Did Bruce McLaren work for Ford?
McLaren broke with Cooper in 1966 and introduced his first Fl car, the Ford Indy-engined M2A. That year, he also gained priceless engineering experience as one of Ford’s primary GT40 development drivers, culminating in a 1966 I. Mans victory with compatriot and Can-Am teammate, Chris Amon. A true racer Bruce McLAREN In 1966, he won the Le Mans 24 Hours in a Ford GT40 alongside Chris Amon, while his distinctive, orange, ear-splittlingly loud Can-Am cars dominated the popular North American series for years, earning the title for five successive seasons between 1967 and ’71.
Who is McLaren in Ford vs Ferrari?
In popular culture The story of Bruce McLaren was told in the 2017 documentary film McLaren by Roger Donaldson. McLaren was portrayed by Benjamin Rigby in the 2019 drama film Ford v Ferrari. Ford v Ferrari (2019) – Benjamin Rigby as Bruce McLaren – IMDb.
Who helped Ford beat Ferrari?
The plot follows a determined team of American and English engineers and designers, led by automotive designer Carroll Shelby and his English driver, Ken Miles, who are hired by Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca to build a race car to defeat the perennially dominant Italian racing team Scuderia Ferrari at the 1966 24 Hours . Shelby proposed his sports car to Ford Motor Company, who liked the idea of offering a sports car that would go head-to-head with the Chevrolet Corvette. Carroll, always the racer, explained his ambition to race Cobras against Corvette in the USA and against Ferrari in Europe.
Did Ford really win Le Mans?
In 1966, the GT40 roared back at Le Mans. Not only did it win, but three Fords claimed the top podium spots, crushing Ferrari’s reign. The GT40 went on to win Le Mans four years in a row, solidifying its place in racing history. Ford had finally, and very publicly, beaten Ferrari. After more than 3,000 miles averaging speeds of around 130 miles-per-hour, Ford took all 1966 podium honors at Le Mans. Having slowed to accommodate the Ford finish decision, the Miles team finished slightly behind the McLaren team.After some deliberation, the ACO declared that McLaren was the winner, citing the 24 hour nature of the race and that McLaren had travelled 25+ more feet than Miles. This was from the fact that McLaren had started the race at a farther distance than Miles.