Think Like a Racing Driver?


Race strategies, physical conditioning, instant decisions and having the hopes of a team on your shoulders are unique challenges for racing drivers in the sporting world, which require a special kind of character.



John Camilleri - Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team fitness trainer.

“You’re dealing with high pressure situations, huge physical challenges and you’re reliant on a large crew to make sure you’re in the best car and best position to do your job as well as possible. 

In that sense it’s unlike participating in any other sport. A fighter pilot is a closer comparison, and like a fighter pilot it takes a certain type of person to thrive as a racing driver.”

During any race, especially an endurance race like the Le Mans 24 Hours, the whole team needs to perform at their optimum and use their unique skills and personalities in the quest for victory.

We'll add content to this page, in the run up, and during the the classic 24 hour endurance race.
Ford at Le Mans 2018

When the 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours gets underway next week (June 16-17) the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team will face its greatest challenge yet. The class in which the Ford GTs compete at Le Mans – ‘GTE Pro’ – now boasts 17 of the world’s best GT cars and 51 of the world’s fastest racing drivers, making it the fiercest contest the team has faced so far.


Now in the third year of its successful Ford GT race programme, which has seen Ford Chip Ganassi Racing win at Le Mans in 2016 and finish as runner-up in 2017, the team is ready to take on all challengers.

Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsport

“It’s rewarding to see all four cars come together as one team every year at Le Mans. It shows the scale of the global effort we launched in 2016 and have been building on since.
Le Mans is always the ultimate challenge but this year it has gone up a level through the sheer size of the opposition. We’re going up against the best that Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin, Corvette and BMW have to offer and we can’t wait. This is why we race.”

The #66 Ford GT crew of Stefan Mücke (GER), Olivier Pla (FRA) and Billy Johnson (USA) took their first victory in the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship at Spa in Belgium last month. Le Mans has been hard on them over the last two years so they hope the Spa win signals a change in their fortunes.



In the #67 Ford GT, Indycar star Tony Kanaan (BRA) joins last year’s runners-up, Andy Priaulx (GB) and Harry Tincknell (GB), and they all have their eye on the top step of the podium.


Already podium finishers in 2018, the drivers of the #68 Ford GT are the history-makers: the crew that took Ford’s first modern-day Le Mans win in 2016. Joey Hand (USA), Sébastien Bourdais (FRA) and Dirk Müller (GER) would love to do the double.


The drivers of the #69 Ford GT got their 2018 campaign off to the best possible start by winning the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Ryan Briscoe (AUS), Richard Westbrook (GB) and Scott Dixon (NZ) are more than ready for another 24-hour win.



All of the drivers of the Ford GTs have trained hard and know what they have to do at Le Mans. Here they reflect on the past two Le Mans and talk about their aspirations for the 2018 race.

#66 FORD GT: Olivier Pla

"The first year at Le Mans with Ford was tough for us in the #66 GT as we lost two laps in the pits, changing the light panel on the door. We were on the same pace as the other Fords so for sure we missed out on a podium there. Year two was looking really good until around 1 a.m. when we had a rear suspension failure that sent me off at Indianapolis. That cost us around seven laps and that was that! 

Our goal for year three is the same as ever: we want to win! The GTE Pro field has never been so competitive so it would be incredible to win this year. We are a strong team with a strong car and good driving crews. Now we just need to make sure everything is perfect and that the luck goes our way. The more you do it, the better you get at it!”

#67 FORD GT: Andy Priaulx

“The first Le Mans with Ford in 2016 was tough for us as we had a gearbox problem on the grid so our race was almost done before it started. The second one was great for us though, as we had a really good run and a bit of good fortune on the last lap, taking second place.

This year’s race looks like it will be the toughest yet, but to win under circumstances like that is amazing. I’d love to stand on the top step at Le Mans; I’ve had a third and a second there and a few years ago I led the race for 23 of the 24 hours! There are another 16 GTE Pro cars, each with three drivers who are all saying the same thing, so it’s going to be a thriller! You learn something new every time you do Le Mans. It’s one of those events that you have to work out. This will be my fifth and every year it’s gets better as you have more experience, but it doesn't get any easier!”

#68 FORD GT: Joey Hand

“The first year stands out for me because we won. Ford has this incredible history at Le Mans and now we are part of it. We were able to write our own piece and lock ourselves down in the history books and, for me, that’s pretty cool. As I get older and I’m not driving any more, that’s something that’ll always be there. We weren’t able to race for the win last year so we want to do it this year. You never know how many times you’re going to race at Le Mans so you have to take advantage of every opportunity. 

