The Ford GT40 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time in 1966.
Ford achieved its breakthrough at Le Mans with a 1-2-3 finish by GT40s. The winning car was driven by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon, while the result ended Ferrari’s run of six consecutive overall victories from 1960 through 1965.
The program began after Ford’s failed attempt to purchase Ferrari in the 1960s. Ford then developed a high-performance endurance racer with engineering support from companies including Lola and later Shelby American. The car’s name referred to its approximate 40-inch height at the windshield.
Ford repeated the overall Le Mans victory in 1967, 1968, and 1969. Thus, 1966 marks the first win, not the only win or the final one.