Ford Chip Ganassi Racing has announced its full driver line-up, ahead of its return to the Le Mans 24 Hours, 50 years on from taking outright victory at the event.
The #66 Ford GT will be raced by German, Stefan Mücke, Frenchman, Olivier Pla and American, Billy Johnson, while Scotsman, Marino Franchitti, Guernsey-based, Andy Priaulx and Englishman, Harry Tincknell form a very strong squad in the #67 Ford GT.
Tincknell is already a Le Mans winner as he took the LMP2 victory in 2014 in what was his fourth ever sports car race. He will join the team for the first two WEC races at Silverstone and Spa before going to Le Mans.
“At 24, to be driving a Ford GT car at Le Mans exactly 50 years after the famous 1-2-3 finish for the team is incredibly special for me personally,” said Tincknell. “Ford has such an incredible history at Le Mans and I think with this car and team we can emulate some of that success. We’ll be resuming that fierce battle with Ferrari but it will be very competitive with all of the manufacturers in the class so we are in for a great fight. There is an incredible drive within the team at the moment and everyone is excited to be back. I’m very proud to be a part of it all.”
The #68 Ford GT line-up of American, Joey Hand and German, Dirk Müller will be strengthened by the addition of Frenchman, Sébastien Bourdais at Le Mans, with New Zealander, Scott Dixon joining Englishman, Richard Westbrook and Australian, Ryan Briscoe in the #69 car.
Bourdais tested the Ford GT during its development phase and competed in the #66 IMSA Ford GT at the Rolex 24 with Hand and Müller.
“We are pleased to have a very strong driver line-up for our return to the Le Mans 24 Hours,” commented Raj Nair, Ford executive vice president and chief technical officer, Global Product Development. “We’ve assembled a talented and experienced team on all fronts and we are all focused on creating a new chapter in Ford’s history at Le Mans.”
“Personally and as an organisation we are thrilled to be racing at Le Mans this year,” added Chip Ganassi. “As a driver I raced there once back in 1987 and I have been looking to get back there ever since. To be going with Ford and the new GT makes it all the more special and the talent assembled in this driver line-up just adds to the anticipation.”
