Before Ford revealed its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans to the world, it was already secretly testing the vehicle it would use to compete on the track. Ford Performance is giving fans around the world an exclusive look at the Ford GT race car’s first shakedown test.

Four Ford GTs will compete next year under the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates banner – two in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship (United States) and two in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

“We’ve won races and championships, but we’ve never run Le Mans,” said team owner Chip Ganassi. “When presented the opportunity to compete with the all-new Ford GT on the world’s biggest sports car stage, and on the 50th anniversary of one of the most storied victories in racing history, how could any race team not want to be part of that? Will it be a challenge? Absolutely, but we couldn’t be with a better partner than Ford.”

This first official test kicked off the “Road to Daytona” – the seven months Ford and partners Multimatic, CGR and Roush Yates Engines would have to prepare for the GT’s first 24-hour race, the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Courtesy of SPEEDVILLE.com.