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- Le Mans Grand Prix d'Endurance
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-
- The first Le Mans was held in 26/27 May 1923 and was won by Andre Lagache and
- Rene Leonard in their 3 litre Chenard & Walcker. All races since then have
- been held in June, with the exceptions of 1956 (July) and 1968 (September).
-
- Traditionally, the race always starts at 16:00 on the Saturday, although in
- 1984 the race started at 15:00 due to the conflicting French General Election.
- The race has been held every year since then with the exceptions of 1936, and
- between 1940 and 1948, when the Second World War intervened.
-
- In the original configuration, the race track used was 10.73 miles (17.26 km)
- long, and has subsequently been shortened on several occasions. The
- traditional start, where drivers ran across the track to their race cars, was
- last used in 1969.
-
- The worst ever motorsport accident unfortunately occured during the 1955 Le
- Mans race. Having voiced his unease at the narrowness of the straight in front
- of the pits, Pierre Levegh's Mercedes struck the rear of an Austin Healey
- driven by Lance Macklin on the pit straight.
-
- The car rammed the bank, exploded, and its engine flew into the packed
- grandstand, killing 80. Levegh died instantly, and the entire Mercedes team
- was withdrawn, including Stirling Moss and Juan-Manuel Fangio. This
- precipitated the complete withdrawal from motorsport for Mercedes.
-
- Le Mans 24 Hrs past winners
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- Year Car Drivers Distance Speed
- (miles) (mph)
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- Circuit - 10.726 miles
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- 1923 Chenard & Walcker A.Lagache, R.Leonard (F) 1372.9 57.21
- 1924 Bentley 3 litre J.Duff, F.Clement (GB) 1290.8 53.78
- 1925 La Lorraine G.de Courcelles, A.Rossignol (F) 1388.1 57.84
- 1926 La Lorraine R.Bloch, A.Rossignol (F) 1586.0 66.08
- 1927 Bentley 3 litre D.Benjafield, S.Davis (GB) 1472.5 61.34
- 1928 Bentley 4.5 W.Barnato, B.Rubin (GB) 1658.6 69.11
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- Circuit - 10.153 miles
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- 1929 Bentley 6 speed W.Barnato, Sir H.Birkin (GB) 1767.1 73.63
- 1930 Bentley 6 speed W.Barnato, G.Kidston (GB) 1821.0 75.88
- 1931 Alfa Romeo 8C2300 E.Howe, Sir H.Birkin (GB) 1875.1 78.13
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- Circuit - 8.475 miles
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- 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C2300 R.Sommer, L.Chinetti (F,I) 1835.6 76.58
- 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C2300 R.Sommer, T.Nuvolari (F,I) 1953.6 81.40
- 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C2300 L.Chinetti, P.Etancelin (I,F) 1793.9 74.74
- 1935 Lagonda M45R JS Hindmarsh, L.Fontes (GB,RA) 1868.3 77.85
- 1936 Race cancelled
- 1937 Bugatti 57G JP Wimille, R.Benoist (F) 2043.0 85.13
- 1938 Delahaye 135M E.Chaboud, J.Tremoulet (F) 1976.5 82.36
- 1939 Bugatti 57G JP Wimille, P.Veyron (F) 2084.5 86.69
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- 1940-48 Race cancelled
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- 1949 Ferrari 166MM L.Chinetti, Lord Selsdon (USA,GB) 1974.9 82.28
- 1950 Talbot-Lago L.Rosier, JL Rosier (F) 2153.1 89.71
- 1951 Jaguar C-Type P.Walker, P.Whitehead (GB) 2243.9 93.50
- 1952 Mercedes-B.300SL H.Lang, F.Riess (D) 2320.1 96.67
- 1953 Jaguar C-Type T.Rolt, D.Hamilton (GB) 2540.2 105.84
- 1954 Ferrari 375 F.Gonzalez, M.Trintignant (RA,F) 2523.5 105.15
- 1955 Jaguar D-Type M.Hawthorn, I.Bueb (GB) 2569.6 107.07
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- Circuit - 8.364 miles
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- 1956 Jaguar D-Type R.Flockhart, N.Sanderson (GB) 2507.2 104.47