Every year we get better and better as a team and as you get comfortable, you do better. We know more about this race now, from where we stay, the routine we have, knowing where everything is, knowing how scrutineering works. The more comfortable you are, the less you’re wondering what’s happening next. I’ve always said I think comfort produces results. Everything comes together to produce a result.”

#69 FORD GT: Ryan Briscoe

“Year one was incredible for us. We had a really strong race with a rookie team performing like absolute champions. To finish with two of our cars on the podium was surreal. I remember the second year we just didn’t have the performance to win the race, so now we want to win! We set the standards pretty high in year one so anything less isn’t a goal anymore. I think we’re off to a great start, winning the Daytona 24 and finishing second with the #66 car. 

It doesn’t really feel different to go to Le Mans in year three. I think on a personal level you never change your approach, no matter how many times you go. The prep work and everything that goes with it is the same. You can’t relax; you can’t feel like it’s year three and take it easy. I think Le Mans, like any big race, will always throw something at you that you’ve never seen before, and that’s what you have to be ready for. I do think year one was extra special. There was a lot about year one: the anticipation of it, the fact it was the 50-year anniversary since 1966, and Ford’s return for the first time since back in the 1960s, which made year one quite unique.”

Top Gear's Matt LeBlanc gets to grips with the Ford GT Supercar by putting it around his favourite race track the Laguna Seca in track mode.

After spotting Shan's painting of the Ford GT on social media we approached the artist with a few questions about her work and inspiration as an automotive artist.



What attracted you to this shot of the Ford GT?

"I first saw the new Ford GT during Goodwood Festival of Speed 2016. Both #66 and #67 were there, and I instantly fell in love with the back of the car. It looked like a fierce dragon with flared nostrils. I knew I had to capture one onto canvas.  

We saw more Ford GTs at the Circuit of Americas in 2017. We took pictures of them while in the paddocks, but the lighting was bad. 

A collector of mine that will be purchasing a Ford GT offered to send me photos of #68 that he took at a Ford event in the US. That and my other reference photos helped me to paint the final piece. I added the glowing brake lights by looking at Google images as I thought they would stand out against the red and blue of the car. I also think they are a gorgeous accent to the back of the car."

How long do paintings like this take to complete?

"Most of my paintings take between 2 and 3 weeks to create. I believe this one took me around 3. I try to bounce back and forth between several paintings. This especially helps when I become frustrated with a painting. That’s the time for me to change to a new easel."

Can you say a little bit about the process and the medium?

"My husband and I travel to car, motorcycle, and air shows for photographs. In 2016 we traveled to UK for Goodwood. This year we are going to Italy. My husband is the photographer, and I decide on which vehicles to photograph. We make a great team.  

 Once we look at the images we’ve taken, I decide what angle and how to crop the photo to fit the canvas. I am an acrylic painter and sometimes incorporate inks, water soluble graphite, or gouache into my works. I love working large as I can then paint with my fingers and hands. You will see this technique in the backgrounds and abstract reflections of my vehicles. The Ford GT has areas in the blurred background that were done with my fingers. I’m also a big fan of colour."

Was there anything particularly challenging with the Fords GT as a subject?

"The car and background came together relatively easy. What usually takes some time is the sponsor decals or emblems. Quite often, I can’t paint those until the end of the painting when the body work is done. For the GT, I liked how one of my reference photos showed the car’s dirt and patina from racing. I tried to capture that here."

How did you come to specialise in painting automotive subjects?

"I was a Marketing Director, mom, and homeschooled our son for 16yrs. When he started college, my husband suggested I go take a few art classes through our local college. I had received a scholarship when I graduated high school, but married and never finished a semester. I started with figurative drawing and thought that was where I would direct my art. When my husband purchased a 1961 Ford Thunderbird (we call her “Maybelline”), we began attending car shows. FUN FACT: She’s been around the Circuit of the Americas F1 track twice with Felipe Massa and Marcus Ericsson for pre-race parades. 

Around this time, my husband challenged me to create a painting of a car. I didn’t think it would be for me, but I painted an orange GMC truck. I was hooked! I loved the lines, reflections, and the car culture. I also felt that my figurative drawing exposure was the perfect segway to vehicle art. The curves of the human body translated to the metal and carbon fiber of cars."

What other Fords have you painted and are there any others that you'd particularly like to paint? 

