Press Release
The Le-Mans 24-hour Race
The most famous long distance classic in automobile sport
The unique presentation of victorious automobiles which have made history in the legendary classic in France - Over twenty sports cars from 1924 to today.
The Le Mans 24-Hour Race, held for the 74th time in 2006, is the most important sports car race in the world and the most famous long-distance classic in automobile sport. In addition to the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Monaco and the 500-Mile Race in Indianapolis, it is one of the three globally best-known motor sport events at all. It has featured in the racing calendar since 1923 and, since then, did not take place only in 1936 (because of a general strike in France in the week before the planned date) and from 1940 to 1948 (because of the Second World War).
When ACO Automobile Club de l'Ouest (by the way, the club which had staged the first Grand Prix in automobile history, i.e. the French Grand Prix in Le Mans in 1906) launched the 24-Hour Race for 1923, the idea behind it was to offer the manufacturers of production cars (sports cars) a platform on which they could prove the reliability of their products. 33 cars took part and only three dropped out.
The race was a success and, until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, developed into the most important sports car race beside the Mille Miglia in Italy which was "founded" in 1927. Famous companies such as Alfa Romeo, Bentley or Bugatti competed and won. However, Aston Martin, BMW, Chrysler or Mercedes-Benz, to name just a few, were also already participating with works cars at that time and some of them secured class victories, e.g. BMW with the two-litre 328 in 1939.
The Catastrophe in 1955
After the Second World War, it was four years before a 24-Hour Race was once again staged in Le Mans in 1949. Since then, it has taken place every year. The biggest catastrophe in the history of automobile sport in which more than 80 spectators and the Mercedes driver Pierre Levegh (the pseudonym of a French industrialist) were killed happened in Le Mans in 1955. It is incomprehensible today that the race was not stopped but instead continued for over twenty hours more until the planned end.
Success List
Ferrari (nine victories), Jaguar (five) and Ford (four) were dominant in the years from 1949 to 1969. Porsche's winning run then began in 1970 (in total, sixteen victories up to 1998). And as from 2000, Audi then made Le Mans history with six successes, including the first overall victory of a car with a diesel engine in 2006.
The "eternal" ranking of manufacturers is headed by Porsche with sixteen victories ahead of Ferrari (nine), Jaguar (seven), Bentley and Audi (six each) as well as Alfa Romeo (four). However, the holders of the coveted overall winners' title have also included Aston Martin, BMW, Mazda (as the only company with a Wankel engine), Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot or Renault.
With regard to the drivers, the Dane Tom Kristensen is the top dog with seven victories (between 1997 and 2005), followed by the Belgian Jacky Ickx (six between 1969 and 1982) and the Briton Derek Bell (five between 1975 and 1987). The most successful German driver is Frank Biela with four wins (between 2000 and 2006).
Records
The Le Mans racetrack (even today, it partly consists of public roads) is one of the quickest in the world. Over the years, it has been modified several times. Before two chicanes were incorporated into the almost six kilometres long Hunaudieres straight for "slowing-down" purposes, a Sauber-Mercedes with a top speed of 407 km/h was measured there in 1988. The race record over the entire 24 hours is 222.304 km/h, set by Dr. Helmut Marko / Gijs van Lennep (Porsche 917) in 1971. On the current course, the winners Frank Biela / Emanuele Pirro / Marco Werner (Audi R10) drove an "average" of 215.409 km/h in 2006.
Cult Film with Steve McQueen
In 1970, a lavish film was produced with the Hollywood star Steve McQueen (himself a good racing driver who took second place in the Sebring 12-Hour Race in a Porsche in 1970) - A film with realistic racing shots for which world-class drivers were available. This film has cult status today. It clearly illustrates how automobile sport and Le Mans have changed since then. Safety was an unheard-of concept at that time. The cars raced over roads without any run-out zones or crash barriers and past houses and trees ...
The Porsche 917 which won the "real" race at that time is one of the over twenty original sports cars which will be on display at the Essen Motor Show in the special show on the subject of "The Le Mans 24-Hour Race". The latest victorious vehicle from 2006, the Audi R10, can be seen on the Audi booth in Hall 3.
Bentley Sport 3 Litre from 1924
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1924 with John Duff / Frank Clement (CDN/GB) and in 1927 with Sammy Davis / Joseph Dudley "JD" Benjafield (GB).
Four cylinders, capacity: 2,996 ccm and power: 88 hp.
Bentley Speed Six from 1930
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1929 with Woolf Barnato / Tim Birkin (GB) and in 1930 with Woolf Barnato / Glen Kidston (GB).
Six cylinders, capacity: 6,597 ccm and power: 180 hp.
Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 from 1933
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1931 with Earl Howe / Tim Birkin (GB), in 1932 with Raymond Sommer / Luigi Chinetti (F/I), in 1933 with Raymond Sommer / Tazio Nuvolari (F/I) and in 1934 with Philippe Etancelin / Luigi Chinetti (F/I).
Eight cylinders, capacity: 2,336 ccm, supercharger and power: 180 hp.
Bugatti Type 57C "Tank" from 1939
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1939 with Jean-Pierre Wimille / Pierre Veyron (F).
Eight cylinders, capacity: 3,257 ccm, supercharger and power: 200 hp.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe from 1952
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1952 with Hermann Lang / Fritz Riess (D).
Six cylinders, capacity: 2,996 ccm and power: 180 hp.
