2016 Racing Schedule For The Ford GT Revealed

Unveiled earlier this year, the 600 horsepower Ford GT is the continuation of a racing legacy that began more than a half-century ago. There was never any doubt that Ford would be returning to the endurance racing world with the new GT, and a race-spec version revealed at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans competition confirmed that.

The 2016 racing season may still months away, but Ford is putting competitors on notice with an aggressive schedule that sees the GT debut next April at the U.K.’s Silverstone Circuit. A pair of Ford GTs will compete in all nine races of the GT-Endurance Pro Class for the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship, including Le Mans, and that’s not all.

In addition to the full FIA WEC schedule, a Ford GT will also be competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, debuting in January 2016 at the Rolex 24 in Daytona, Florida. With 2016 marking the 50th anniversary of Ford’s iconic 1-2-3 victory over Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Blue Oval is undoubtedly seeking a repeat of its historic performance, for bragging rights if nothing else.

“We believe the Ford GT’s advances in aerodynamics, light-weighting and EcoBoost power will make for a compelling race car that can once again compete on a global stage,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development and chief technical officer. “The same spirit that drove the innovation behind the first Ford GT still drives us as a company today. Let the racing begin!”

Meanwhile, there’s been a dearth details about the street-legal version Ford GT. While we know it’ll make at least 600 horsepower from its twin-turbo V6 and utilize a carbon fiber body, we’re still waiting on things like pricing, production numbers, and a peek at the engine. We do know it’s going to cause a lot of headaches for other automakers in the endurance racing world. The FOrd GT has a legacy to live up to after all.

Check out the full racing schedules posted below for a chance to catch a glimpse of the Ford GT in 2016.

2016 FIA World Endurance Championship Provisional Calendar

March 25/6: The Prologue, Circuit Paul Ricard, France
April 17: 6 Hours of Silverstone, Great Britain
May 7: WEC 6 Hours of Spa, Belgium
June 5: 24 Hours of Le Mans Test Day
June 18/19: 24 Hours of Le Mans, France
July 24: 6 Hours of Nürburgring, Germany
Sept. 4: 6 Hours of Mexico City, Mexico (TBC)
Sept. 17: 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas (Lone Star Le Mans), U.S.
Oct. 16: 6 Hours of Fuji, Japan
Nov. 6: 6 Hours of Shanghai, China
Nov. 19: 6 Hours of Bahrain, Bahrain

2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Schedule

Jan 30/31: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fla.**
Mar 19: Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, Fla.**
Apr 16: Long Beach Street Circuit, Long Beach, Calif. (WeatherTech Championship Prototype (P), Prototype Challenge (PC) and GT Le Mans (GTLM) only)
May 1: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, Calif.
June 4: Belle Isle Park, Detroit, Mich. (P, PC and GT Daytona (GTD) only)
July 3: Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, N.Y.**
July 10: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
July 23: Lime Rock Park, Lakeville, Conn. (PC, GTLM and GTD only)
Aug. 7: Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wis.
Aug. 21: Virginia International Raceway, Alton, Va. (GTLM and GTD only)
Sept. 17: Circuit of The Americas, Austin, Texas
Oct. 1: Road Atlanta, Braselton, Ga.**