Economy Star
The Ford GT flexes its fuel economy to take the win at Laguna Seca
By Steve Turner
Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company
The Ford GT was born for the racetrack, but it experienced some teething pains once it entered competition. However, when you consider it’s been less than a year since it first roared around the road course, the Ford GT has made great strides. Yesterday it took its biggest step yet—notching its first win in the IMSA GT Le Mans class at the Monterey Grand Prix.
The race weekend got off to a strong start as the 67 Ford GT driven by Ryan Briscoe and Richard Westbrook qualified in the second position, while drivers Dirk Müller and Joey Hand qualified the 66 Ford GT in the third position.
“It was awesome. The car felt really good. I’m a bit disappointed we didn’t keep the pole there at the end. We sort of pitted a little early to save the tires for the race and just got passed by a tenth,” Ryan said after qualifying. “Really, we’ve been fast since we unloaded this weekend. Michelin’s done a great job with the tire for us. It’s suiting our car. It’s a good positive note going into tomorrow.”
They were definitely able to keep that positive momentum going on race day, as the Ford GT relied on an underrated attribute to help bring home its first race win.
“It was a fuel-saving race from the start, because we wanted to do it on one stop, but when Richard got in, we were definitely out of the window,” Ryan explained. “The numbers he was making were just unbelievable. I never thought we’d be able to do it and I think that actually helped look after the tires. The pace was just as good as anyone’s at the end. It’s a phenomenal result.”
Obviously the win was a relief, as the Ford GT will race on the big stage at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a matter of weeks.
“What a day for Ford!” Raj Nair, executive vice president of Ford Global Product Development, and chief technical officer, said. “We have been making great progress with the Ford GT program and this weekend was big in terms of showing reliability, speed, but also amazing fuel economy. We couldn't be happier for all the Ford, Multimatic and Ganassi team members who have spent endless hours getting us to this point. It's been less than a year that the race car first turned a wheel in testing, so it’s a great morale boost to everyone as we now get ready for Le Mans.”
Besides the thrill of victory, the Ford Performance teams could take away a bit of confidence from the efficiency shown by the EcoBoost-powered racer. Because it only needed one pit stop for fuel, while its competitors needed two or three, the GT was able to secure the victory. You can relive that historic moment in this video...
[video=youtube;fW8PZFwrpcM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8PZFwrpcM[/video]
“We’ve been waiting for this win for a long time,” Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance, said. “I think it’s great that it came as a fuel economy win. It’s great for Ford EcoBoost, because that’s what it’s all about, but this is really a boost for the team going into Le Mans. We’ve been working up to this point to showcase the car’s durability and I think this is what the team needed to go to Le Mans.”
Naturally, everyone involved in the win won’t rest on the laurels of this one victory. Instead they hope to build on this one and use what they have learned in France this June.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Dave added. “We won’t have much time to celebrate. Le Mans is coming fast. It’s a great win for our employees who have been watching us and supporting us and it’s a good way to keep up the momentum going into our return to Le Mans.”
IMSA racing continues with the Detroit Gran Prix on June 3-4 at Belle Isle Park in Detroit, Michigan, and the FIA Ford GTs will hit the track this week at Spa on May 5.
The Ford GTs started strong at Laguna Seca, qualifying in the second and third positions. Eventually the two teams finished the race in the first and sixth positions, with co-drivers Ryan Briscoe and Richard Westbrook piloting the 67 car to the new Ford GT’s first racing victory.
After losing several positions on a pit stop when the car was briefly stuck in first gear, the team elected to try and save gas and outlast its opponents. That strategy obviously paid off.
“It’s just so exciting. It’s been a tough few months getting this program running. These guys have been working so hard. We’ve struggled with battles. We struggled a bit with balance but figured it out,” co-driver Ryan Briscoe said. “We just missed the pole, and to get the win for Ford is huge. It means a lot for me and the whole program.”
