McLAREN AND AMON LEAD HOME ALL-FORD FINISH

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31091, 21 June 1966, Page 17

McLAREN AND AMON LEAD HOME ALL-FORD FINISH

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LE MANS (France). Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon, of New Zealand, driving a seven-litre Mark II Ford prototype, led the American Fords through the rain to a one-two-three victory in the Le Mans 24-hour race on Sunday, smashing the Ferraris’ six-year domination of the gruelling event.

The Fords coasted home together in tight V-formation—the first and second cars side by side, the third a length behind. It all looked effortlessly planned.

The second car home was driven by another New Zealander, Dennis Hulme, and Ken Miles. The McLaren-Amon team crossed the line with the Hulme-Miles car, but organisers gave them the victory because they started further back on the grid on Saturday. Under the rules governing a dead heat, they were named the winners. The third-placed Ford was driven by the Americans, R. Bucknum and D. Hutcherson. Behind the Fords finished three Porsches.

The giant Fords did not just beat the Ferraris. They shattered them. MOST FELL OUT Nearly all the most fancied Ferraris were out of the race before dawn, vainly pushing their smaller engines to the limit to keep pace with the Fords.

The race was also a triumph for the two-litre Porsches, which took the four places after the Fords. The leading Ferrari finished eighth. Henry Ford, 48-year-old grandson of the Ford founder, proudly watched his cars storm to the victory he had confidently predicted. “I'm very satisfied with the performance and hope to be back next year,” he said. It was fair warning that Fords intend to stay a real power in international sports car racing. Only 15 of the 55 starters were still going when the race ended at 4 p.m. on Sunday. For once, at the end of a Le Mans race, the row of Ferrari pits was virtually deserted. Their drivers and mechanics had sadly packed their bags hours earlier as their cars dropped out. THIRD TIME LUCKY

It was third time lucky for the Fords. On their two previous appearances at Le Mans, they failed because they could not match Ferrari’s endurance and reliability. This time the three leading Fords stood up splendidly to the tremendous pounding of 24 hours’ practically non-stop speeding. The Fords, in front practically all the way, dropped their speed in the final stages when they had the race in their pockets barring accidents or breakdowns. The two lead cars covered 3008 miles, beating the previous distance record of 2296 miles set by Jean Guichet and Nino Vacarella in a Ferrari in 1964. Ford’s victory, the first of

proved unbeatable in British sports-car races with a V 8 Lola-Chevrolet: in his last four starts he had four wins, and each time set a new outright circuit record. He has also had several recent successes racing Brabham-Honda formula two cars for the Brabham equipe. McLaren, an Aucklander, started racing at the age of 15, when his father bought him an aged Ulster Austin as a birthday present. He progressed to faster cars, and won the first “driver to Europe” award made by the New Zealand International Grand Prix organisation. In Europe he started with the Cooper team, racing as number two driver to Jack Brabham, and when Brabham left Coopers to form his own team McLaren became Cooper’s number one driver. He has now left to build and race his own grand prix and sports cars. Amon, who comes from Bulls, went to England to race before his 20th birthday, and drove for the Parnell racing team. He is now number two driver to Bruce McLaren in the McLaren team.

any American manufacturer, could mark the start of a new era in international sports car racing. Other American firms may feel that they have to follow Ford’s lead. SKILL EVIDENT The triumph of the New Zealand drivers at Le Mans was not entirely unexpected. They had the cars to do the job and their driving skill has been evident for several seasons, writes “The Press” motoring editor. McLaren, in addition to setting fast laps at Le Mans before, has consistently driven well in Grand Prix cars, and latterly has had several wins with his own McLaren-Elva sports cars. Amon, too, has rapidly built a reputation in Europe in both sports cars and G.P. machines, and is rated amongst the world’s top 20 drivers—a significant achievement for a driver aged 22. Denis Hulme has recently