Ford GT40 giclee print

After years of abstaining from motorsport, Ford decided to go into competition, and hit the ground running by buying Ferrari in 1963. When the deal failed, they launched their own G.T. program culminating in the winning of the Le Mans 24 hours in 1966 with the GT Mark 2, and in '67 with the Mark 4. With their goal acheived they withdrew from GT racing, leaving privateers to run the older GT40's. Top privateer John Wyer, generously sponsored by Gulf oil would win Le Mans in 1968 with Pedro Rodriguez and Lucien Bianchi driving chassis number 1075. The following year Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver would drive the same car to win. It remains the only car to win the race more than once. The '69 win came under controversial circumstances - Jacky Ickx protesting the traditional 'Le Mans start' by slowly walking across the track and taking his time to make sure his belts were fastened correctly. Many drivers were racing away before they were harnessed in. Ickx's criticism was vindicated before even the first lap was over, as John Wolfe in his new Porsche 917 - known for their instability - crashed and was killed, having not buckled himself in properly. Ickx was by far last away, but after 24 hours of racing and a titanic struggle with the Porsche 908 of Hans Hermann and Gerard Larrousse, chassis 1075 won Le Mans again by just a few seconds in the closest non-staged finish.