The Ford GT race car completed its final 24 Hours of Le Mans this past weekend, but it didn't write a glowing final chapter in the nameplate's history book.
On Tuesday, the FIA and WEC disqualified two of the GT race cars that competed the LMGTE and GTE-AM classes. Specifically, the no. 68 Chip Ganassi Ford Racing GT and no. 85 Keating Motorsport cars were disqualified. The latter's disqualification bumped Porsche customer racing team, Project 1 and its 911 RSR, to victory in the GTE-AM class.
Ford GT 24 Hours of Le Mans livery, 2019
The FIA explained both cars ran fuel tanks with more fuel than regulations permit. According to the race stewards, the tank capacity of the Keating Motorsport Ford GT was 96.1 kilos, which is 0.1 kilos over the limit, per to GTE-AM class regulations. Keating Motorsport was a new addition to the fleet of GTs at Le Mans this year.
Ford GT 24 Hours of Le Mans livery, 2019
The disqualification doesn't change the victor in the LMGTE class, however. There, the no. 51 AF Corse Ferrari 488 GTE Evo claimed victory.
Project 1's original Le Mans loss didn't change the outcome of the championship in the GTE-AM class. Keating Motorsport was not a full-time entrant, thus, the team didn't score points. The news of the GT's disqualification only makes Project 1's championship a smidge sweeter.
Ford waved goodbye to the GT race program at this year's Le Mans with special liveries for each race car and said each celebrates a specific milestone from the GT and GT40's racing legacies. However, the automaker noted it was the end of "this chapter" in WEC. Certainly, we hope there's more to Ford's story at Le Mans in the future, and hopefully minus disqualifications, too.