The film is based on the true story of American car designer Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon) and British driver Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale), who teamed up to build a racing car that could take on the dominant Ferrari team at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966. The story begins with Miles, a talented but struggling racing driver, who is approached by Shelby, a former racing driver turned car designer. Shelby and Miles form an unlikely partnership, with the goal of creating a car that can defeat Ferrari at Le Mans.