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Rumor: Could We See Ford in Le Mans by 2017?

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 Ford in Le Mans

Ford’s Daytona Prototype from SEMA 2013

It’s been a few years since we’ve seen a Ford in Le Mans, but that all might change within the next few years. According to a report from Racer, Ford is contemplating vying for the LMP2 glory by 2017.

Currently, Ford is fielding two EcoBoost Daytona Prototypes in TUDOR, and Racer believes that those prototypes’ twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 engines could wind up in a Le Mans car.

 Ford in Le MansIt’s believed that Ford would look toward Multimatic Motorsports, with whom they worked on a Daytona Prototype in 2003, in order to create a carbon fiber chassis. Ford would likely test their new prototype in TUDOR in 2016-2017 ahead of the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans.

One of the clues toward the end of getting a Ford in Le Mans is a job listing for an aerodynamics supervisor for Ford Racing. While the job is specifically for Ford’s NASCAR and IMSA programs, the supervisor position would play a vital role in any efforts to return the Big Blue Oval to the Circuit de la Sarthe.

It would make as much sense for Ford to debut a Le Mans contender in 2016, as it would coincide with the 50th anniversary of the fabled 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans where three Ford GT40 Mark II cars achieved Henry Ford II’s goal of besting Ferrari. Ford won Le Mans four consecutive times between 1966 and 1969.

Just last year, a proposal for a Le Mans return with a GTE-spec Mustang was shot down by Ford executives. It’s a fair bet that if Ford’s return to Le Mans lines up with the 50 year anniversary of their four-peat, it will pay some degree of homage to the iconic GT40.

Racer also posits that a 2017 competition debut would line up with the adoption of a P2-style chassis by WEC and TUDOR, which would open the door to Ford competing in the World Endurance Championship.