"To date I have painted the Ford GT (2’x4’), 1966 Arctic Blue Mustang (2’x4’), 2009 Ford GT40 (4’x6’), 1956 Thunderbird (3’x3’), and 1963 Mercury Monterey (4’x6’) 

As for what other Fords I would like to paint, I can see myself painting: a vintage truck, Bronco, Fairlane, Model A, 1951 Mercury, Continental, Sunliner, Comet, and Cougar. It always depends on which vehicles I come across. I have requests in with car clubs, and folks will send me possible reference photos from time to time. There are so many beautiful Ford cars throughout history. I would also like to paint the newest Ford GT from the front as I think her hood is pretty amazing too."

We'd like to thank Shan for taking the time to speak to us!

Info about Shan Fannin
Website: shanfannin.com
Social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, +Google

In April 2016, 6,506 car enthusiasts from around the world applied to purchase one of the first 500 production Ford GT supercars. Now, for one lucky applicant in Scandinavia, the wait is over after receiving the keys to one of the very first Ford GTs to be delivered to a customer in Europe.

In race car form the Ford GT was designed to take on the Le Mans 24 Hours and win, a feat it achieved at the first attempt in 2016. In road form, the Ford GT uses a carbon fibre body, 655 PS 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 engine and technology including Drive Modes to deliver a road-legal experience that’s as close to a race car as it gets.

Jason Watt, a racing driver from Denmark, is now the owner of a new 347 km/h (216 mph) supercar.



Jason’s new Ford GT is the first in his home country of Denmark, and the whole of Scandinavia. And just like the previous generation 2005 Ford GT that he used to own, this Ford GT is being modified so that it can be hand-operated by Jason, who was paralysed from the chest down following a motorcycle accident in 1999. A roof rack will be fitted so that Jason can easily transport his wheelchair.

Jason Watt

“My Ford GT is probably the world's fastest car that can park in disabled parking spaces.”

It’s the ultimate track showdown: Eight models from the Ford Performance global line-up pushed to their limits on a circuit together for the very first time.

A post shared by Ford Europe (@fordeurope) on Jan 29, 2018 at 9:21am PST

The sequence was filmed in partnership with Castrol Edge during a tight four-hour window, during which all eight Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Team drivers took time-out from a pre-season Ford GT race car tyre test to shoot.

Andy Priaulx, Harry Tincknell, Olivier Pla and Stefan Mücke from the World Endurance Championship, and Dirk Müller, Joey Hand, Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe from the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, each took the wheel of a Ford Performance model – setting off at intervals and culminating in an eight-way battle through the final bends and finish straight. The time trial was the first and probably only chance to find out if a Fiesta ST could beat a Le Mans-winning Ford GT race car.




At the Motorland race circuit near Barcelona, Spain, the Ford F-150 Raptor; Fiesta ST, all-new Fiesta ST, Focus RS, new Mustang GT, Mustang GT350R, Ford GT road car and Ford GT race car go head-to-head in a staggered time trial around one lap of the 5.345 km circuit.

Can a 216 mph (347 km/h) Ford GT supercar get from New York’s Central Park to Niagara Falls faster than a plane?

British TV trio Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May attempt to solve this conundrum in an episode of +The Grand Tour.


Ford’s +Emma Bergg watched the race unfold, and while she cannot say who won, she does hint at some of the fun viewers can expect to see.

“In this episode, Jeremy, driving the Ford GT, races James and Richard who are both travelling together because Richard is still recovering from his big accident in Switzerland. The really interesting part is that it is an actual race – the two separate film crews don’t communicate with one another and it really does go down to the wire.”

Watch the trailer below and after you've seen the full episode let us know how you enjoyed it in the comments.

What a machine. #TheGrandTourhttps://t.co/dRMlixT2wB pic.twitter.com/VJrWYUoEc6

— The Grand Tour (@thegrandtour) December 17, 2017

After another year spent sampling the best cars money can buy at exotic locations around the world, the lucky petrol-heads at +Top Gear magazine have named their favourites from 2017.

Topping the list for thrills on the track is the Ford GT – winner of the BBC Top Gear Magazine Track Car of the Year Award.



The ultra-high-performance supercar has a top speed of 216 mph – fast enough to cover the length of a football pitch every second. The Ford GT even has a Track setting as one of its five Drive Modes, making it easier for thrill-seekers to get a glimpse of what it’s like to race the Le Mans-winning Ford GT race car, just like our Ford Chip Ganassi Racing drivers.

Earlier this year the Ford GT was taken on an epic road-trip across Norway, ending up setting a lap-record at the world’s most northernmost race track. +Top Gear also had fun exploring the supercar’s super-fast driving in their own film.

Charlie Turner, Top Gear editor in chief.

“Every single journey reminds you that this is a Le Mans winner with fewer stickers, a better paintjob and a radio."

