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Snapshot, 1966: A subdued celebration for Ford at Le Mans

It’s the podium celebration at Le Mans in 1966, but you’d scarcely believe that Henry Ford II and his drivers have just claimed a sensational 1-2-3 victory in the gruelling endurance race, given their subdued appearance…

We suspect the tense atmosphere on the podium might have something to do with the confusion immediately after the race. Ford’s planned photo finish has just backfired after the French officials determined that the second-placed car of Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon had covered a greater distance (40 yards) than the leading GT40 of Ken Miles and Denny Hulme, thus being ruled the victor. For Henry Ford II, though, this is of little concern – not only has he beat his bitter rival Enzo Ferrari in Europe, but he’s also scored the first ever Le Mans victory for an American-built car. Perhaps save the bottle of Moet for later, Henry? 

Photo: Central Press via Getty Images

Relive the good old days with our series of vintage snapshots.