1965 LE MANS

The 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans was a tale of contrasting fortunes for Ford Motor Company and Carroll Shelby, highlighting both setbacks in the prototype class and a triumphant parallel success in GT racing through the Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe program. After the 1964 disappointments, Ford entrusted Shelby with refining the GT40s, introducing more reliable ZF gearboxes, upgraded 4.7-liter V8s, and experimental 7-liter Mk II prototypes that showed immense speed—Phil Hill recording the fastest lap—but relentless overheating and mechanical failures retired all entries once again. Meanwhile, Shelby's aerodynamic Daytona Coupes, designed by Peter Brock to conquer high-speed tracks, dominated the GT category amid Ferrari's focus on prototypes; several Coupes competed strongly, contributing crucial points toward Shelby American's historic capture of the FIA International Manufacturers' GT Championship later that season—the first world title for an American constructor. Ferrari prototypes faltered as well, allowing a privateer 250 LM to claim overall victory. For Ford and Shelby, the race exposed enduring reliability hurdles in the GT40 but validated their dual-track assault on Ferrari dominance: the Daytona Coupe's GT successes provided momentum and expertise that directly fueled the GT40's transformative redesign, paving the road to the resounding 1-2-3 prototype sweep in 1966.