The year 1966 introduced a new set of regulations from the Commission Sportive Internationale (CSI) known as FIA Appendix J. This system redefined motorsport categories: GT cars became Group 3, Sports Cars remained Group 4, Special Touring Cars were defined as Group 5, and Prototypes became Group 6.
As Group 7 cars were ineligible for FIA championship events, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) opened the entry list to Groups 3, 4, and 6. The FIA mandated minimum annual production runs of 500 cars for Group 3 and 50 for Group 4. While Group 4 had a maximum engine capacity of 5000cc, there were no engine limits for GTs or Prototypes. Minimum weight and fuel-tank capacity were determined by a sliding scale based on engine size.
Ford entered the 1966 season with the GT40 eligible for two categories. The 4.7-litre Mk.I was homologated for the Group 4 Sportscars 5.0 class, while the factory developed the 7-litre Mk.II for the prototype class and overall victory. The Mk.II's NASCAR-derived engine produced approximately 550 bhp, though it was registered as "485 hp" due to a lowered rev-limit set for the 24-hour race. Ford entered eight Mk.IIs and five Mk.Is. Shelby American ran three cars, including the pairings of Dan Gurney/Jerry Grant, Ken Miles/Denny Hulme, and Bruce McLaren/Chris Amon. Holman & Moody also entered three GT40s, introducing a quick-change brake pad system to reduce pit time.
Ferrari responded with the 330 P3, which featured a 4-litre fuel-injected engine producing 420 bhp. The works team entered two closed-cockpit versions, while the North American Racing Team (NART) ran an open-cockpit variant. Ferrari's preparation was hampered by industrial strike action in Italy. Other significant entries included the Chaparral 2D with its semi-automatic transmission and the new Porsche 906 Carrera 6. Matra also entered the prototype class with the M620, powered by a 1.9-litre BRM V8 engine.
Dan Gurney secured the fastest qualifying lap with a time of 3:30.6. Practice was marked by the departure of Ferrari's lead driver, John Surtees. After team manager Eugenio Dragoni changed the race plan to have Ludovico Scarfiotti start the car instead of Surtees—reportedly to favor Scarfiotti in front of his uncle, FIAT chairman Gianni Agnelli—Surtees quit the team in protest.
Another incident involved Dick Thompson in an Alan Mann Ford Mk II, who collided with Dick Holqvist's Mk.I at Maison Blanche. Although the car was initially disqualified for Thompson allegedly leaving the scene of an accident, Ford racing director Leo Beebe threatened to withdraw all Ford entries. The car was eventually reinstated, but Thompson was banned, leading Ford to fly in Brian Muir as a last-minute replacement.
The race began on a cool, cloudy afternoon with Henry Ford II serving as the honorary starter. Early in the race, Ken Miles was forced to pit to fix a door he had damaged with his helmet, while Paul Hawkins' Ford suffered a broken halfshaft. By the end of the first hour, Fords held the top three positions, led by Gurney.
During the night, heavy rain caused several accidents. Jo Schlesser's Matra, a CD driven by Georges Heligouin, and Scarfiotti’s Ferrari P3 were involved in a multi-car wreck in the Esses. As the race progressed, the Ferrari challenge faded due to overheating and mechanical failures. By the halfway point, Ford GT40s occupied the first six places.
As the race neared its conclusion, Ford held a dominant 1-2-3 lead. A plan was devised to have the three leading cars cross the finish line together for a "dead heat" publicity photo. Ken Miles, who was leading, was instructed to slow down to allow Bruce McLaren to catch up.
On the final lap, the cars of Miles (#1) and McLaren (#2) crossed the line almost simultaneously. However, official data showed McLaren's car was 6 metres ahead at the line. Furthermore, because McLaren had started approximately 14 metres (60 feet) behind Miles on the grid, the ACO ruled that McLaren's car had covered a greater total distance. Consequently, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon were declared the winners. This result denied Miles the "Triple Crown" of endurance racing, as he had already won at Daytona and Sebring that year.
The 1966 race established Ford's dominance, leading to a streak of four consecutive Le Mans wins. The event is a central piece of automotive history, later chronicled in A.J. Baime’s 2009 book Go Like Hell. It also inspired the 2016 documentary The 24 Hour War and the 2019 feature film Ford v Ferrari (released as Le Mans '66 in some territories), which won Academy Awards for Best Sound Editing and Best Film Editing.
Fastest Lap (Practice and Race): D. Gurney, #3 Ford GT40 Mk II – 3:30.6 (230.10 km/h)
Winning Distance: 4,843.09 km (3,009.36 miles)
Winner's Average Speed: 201.80 km/h (125.39 mph)
Attendance: 350,000
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