Ford GTs could miss Paul Ricard GT1 World Championship race due to engine supply issues

Both the Marc VDS and Belgian Racing teams have suffered engine problems during the season, with one of the four GTs having used four engines already this year.

In a bid to address these problems, a number of replacement powerplants were ordered from US engine builder Roush Yates, but these were not shipped to Europe until this week due to a public holiday.

Marc VDS general manager Jean-Michel Delporte called the situation "completely unacceptable".

"We ordered and paid Roush Yates for these replacement engines in plenty of time to have them shipped, delivered and fitted in the cars ready for Paul Ricard. Now we find out they've only just been shipped because of a public holiday in the United States," he said.

"The world, especially the racing world, doesn't stop for public holidays and as an excuse this is one is pretty poor.

"The situation is simple; unless the engines arrive with us by Monday at the latest then we will not have time to fit them before the four cars leave the workshop for the South of France.

"In this instance we would have no option but to withdraw from the race, meaning there would be no Fords on the grid. The situation is made worse by the fact that, for the first time in the GT1 World Championship, Ford Europe will have a heavy presence at Paul Ricard for the race weekend."

Marc VDS lies sixth in the teams' championship with Belgian Racing eighth and last. The best-placed Ford competitor in the drivers' standings is Maxime Martin in 10th.