And from supercars to superminis – Ford's all-new Fiesta has picked up the BBC Top Gear Magazine Supermini of the Year Award.


In 2018 +Ford Europe will introduce their fast Fiesta ST, with Drive Modes just like its bigger brother.

The Alps have some of the most spectacular scenery in Europe, cut through with some of Europe's greatest driving roads. A fitting place then, to discover the charms of the Ford GT.


+Matthias Malmedie and +Helge Thomsen were the lucky duo who got to drive the Ford GT through the spectacular Alpine scenery, they are regular hosts of RTL2's automotive series "Grip" and have driven many a supercar.


+Michelin who provided the Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres which feature at each corner of the supercar.


The two also met +Larry Chen, who has travelled worldwide taking photos of the most iconic sports cars.


Having the Ford GT around was too good an opportunity to miss. Time for a photoshoot!





It certainly looks like an amazing day, but judge for yourself after watching the full video!

Racing is more than driving. It takes over your life.

This short film, featuring Ford Performance driver Andy Priaulx, shows the dedication required to be a professional racing driver.

Recently the Ford GT drove Norway's Atlantic Ocean road, undoubtedly one of Europe's greatest driving roads, but why did the Ford GT head North?

To tackle the northernmost race track, the Arctic Circle Raceway, and to set a lap record. Here is Stefan Mücke's record breaking lap!

#MondayMotivation - A record breaking lap of the Arctic Circle Raceway on-board the #FordGT
Want more? Go here 👉 https://t.co/K86Q2ph0Lf ^RW pic.twitter.com/TRjSVYa0k2

— Ford in Europe (@FordEu) October 9, 2017

Like or retweet this video on Twitter.

Even top motoring journalists like +Chris Harris, who's reporting features regularly on +Top Gear, have had to wait a while to get a chance to drive the new Ford GT.

Was it worth waiting for? Find out below.

It’s an incredible feat of engineering that during the height of summer is bathed in sunlight almost around the clock – and all-year round is guaranteed to quicken the pace of any visitor.



The Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway – the Land of the Midnight Sun – consists of a string of eight bridges that connects the towns of Kårvåg and Vevang in the most dramatic way possible. Not for the fainthearted, especially in adverse weather, there is even one stretch where the road seems to disappear completely.



The location for the latest in the video series Europe’s Greatest Driving Roads is seen through the windscreen of a Ford GT supercar that is later shown setting a fastest lap time at the world’s most northerly racetrack, just 30 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle.

+Steve Sutcliffe - internationally renowned motoring journalist

“The Atlantic Ocean Road has to be driven to be believed. Only the most hardened cynic could fail to be unmoved by a journey across scenery of such unimaginable beauty. I had to break our rating system on this occasion, and score the road 11/10 for scenery. What else can you do on a route where you can actually see whales when you are driving along?”

The Norwegian trip is the seventh video from +Ford Europe's Greatest Driving Roads series, achieving a score of 53/60 on factors including thrills, accessibility and hospitality.

The Ford GT is now available in a new limited-edition Heritage theme honouring the GT40 Mark IV race car driven to victory by Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt at Le Mans in 1967. The car will feature unique interior and exterior colour themes, and an exclusive wheel finish.



Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance

“In creating a worthy successor to the ’66 Heritage edition, we logically looked at our next historic Le Mans victory with the all-American team of Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt. The Ford GT ’67 Heritage edition pays homage to that win, with a modern take on one of the most important vehicles in Ford’s storied history of racing.”

The Ford GT ’67 Heritage edition features a gloss-finish Race Red exterior with white stripes and exposed carbon package. The car sports Frozen White No. 1 hood and door graphics, and 20-inch one-piece forged aluminum wheels in silver satin clearcoat with black wheel nuts. Red callipers and silver rearview mirror caps complete the look.


The interior features new leather trimming for the carbon fibre seats, with red accent stitching, which carries over to the steering wheel. The seat belt webbing is now red and the paddle shifters are anodised grey. Satin dark stainless appliqués are used on the instrument panel, door register bezels and x-brace.



Rounding out modifications to the ’67 Heritage edition car are a unique serialised identification plate, plus exposed matte carbon fibre door sills, air register pods and centre console.

Garen Nicoghosian, exterior design manager for the car.

“The first Heritage edition car was a huge success, honouring our history with a modern interpretation of the Le Mans winner. Continuing with a Ford GT based on the winning GT40 Mark IV race car was simply something we needed to do.”

The Ford GT ’67 Heritage edition can be viewed at FordGT.com using the configuration tool. Limited quantities will be available for the forthcoming model year.