- 1957 Jaguar D-Type R.Flockhart, I.Bueb (GB) 2732.2 113.85
- 1958 Ferrari 250TR58 O.Gendebien, P.Hill (B,USA) 2548.8 106.20
- 1959 Aston Martin DBR1 C.Shelby, R.Salvadori (USA,GB) 2701.7 112.57
- 1960 Ferrari 250TR59/60 O.Gendebien, P.Frere (B) 2620.6 109.19
- 1961 Ferrari 250TR61 O.Gendebien, P.Hill (B,USA) 2781.6 115.90
- 1962 Ferrari 250P O.Gendebien, P.Hill (B,USA) 2765.9 115.24
- 1963 Ferrari 250P L.Scarfiotti, L.Bandini (I) 2834.5 118.10
- 1964 Ferrari 275P J.Guichet, N.Vaccarella (F,I) 2917.5 121.56
- 1965 Ferrari 250LM J.Rindt, M.Gregory (A,USA) 2906.2 121.09
- 1966 Ford GT40 Mk2 C.Amon, B.McLaren (NZ) 3009.4 125.39
- 1967 Ford GT40 Mk4 D.Gurney, AJ Foyt (USA) 2630.2 135.48
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- Circuit - 8.369 miles
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- 1968 Ford GT40 P.Rodriguez, L.Bianchi (Mex,B) 2766.9 115.29
- 1969 Ford GT40 J.Ickx, J.Oliver (B,GB) 3105.6 129.40
- 1970 Porsche 917 H.Herrmann, R.Attwood (D,GB) 2863.2 119.30
- 1971 Porsche 917 H.Marko, G.van Lennep (A,NL) 3315.2 138.13
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- Circuit - 8.475 miles
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- 1972 Matra-Simca MS670 H.Pescarolo, G.Hill (F,GB) 2915.1 121.45
- 1973 Matra-Simca MS670B H.Pescarolo, G.Larrousse (F) 3016.1 125.67
- 1974 Matra-Simca MS670B H.Pescarolo, G.Larrousse (F) 2862.4 119.27
- 1975 Mirage-Ford M8 J.Ickx, D.Bell (B,GB) 2855.6 118.98
- 1976 Porsche 936 J.Ickx, G.van Lennep (B,NL) 2963.9 123.49
- 1977 Porsche 936 J.Ickx,J.Barth,H.Haywood(B,D,USA) 2902.8 120.95
- 1978 Renault Alpine JP Jaussaud, D.Pironi (F) 3134.5 130.60
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- Circuit - 8.467 miles
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- 1979 Porsche 935 K.Ludwig,B & D.Whittington(D,USA) 2590.9 108.10
- 1980 Rondeau Ford M379B JP Jaussaud, J.Rondeau (F) 2861.4 119.23
- 1981 Porsche 936-81 J.Ickx, D.Bell (B,GB) 2998.3 124.93
- 1982 Porsche 956-82 J.Ickx, D.Bell (B,GB) 3044.2 126.84
- 1983 Porsche 956-83 V.Schuppan, H.Haywood, A.Holbert
- (A,USA,USA) 3136.5 130.70
- 1984 Porsche 956B K.Ludwig, H.Pescarolo (D,F) 3045.0 126.88
- 1985 Porsche 956B K.Ludwig, P.Barilla, J.Winter
- (D,I,D) 3157.9 131.76
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- Circuit - 8.51 miles
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- 1986 Porsche 962C D.Bell, H.Stuck, A.Holbert
- (GB,D,USA) 3088.1 128.66
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- Circuit - 8.45 miles
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- 1987 Porsche 962C D.Bell, H.Stuck, A.Holbert
- (GB,D,USA) 2977.0 124.06
- 1988 Jaguar XJR-9LM J.Dumfries, J.Lammers, A.Wallace
- (GB,NL,GB) 3313.2 137.72
- 1989 Sauber Mercedes C9 J.Mass, S.Dickens, M.Reuter
- (D,S,D) 3269.6 136.23
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- Circuit - 8.45 miles (with Mulsanne Chicanes)
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- 1990 Jaguar XJR-12 M.Brundle, J.Nielsen, P.Cobb
- (GB,DK,USA) 3040.7 126.69
- 1991 Mazda 787B J.Herbert, B.Gachot, V.Weidler
- (GB,B,D) 3058.9 127.45
- 1992 Peugeot 905 D.Warwick, Y.Dalmas, M.Blundell
- (GB,F,GB) 2992.0 124.66
- 1993 Peugeot 905B G.Brabham, E.Helary, C.Bouchut
- (AUS,F,F) 3168.8 133.34
- 1994 Dauer Porsche962LM Y.Dalmas, H.Haywood, M.Baldi
- (F,USA,I) 2912.2 121.33
- 1995 McLaren F1 GTR Y.Dalmas, JJ Lehto, M.Sekiya
- (F,SF,J) 2518.1 105.01
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- References:
- 1) Guinness Motor Racing - The Records. By Ian Morrison
- 2) Autosport, 8 June 1995
- 3) Autosport, 22 June 1995
- 4) The Guiness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. By Steve Small
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- Source: ?
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