The 1965 winning Ferrari 250LM on display at the
IMS Hall of Fame museum, a very long time ago. (The Tomaso Collection)Although this should be Uber’ Obvious!
Suppose this is what happens when you’re deep
into listening to several hours of le 24 Heurs du Mans on Zed Intrawoods’ via
RS1. (Radio Show Ltd, Channel One)
Thus I found myself going down another endless
Wabbit’ Hole, wondering out loud how many of today’s Formula 1 constructors had
also won overall at Le Mans? Which perhaps some of you already know the answer.
As it’s a pretty significant 70% “Strike” rate,
with only three teams not competing at Circuit de la Sarthe. Although I’m left
wondering if one prominent F1 constructor has ever sponsored a winning entry?
While arguably, 60% of the current F1 grid has actually won Le Mans.
(12) Ferrari: 1949, 1954, 1958, 1960-65, 2023-25
The Prancing Horse’s list of winners reads like
a veritable Who’s who? Although not sure that could be said about most of
today’s drivers, but who knows, Eh? Since thee Krakow Kid certainly is a
“Star”.
Luigi Chinetti got the “Ball” rolling, no
Hut-Hut Omaha jokes here! For Il Commendatore, nee Enzo Ferrari in 1949, some
Gory 76 years ago! Driving the iconic “Red Barchetta”, the evocative Ferrari
166MM. With Chinetti driving an unheard of 23 Hours! While co-driver Peter
Michell-Thompson, better known as Lord Selsdon, owner of the Ferrari. Drove for
only an hour Sunday morning, around 4:25AM. As it was Chinetti’s third and
final victory.
1954 saw Doce Argentinians winning for la
Scuderia, with El Maestro and El Cabezon victorious. As Five-times F1 World
Champion Juan Manuel Fangio needs no introduction! Teamed with Jose Froilan Gonzalez,
better known as the Pampas Bull. Who also gave Ferrari its debutante Grand Prix
victory at Silverstone in 1951.
F1:
The British Grand Prix - Now and Then
As the Argentine duo were entered in a Ferrari
375+. With another four years passing by, before we get to la Scuderia’s Golden
years.
In 1958, Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill won Le
Mans aboard a Ferrari 250 TR58. Which would be the first of Gendebien’s
eventual four Le Mans victories, while Hill would claim three wins.
Driving the front engine Ferrari 250 TR58, the
pair won Le Mans for the first of their eventual combined three wins. As not
sure why? But in 1960, Gendebien won behind the wheel of a Ferrari 250 TR59/60
with Paul frere, whom I remember better as a longtime contributor to Road &
Track.
As I now know the answer to this unasked
question. Ironically Hill was paired with Wolfgang von Trips in one of that
year’s five Ferrari’s. With both von Trips and Ludovico Scarfiotti running out
of fuel on lap-22 on-track. While eventual winner Gendebien also ran out of
petrol, but was able to coast into the pits, Momma Mia!
Next, Gendebien reunited with Phil Hill for the
pair’s second victory at Circuit de la Sarthe in 1961. Behind the keyboard of
the aging, or should that be ageless? Ferrari 250 TRI/61.
For 1962, Gendebien and Hill won for the third
time together, with Gendebien becoming the first ever four times winner. Driving
a Ferrari 330 TRI/LM Spyder, the final front engine winner at Le Mans.
While I just learned that the “I” designation
in TRI stands for “Indipendente”, for independent rear suspension. As TR stands
for Testa Rossa, arguably some of la Scuderia’s most beautiful racecars!
This Le Mans specific 330 TRI/LM Spyder began
life as a 250 TRI/60 Fantuzzi Spyder. Being rebuilt twice after wrecks in the
Targa Florio, along with contesting the 1960-61 24 Heurs du Mans.
Then regulations allowed Ferrari to rebuild the
car into its final configuration with a larger 4.0-litre normally aspirated
V-12 and new bodywork. Which obviously was a different era for racecars…
1963 featured the first rear engine winner, the
Ferrari 250P piloted by Lorenzo Bandini and Ludovico Scarfiotti. With Jean
Guichet and Mino Baccarella winning behind the wheel of an “enlarged” 3.3-litre
v-12 Ferrari 275P the following year.
Then for 1965, Ferrari won for the sixth year
in-a-row thanks to the largely unexpected triumph of the privateer North
American Racing Team’s (N.A.R.T.) Ferrari 250LM. Driven primarily by Masten
Gregory and Jochen Rindt. Along with the unrecognized Ed Hugus.
As I won’t even bother trying to explain the
controversy surrounding the 250LM and Enzo not getting His way with
Homologation! With Scuderia Ferrari racing at Le Mans until 1973, when they
quit Sports car racing.
Arse-suming Y’all know the story behind
Ferrari’s current 499P, which carry’s the Nos. 50-51 in deference to it being a
half century since the last factory entry at Le Mans. As the 499P is built to
the Le Mans Hypercar regulations, with two Werks’ entries, plus a third
“customer” entry contesting the FIA World Endurance Championship. (WEC)
While the 499P shares the same 296 GTB
3.0-liter V-6 twin turbos architecture. It is a fully stressed member in the
499P Prototype. And its front axle electric motors generates an additional
268bhp, give the racecar semi-permanent All Wheel Drive.
Debuting at Sebring in 2023, the 499P was
victorious at that year’s Centenary edition of the 24 Heurs du Mans. With the
No. 51 of Antonio Giovinazzi, Alessandro Pier Guidi and James Calado ending
Toyota’s five year win streak.
Ferrari repeated at Le Mans the following year,
this time with the Seester Factory entry #50 of Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina
and Nickolas Nielsen. While AF Corse introduced the third “customer” 499P with
Robert Kubica, Robert Shwartzman and Yifei Ye. With the No. 83 winning the Lone
Star Le Mans race at Circuit Of The Americas. (COTA)
This June, Ferrari completed a Hat trick of Le
Mans victories, this time with the customer No. 83 entry of Kubica, Ye and Phil
Hanson. Bringing the Prancing Horse’s Le Mans win tally to twelve, one behind
Audi. (13) As Audi ranks second overall, while Porsche leads the way with an
astounding 19 Le Mans victories!
