PREPARING FOR LE MANS: FORD PERFORMANCE RACING SIMULATOR

June 15, 2016 by Ford

◾In May 2014, Ford Performance opened the doors to the Ford Technical Support Center in Concord, N.C. Built to support its racing program, the Technical Center immediately became a crucial piece of Ford's global racing programs

◾The centerpiece of the building is a full-motion platform simulator that allows Ford Performance drivers and teams to optimize their setups for individual track configurations and for drivers to practice driving a track ahead of an upcoming race weekend

◾Video: https://youtu.be/ftes99dVEdY

Context/background:

The Ford Performance racing simulator was a crucial building block in the Ford GT drivers' preparations for the Le Mans 24 Hours.

Details:

◾Fifty years after Ford's legendary 1-2-3 finish at the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours, Ford is returning to Le Mans

◾The four-car Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team will compete in the GTE Pro category against the likes of Aston Martin, Chevrolet and rivals Ferrari

◾In all, 12 drivers from around the world will race for Ford Chip Ganassi Racing in Ford GTs at the Le Mans 24 Hours

◾All-new Ford GT supercar is the culmination of years of Ford innovations in light-weighting, aerodynamics and efficient EcoBoost engines

◾Ford GT is powered by second-generation twin-turbo Ford EcoBoost V6 engine

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Quotes:

'First of all, I don't even know how they do this. There are some really smart people involved in this program.'

'It's all about immersion, immersing you in there. When you can see out of your peripheral, you still see the same things going by. It's as real as you can get, sitting in a room like this. When you're trying to put the lap down, you're huffing and puffing. It's amazing how sweaty you can get going nowhere.'

– Joey Hand

Driver, No. 66 Ford GT/No. 68 Ford GT at Le Mans

'You want the driver to believe they are driving the real car. We're able to use the simulator to do driver training at some of the tracks we don't get to very often, like Le Mans.'

– Mark Rushbrook

Ford Performance motorsports engineering manager

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 201,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company's core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company's plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit www.corporate.ford.com.