Ford Vs. Ferrari: A Lesson About “The Establishment”

A Big Topic

There’s a lot to cover in this topic, and if you’re a gear-head, you’re already well aware of what went on. We’re going to look at the iconic 24-hour endurance race at Le Mans in a slightly different light. Essentially, what happened here is greater than the race, the companies involved, or the drivers. 

What is important is what happened with the “establishment”. The basic idea of Henry Ford II was to win the race with his vehicles to globally launch the Ford brand. Prior to the race, Ford offered to buy Ferrari, which didn’t build assembly-line vehicles but instead constructed “bespoke” options individually through deliberate craftsmanship. 

It is suspected that nationalism compelled Ferrari to reject the offer, and so the rivalry was born. American ingenuity and resources combined in a positive way to dominate Le Mans in 1966. Three Ford cars won the 24-hour endurance test, though in a sad twist of fate, Ken Miles was instructed not to cross the finish line first even though he was ahead. 

The Grease Monkeys Under The Hood

Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles worked closely together with a fine engineering team to develop the Ford GT40, a vehicle that had to be designed to sustain high speeds for a long amount of time, and not literally fly off the track. They did their job well, and won the race—as Henry Ford II knew they would. August that year, Ken Miles died testing a prototype Ford vehicle.

See, Henry Ford knew a top-tier team of mechanical wizards would be necessary to compete against Ferrari, and by extension the world’s automotive industry. The idea was, when Ford won, that would be the best possible publicity in terms of marketing, allowing Ford to launch itself as a global provider of quality vehicles. 

So the amazing achievements of the team Ford II put together are attributed to his company, and the people who actually made it happened don’t get the same recognition. Essentially, the “establishment” used talent for their means, and though they “fairly” treated those who they used to get to their goal, those individuals didn’t get near the recognition they deserved. 

Just ask yourself: who has a more memorable name—Ken Miles, Carroll Shelby, or Henry Ford II? Well, thankfully, a little of the proper recognition those who made the race a success for Ford deserved has been won back owing to the 2019 film Ford Vs. Ferrari with Christian Bale as Miles and Matt Damon as Shelby. 

The Lesson

Here’s the lesson: the establishment on either side of the rivalry used the little guys to get what they wanted. Shelby and Miles did so well, there was no question that American-manufactured Ford would win. But it wasn’t Henry Ford II who did it, it was those who he hired. In the process, for PR, Ken Miles was forced to slow down for a Ford photo finish.

Now Ken Miles would have caught some sure abuse from Henry Ford II if he eschewed the directives put on him, and simply won the race. But he died in August. So the question is: what would it have mattered? And there’s the lesson. The “Establishment” has its own aims, and sometimes if you follow along, you’ll lose a blessing you didn’t have to. 

It’s a fine story of skill and achievement among artisans of their craft. Ford’s win is certainly notable for its corporate infrastructure and the quality that can be produced through larger resources. What do you think? 

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