Introduction

Ford v Ferrari (titled Le Mans '66 in some European countries) is a 2019 American biographical sports drama film directed by James Mangold and written by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, and Jason Keller.

Plot

The plot follows a determined team of American and English engineers and designers, led by automotive designer Carroll Shelby and his British driver, Ken Miles, who are hired by Henry Ford II and Lee Iacocca to build a race car to defeat the perennially dominant Italian racing team Scuderia Ferrari at the 1966, 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France.

Ford, Ferrari & Fiat

In 1963, Ford Motor Company Vice President Lee Iacocca proposes to Henry Ford II to boost their car sales by purchasing Ferrari, dominant in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Owner Enzo Ferrari uses Ford's offer to secure a deal with Fiat that allows him to retain ownership of the firm's racing team, Scuderia Ferrari, and insults Ford and his whole company. This leads Ford into ordering his racing division to build a car to compete against Ferrari at Le Mans, and Iacocca hiring Shelby American owner Carroll Shelby, a retired driver who won Le Mans in 1959. Shelby enlists his friend Ken Miles, a hot-tempered British racing driver and mechanical engineer.

Shelby, Miles & Ford

Shelby and Miles develop the UK-built Ford GT40 MK I prototype at Los Angeles International Airport. At the launch of the new Ford Mustang, Miles gives a witheringly rude appraisal of it to Ford Senior Vice President Leo Beebe. Beebe campaigns against sending Miles to the upcoming race at Le Mans as a public relations liability. Shelby reluctantly excludes Miles and sends Phil Hill and Bruce McLaren to Le Mans; none of the Fords finish. When Ford demands why he should not sack Shelby, Shelby explains that despite the GT40's reliability problems, it instilled fear in Enzo Ferrari by reaching 218 mph (350.8 km/h), on the Mulsanne Straight before breaking down. He says a race car cannot be designed by committee. Ford tells him to continue the project and report directly to him. During testing of the GT40 Mk II, the recurrent problem of brake fade causes a crash and fire, which Miles survives. The team realizes the rules permit replacing the whole brake assembly during the race.

Shelby-Ford Agreement

In 1966, Beebe takes over the racing division. When he and Ford arrive to inspect the program, Shelby locks Beebe in his office and gives Ford a ride in the GT40. Shelby makes an agreement with Ford: if Miles wins the 24 Hours of Daytona, then he will race at Le Mans. If not, Ford will take full ownership of Shelby American. At Daytona International Speedway, Beebe enters a second GT40 supported by a NASCAR team with quicker pit stops. However, Shelby clears Miles to push his car beyond the 7,000 RPM redline, and he wins.

Triple Final Ford Finish

At the next race at Le Mans, Miles struggles with a faulty door during the first lap. The pit crew fixes it and Miles sets lap records catching the Ferraris. The GT40 suffers brake fade while dicing with the prototype 330 P3 Ferrari of Lorenzo Bandini, so Miles limps into the pits for replacement of the entire braking system. Ferrari protests but Shelby assures race officials it is legal. Miles and Bandini duel on the Mulsanne Straight until the Ferrari breaks down, putting Bandini out of the race. With Fords in the top three positions, Beebe orders Shelby to have Miles slow down for the other Fords to catch him and give the press a three-car photo finish. Shelby tells Miles what Beebe wants but says it is Miles's call. Miles initially continues to set new lap records, but decides to comply on the final lap. McLaren is declared the winner as, having started behind Miles, his car traveled further overall. Miles is placed second. Shelby accuses Beebe of deliberately costing Miles the win, but an unusually sanguine Miles lets it pass, saying to Shelby, "You promised me the drive, not the win." From his vantage point, Enzo Ferrari tips his hat to Miles on the track. As they walk off together, Shelby tells Miles they will win Le Mans next time.

Epilogue

Two months later, during testing at Riverside International Raceway, a mechanical failure in the J-car kills Miles in a crash. Six months later, Shelby parks outside Miles's widow Mollie's house and hesitates. Miles's son Peter arrives and the two talk about Miles. Shelby gives Peter a wrench that Miles once threw at him in anger. A textual epilogue text reveals Ford continued its Le Mans winning streak in 1967, 1968, and 1969, and Miles was posthumously inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2001.

Film Shooting & Production

Filming began on July 30, 2018, and lasted for 67 days, taking place in California; New Orleans, Louisiana; Atlanta; Savannah; and Statesboro, Georgia, as well as Le Mans, France. Race scenes that appear in the film as Daytona were filmed at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana; many other race scenes were filmed at a Honda test track in Mojave Valley (doubling for the Willow Springs Raceway), on the Big Willow road course at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, and at the Porsche Experience in Carson (for the Dearborn test track). A few scenes were filmed at tracks and roadways in Georgia such as Hwy 46 in Statesboro, Georgia. The Le Mans grandstands, pits, and garages were replicated at the Agua Dulce Airpark in Agua Dulce. The hangar area where the cars were developed (originally at LAX) was filmed at Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California.

Awards & Recognition

On its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2019, and was theatrically released in the United States on November 15, 2019, by 20th Century Fox. Critics praised the performances (particularly Bale and Damon), Mangold's direction, the editing, the sound design and the racing sequences. It was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the ten best films of the year, and at the 92nd Academy Awards received four nominations, including Best Picture, and won Best Film Editing and the final award for Best Sound Editing.[5][6] Bale also received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Drama and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.