Five years ago, Hollywood released the semi-autobiographical film “Ford vs. Ferrari.” The film detailed the intense rivalry between Ford and Ferrari, with Ford putting together a solid effort to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, taking the podium from Ferrari. . The leaders of this effort were the famous Carroll Shelby and his iconic driver Ken Miles. Ken Miles was not only the lead driver, but also the test driver and engineer.
A moving film detailing previous efforts
It was a moving movie, and if you ever get a chance to see it, you should spend about three hours watching it. The movie detailed very dry scenes such as tests, but it went far beyond that. Starring Matt Damon as Shelby and Christian Bale as Miles, the film details the intense rivalry between Ferrari and Ford as they fought to win the 24th race at Le Mans in 1966. It's a very fast-paced movie that details Miles' final run.
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But Ford worked with the individuals, even though Ford executives tried to rein in the effort. Did they? No, because Ford won three of the races with a 1-2-3. It was still controlled by the people they hired to do the work.
Since then, Ford has worked with several contractors and supporting companies to develop race-worthy efforts that have resulted in several wins.
This year, Ford is partnering with Sparco, the world leader in motorsports apparel and equipment, and Ford Performance, the high-performance division of Ford Motor Company, is pleased to announce a formal relationship beginning with the launch of the North American Mustang GT3 factory race program. I am very happy. Ranked in the IMSA certified GTD Pro category.
Sparco is called an “official supplier”
In its role as “Official Supplier,” Sparco will provide technical racewear and team apparel to the Ford Multimatic Motorsports GTD Pro program. The deal has an immediate impact trackside as the team makes its racing debut this weekend at the iconic Rolex 24 at Daytona, which also marks the season opener for his IMSA WeatherTech sports car in his championship. It will be.
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Sparco has supported various Ford performance programs for many years, and the partnership announced today continues a successful collaboration spanning decades. Benefiting from Sparco's signature safety, quality and style, the Ford Performance-based project will feature the Puma Rally 1 Hybrid and will feature the world-class Ford GT driver line-up at the FIA World Rally, operated by M-Sport. Includes extensive relationships with championship programs.
Most recently, Sparco has become a supplier to Ford Performance's track-only vehicles, including the Ford GT Mk IV and Mustang Dark Horse R modern sports car racers.
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“Ford and all of us at Ford Performance are proud of our roots as a family company,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports. “They share our determination and passion for both global motorsports and Ford Performance.” The road car program helps continue that tradition. Together, Ford Performance and Sparco strive for excellence and drive continuous innovation on and off the track, and we're excited about what's next. ”
Companies share a passion for excellence
“The announcement of our partnership with Ford Performance is the result of the joining of two organizations that share a common passion for excellence and a determination to achieve exceptional performance,” said Sparco President and Chief Executive Officer. ) said Aldino Bellazzini. Through continuous research and development, we are committed to pushing the boundaries and bringing cutting-edge innovation and style to motorsport around the world. ”
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Mark Stern has been an automotive writer since 1971. His automotive articles have appeared in Popular Mechanics, Mechanix Illustrated, AutoWeek, SuperStock, Trailer Life, Old Cars Weekly, Special Interest Autos, and more.You can follow Mark twitter Or Facebook.
