Blue Oval To Send Three Ford GT Race Cars To 2017 Sebring 12H

Ford appears ready to send three of its proven Ford GT race cars to the 12 Hours of Sebring race later this month – the second event in the 2017 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series. The Blue Oval sent four Ford GT examples to do battle at last month’s 24 Hours of Daytona.

Sportscar365 reported last month that “multiple sources” had indicated that Ford Chip Ganassi Racing intends to field an extra, third Ford GT in addition to its pair of full-season cars – a notion confirmed by the team late last week. Drivers Stefan Mücke, Olivier Pla and Billy Johnson, who are set to drive for the Multimatic Motorsports-run arm of the team in this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship, will pilot the third, No. 68 Ford GT at Sebring. WEC driver Sébastien Bourdais will join IMSA colleagues Joey Hand and Dirk Müller in the No. 66 car, while WEC regular Scott Dixon will join IMSA drivers Ryan Briscoe and Richard Westbrook in the No. 67.

“This is another great opportunity for our WEC and IMSA teams to work together as the opportunity to data share is invaluable,” says Ford Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi. “There are not a lot of opportunities for us to get together so when we have the chance we will always try to take advantage of it.

“Plus, to be able to bring another car to a legendary endurance event like Sebring is something special to all of us.”