The 24 Hours of Le Mans is a single day endurance race, but for many it is worth a career. There are those who have won it 9 times and those who have lost it in the last lap. It is ensured by those who complete the most laps in the space of 24 hours, but above all those who manage to bring the car intact under the checkered flag. Speed, talent, physical fitness, mental lucidity and even a little luck are the characteristics that a winning team at Le Mans must have, a team of three drivers capable of driving the car at their best for 24 hours, night included. make no mistakes and hope the car holds up.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, a century of racing later is still cult
It has always been held on the famous Circuit de la Sarthe. The first edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans dates back to 1923, it took place on 26 and 27 May and it was won by André Legache and by Renè Léonad with the Chenard & Walker Sport car. At that time the circuit measured 17 km and the winning team completed 128 laps at an average speed of 92 km/h. The following years were the domain first of Bentley and then of Alfa Romeo, then the 1936 edition was canceled for economic reasons, while the Second World War ended Le Mans for several years.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, many accidents especially in the past
There have been many accidents at Le Mans, but the most famous certainly dates back to 1955: Pierre Levegh’s Mercedes 300 SRL ended up in the crowd after a contact with Lance Macklin triggering a catastrophe: Levegh and 83 spectators died and another 120 they were injured. Until 1969, the race began with the riders crossing the track on foot and then boarding. From 1970 for safety reasons the procedure was eliminated. The skit dated 1969 by Jacky Ickx remains famous: the pilot slowly crossed the runway to show the risks of the manoeuvre.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, the historic rivalry between Ford and Ferrari
The return of Ferrari after 50 years immediately made one think of the famous duels on the track. If today the Maranello company has Toyota in its sights, in the sixties there was the great challenge between the reds and Ford. In 1963 Henry Ford II decided to focus on racing. To do this, he tried to buy Ferrari by offering 10 million dollars, but Enzo Ferrari refused. Then Ford decided to direct that investment to the engineering of the brand to guarantee a sort of revenge. The Ford GT40 succeeded in winning the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans against its rival Ferrari.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans, movie stars among the drivers
Since 1949, on the other hand, it has been a fixed appointment in the month of June, with the Ferraris being the great protagonists of those years. Since the start of the World Sports-Prototype Championship in 1952, many champions have alternated between F.1 and endurance racing, including Le Mans: Phill Hill, Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss and Mike Hawthorn. In addition to film stars such as Steve McQuenn Paul Newman who took part in only one 24 Hours, in 1979, at the age of 54, coming close to winning. And again Jean-Louis Trintignant, or more recently Patrick Dempsey.