued to race with Briggs Cunningham, but now at Le Mans in a Maserati Tipo 151. One year later, when Briggs' team disbanded, he finished third in his first Nascar race at Watkins Glen.

Although the accident reveals - once more - the whole shame of the hyper dangerous Le Mans track, nobody in the autosport press dares to blame ACO for its scandalous lack of security occupation. Le Mans is not only a French monument, it's famous in the whole world and nobody should have a word of criticism on the French track, harming ACO's commercial interests. Very typical for ACO's pure commercial interests is the situation at the curb to Tertre Rouge. Instead of using a part of the income money to protect the racers with guard rails against the long row of dangerous trees, ACO painted the lower part of the tree-stems in white and added from tree to tree the letters T-O-T-A-L (the French oil company) a dozen of times, exactly at the place where cars reach speeds of 250kph! ACO spends no money in security, ACO collects at the first place income from publicity.
For the spectators, the 1966 Le Mans April tests are one big deception. They expected to see the factory Ferraris 330P3 at work, but there are no works Ferraris. The press explains Ferrari's absence as a part of his psychological war with Ford. But already now rumours are going that Modena is in serious problems, due to the social strikes in Italian steel industry. An Italian reporter informs his intimae that actually only 2 of the 8 scheduled P3s are ready and that this explains the no show of the Prancing Horse.

But also for Ford things go totally wrong. With the other Ford MkIIA - Shelby's - Ken Miles quits the road and hurts at a place called Indianapolis the sand bank. Some essential spare parts are missing to repair the car. A private plane is sent to Grandson, where the missing parts are found in the stock of count George Filipinetti, having bought two private Fords GT40 for the European endurance races of this year. Waiting the spare parts, Miles continues his testing, now at the wheel of Kraft Kar's 7.0 Ford J. At once the gasket breaks, and the giant of Dearborn falls without cars for the rest of Saturday. During the night Ford mechanics repair the two cars. On Sunday morning, on a perfect dry track, Miles and the miracle Ford J stay miles away from the computer predictions. The Ford J has serious road holding problems on Hunaudières. Never it reaches the predicted 250mph. Once over 220mph the car shows non explained aerodynamical problems. Finally a fastest lap is recorded at a disappointing 3'34"4 (140.82mph, 226.024kph). That is slower than one year earlier. At the wheel of the Shelby MkIIA Miles comes no further than 3'36"0. The cars seem to have won in reliability but not in speed. At once a victory at Le Mans - so sure after the Daytona and Sebring successes - seems far away. The other Fords - Alan Mann's P40 and Ford France's GT40 - stay with res. 3'38"6 and 3'41"9 below John Surtees 3'35"1 of last year.

The only Ferraris present are the yellow 365P2 of Garage Francorchamps, good for 3'41"6 - just good enough to follow the GT40s - and an old 250GTO. Among the 2-litre prototypes the long tail Porsche 906LM is not convincing. Best time (Peter Nocker) was 3'58"3. Eventually the eye-catchers at the Le Mans April tests are the French cars. At the wheel of a works 2.0 Matra-BRM MS620 (#41 on the above pics) Jo Schlesser records 3'52"6 which is nearly 6 seconds faster than the Porsches 906LM.

Astonishing results too are performed by Mauro Bianchi. At the wheel of the #46 1.3 Alpine-Renault A210 M66 he records 4'00"9 (125.61mph, 200.161kph). Those little French factory cars are equipped with motors tuned by the wizzard Amedée Gordini. A 1-litre version Alpine-Renault A210 M65 realises 4'12"7 (119.481mph, 197.767 kph), which is faster than the old 3.0 Ferrari 250GTO present on the track. It prooves how fast is evolution in autosport. Four years earlier the GTO was still unbeatable... [JPVR]

LEFT: The late Walt Hansen, here together with his young team mate Mark Donohue and their 7.0 Ford MkIIA which finished 3rd at the Daytona 24-hours.

continued at

PART 2: THE ITALIAN RACES AND THE SPA 1000-KMS