The 2017 Le Mans 24 Hours marks the 50th anniversary of the first appearance at the great race of a car in the now world famous powder blue and orange colours of the Gulf Oil Company.
Their colours (in a few different pantones, as has been the case throughout their racing history) are being carried this year at Le Mans by two teams, Gulf Racing UK with the full WEC entry in the LM GTE Am class and their Porsche 911 RSR and Tockwith Motorsports with their full ELMS entered Ligier JS P217 LMP2 car.
Both are proving popular with a fanbase that has always found the colour scheme an attractive one.
But what next?
2018 is another significant 50th anniversary for the brand, that of the first overall winner for the brand, the JW Automotive Ford GT of Pedro Rodriguez and Lucien Bianchi.
So what might be in store for 2018.
“We have a few interesting potential things in store but nothing I can tell you today,” said Vicki Kipling – VP Marketing Gulf Oil International, at a breakfast get together for the Gulf backed teams this morning.
It’s no secret that the brand would like to be in a position to tilt once again at the podium, last possible for them in the days of their backing for Aston Martin Racing with the late, lamented Lola Astons.
With the factory ranks of LMP1 Hybrids at numerically low levels, with several Privateer programmes coming forward at a pace, and with the possibility of a significant result therefore more accessible than at any point in around a decade and with that anniversary in mind the stars might just be aligned to see a fan favourite effort emerge!