Jaguar C from 1953
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1951 with Peter Walker / Peter Whitehead (GB) and in 1953 with Duncan Hamilton / Tony Rolt (GB).
Six cylinders, capacity: 3,442 ccm and power: 250 hp.
Jaguar C from 1953
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1951: Peter Walker / Peter Whitehead (GB).
Jaguar D from 1956
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1955 with Mike Hawthorn / Ivor Bueb (GB), in 1956 with Ninian Sanderson / Ron Flockhart (GB) and in 1957 with Ivor Bueb / Ron Flockhart (GB).
Six cylinders, capacity: 3,442 ccm and power: 260 hp.
Aston Martin DBR/1-300 from 1959
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1959 with Carroll Shelby / Roy Salvadori (USA/GB).
Six cylinders, capacity: 2,993 ccm and power: 260 hp.
Ferrari 250 TR from 1961
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1958 with Phil Hill / Olivier Gendebien (USA/B), in 1960 with Paul Frere / Olivier Gendebien (B) and in 1961 once again with Phil Hill / Olivier Gendebien.
Twelve cylinders, capacity: 2,953 ccm, power: 300 hp, top speed: 270 km/h and weight: 800 kg.
Ford GT 40 from 1968
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1968 with Pedro Rodriguez / Lucien Bianchi (MEX/B) and in 1969 with Jacky Ickx / Jackie Oliver (B/GB).
Eight cylinders, capacity: 4,942 ccm and power: 410 hp.
Porsche 917 from 1970
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1970 with Hans Herrmann / Dick Attwood (D/GB) and in 1971 with Dr. Helmut Marko / Gijs van Lennep (A/NL).
Twelve cylinders, capacity: 4,494 ccm and power: 600 hp.
Porsche 917
The photograph shows the overall winner from 1971. Drivers: Dr. Helmut Marko / Gijs van Lennep (A/NL).Twelve cylinders, capacity: 4,907 ccm and power: 630 hp.
Matra MS 670C from 1974
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1972 with Henri Pescarolo / Graham Hill (F/GB) as well as in 1973 and 1974 in each case with Gerard Larrousse / Henri Pescarolo (F).
Twelve cylinders, capacity: 2,993 ccm and power: 450 hp.
Alpine A442B-Renault from 1978
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1978 with Didier Pironi / Jean-Pierre Jaussaud (F).
Six-cylinder Renault engine, capacity: 1,997 ccm, turbosupercharger and power: 500 hp.
Rondeau M379B-Ford from 1980
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1980 with Jean Rondeau / Jean-Pierre Jaussaud (F).
Eight-cylinder Ford engine, capacity: 2,993 ccm and power: 500 hp.
Porsche 956 from 1982
Group C sports car.Le Mans winner in 1982 with Jacky Ickx / Derek Bell (B/GB), in 1983 with Al Holbert / Vern Schuppan / Hurley Haywood (USA/AUS/USA), in 1984 with Klaus Ludwig / Henri Pescarolo (D/F) as well as in 1985 with Klaus Ludwig / Paolo Barilla / "John Winter"(D/I/D).
Six cylinders, capacity: 2,649 ccm, turbosupercharger and power: 600 hp.
Jaguar XJR-9 LM from 1988
Group C sports car.Le Mans winner in 1988 with Andy Wallace / Jan Lammers / Johnny Dumfries (GB/NL/GB).
Twelve cylinders, capacity: 7,000 ccm and power: 750 hp.
Sauber C9-Mercedes from 1989
Group C sports car.Le Mans winner in 1989 with Jochen Mass / Stanley Dickens / Manuel Reuter (D/S/D).
Eight-cylinder Mercedes engine, capacity: 4,973 ccm, turbosupercharger and power: 720 hp.
Mazda 787B from 1991
Group C sports car.Le Mans winner in 1991 with Bertrand Gachot / Johnny Herbert / Volker Weidler (B/GB/D).
Four-rotor rotary piston engine, equivalent capacity: 4,708 ccm and power: 700 hp.
Peugeot 905B from 1993
Group C sports car.Le Mans winner in 1992 with Derek Warwick / Yannick Dalmas / Mark Blundell (GB/F/GB) and in 1993 with Eric Helary / Geoff Brabham / Christophe Bouchut (F/AUS/F).
Ten cylinders, capacity: 3,499 ccm and power: over 700 hp.
BMW LMR V12 from 1999
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 1999 with Yannick Dalmas / Pierluigi Martini / Joachim Winkelhock (F/I/D).
Twelve cylinders, capacity: 5,990 ccm and power: 600 hp.
BMW LMR V12 from 1999
Sports car.Audi R8 from 2001
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 2000, 2001 and 2002 with Frank Biela / Emanuelle Pirro / Tom Kristensen (D/I/DK), in 2004 with Rinaldo Capello / Tom Kristensen / Seiji Ara (I/DK/J) and in 2005 with Tom Kristensen / JJ Lehto / Marco Werner (DK/SF/D).
Eight cylinders, capacity: 3,596 ccm, turbosupercharger and power: 610 hp.
Bentley EXP Speed 8 from 2003
Sports car.Le Mans winner in 2003 with Rinaldo Capello / Tom Kristensen / Guy Smith (I/DK/GB).
Eight cylinders, capacity: 3,995 ccm, turbosupercharger and power: 610 hp.
Audi Safety Car from 2006
For the Le Mans Race in 2006, Audi provided the organiser (ACO Automobile Club de l'Ouest), amongst other vehicles, with six Audi RS4s for race control and as safety cars.
