Le Mans

24 Hours - a gruelling test of man & machine. From the very early beginnings to present day - Bentley to Porsche.

TARTAN SPONSORS FOR THE GULF OILS PORSCHE - The Porsche's await the start of the 1970 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans. Both were out before half distance.

E-TYPE 503 BBO BLASTS AWAY FROM THE LE MANS START - Charles, partnered by Coundley pass the Maserati Tipo 151 in the stripes of Briggs Cunningham - both failed to finish.

THE HARE! - Moss shot off at the start of the 1953 Vingt Quatre heures du Mans, but finished second, largely due to a blocked fuel filter.

FIRST OUTRIGHT VICTORY FOR PORSCHE AT LE MANS - Entered by Porsche Konstruktionen K.G., Attwood and Herrmann won this classic 24 Hour race in wet conditions in 1970.

GERMAN ENTERED GT40 FINISHED SIXTH - Kelleners and Jost performed superbly in their 'private' GT40 being the first home after the 'works' cars from Ford, Porsche and Matra.

V12 LAGONDA - The DP166 of Poore and Parnell drives through the scrutineering area, with the second place Aston Martin DB3S of Collins and Frere behind.

THE RUN TO THE CHEQUER - Ickx, in the car, together with van Lennep won the 1976 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans in their Martini Racing Porsche System 936. Note the tv helicopter!

LIGIER WITH MASERATI ENGINE - Entered by Automobiles Ligier, this JS2 retired on lap 82 of the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1974 with broken engine valve gear. Here seen passing the fun fair in the Esses.

FETTLING IN TELOCHE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LE MANS - The Porsche mechanics get the Carrera RSR of van Lennep and Muller ready before the 1973 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans.

AUTODELTA S.P.A. -A trio of Alfa Romeo T33/2's finished fourth, fifth and sixth at Le Mans in 1968, this being the last of them driven by Italians, Casoni and Biscaldi.

WINNING COMBINATION - Powering through the Esses in 1969, Ickx and Oliver won in the Gulf Oils sponsored Ford GT40, followed by an Alfa Romeo T33/2.

FOURTH AT THE CIRCUIT DE LA SARTHE IN 1973 - Muller made a blistering start from eighteenth on the grid in the Martini Racing Porsche Carrera RSR that he shared with van Lennep.

CLASSIC LE MANS - da Silva Ramos, shared the Scuderia Ferrari entered 250 TR 59 with Cliff Allison but succumbed to gearbox issues after just forty-one laps in 1959.

DUELLING MARTINI PORSCHES - Rounding Tetre Rouge, the crowd, photographers and solitary Gendarme look suitably impressed with these beautiful race cars.

FAMOUS VICTORY FOR THE CAT FROM COVENTRY - Ex POW Rolt and extrovert personality Hamilton won the 1953 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans by four laps from the sister car.

N.A.R.T. - The North American Racing Team Ferraro 250 TRI/61 of the Rodriguez brothers pushed the front runners hard, but retired less than 30 laps from the finish.

LE MANS DEBUT FOR BELL - An inauspicious start to his legendary 24 hour career, Bell is still the most successful British driver with five overall victories at Le Mans.

THE BLAST FROM THE ESSES TO TETRE ROUGE - Classic Le Mans, the Bell/Peterson 512 S leads the sister N.A.R.T. car of Posey & Bucknum during the 1970 endurance race.

ECURIE ECOSSE JAGUAR - What a beautiful car. American, Masten Gregory shared the D-type with quintessential Englishman, Innes Ireland, at the 1959 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans.

PREVIOUS DISTANCE RECORD - The 917K of Marko and van Lennep covered over 5,000 kms, a distance record that stood for thirty-nine years until Audi in 2010.

SMILES, DESPITE THE TRAGEDY - Hawthorn and Bueb won the infamous Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans 1955 in their D-type, which claimed over eighty lives, partly triggered by Hawthorn.

MARANELLO CONCESSIONAIRES - Hill shared the gorgeous 330 P with Jo Bonnier and finished runner-up in the 1964 24 Hour Le Mans.

SILVER STEED - The curvaceous 356 awaits the start of the 1953 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans.

CLARK WAITS TO JUMP IN TO THE ASTON MARTIN DBR1/300 - He shared the car with Roy Salvadori and finished a creditable third overall.

CLASSIC SHAPE - A Porsche 910, with beautiful flowing bodywork, sadly retired with 'rocker' trouble in the 1968 edition.

MARKO SITS PATIENTLY IN THE WINNING CAR - Marko and van Lennep won for the Martini International Racing Team.

DREARY LE MANS - A Gendarme looks wet and weary at Le Mans in 1977 as a Porsche 934 speeds past in the drizzle.

A MURKY START - The winning XK-120C sits towards the centre of the image (number 20).

LIGHT TRACER - A time delay photograph taken at Tetre Rouge as night falls. Classic French countryside.

J. W. AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING - David Yorke prepares to set 'Herbie' Muller on his way to second at Le Mans in 1971.

S.P.A. ALFA ROMEO - This was the reserve car for the Italian squad and sadly did not participate despite passing scrutineering.

HERCULEAN EFFORT - Chinetti drove for 22.5 hours of the 24, giving him his third victory, this time with Lord Selsdon.

E-TYPE LIGHTWEIGHT - The racing colours of Briggs Cunningham adorn the beautiful Jaguar E-type Lightweight of Pabst and Hangsen.

THE CATS PURR BEFORE THE OFF - Moss and Walker's D-type ahead of Rolt/Hamilton and Whitehead/Wharton in similar cars.

BP GREEN - Car owner David Piper, with co driver Attwood drive their BP green privateer Ferrari 250 LM to seventh overall.

VICTORIOUS SCUDERIA - A lovely image of the winning Ferrari 375 Plus at the 1954 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans.

CLEAR THE WAY! - Scuderia Filipinetti enterened this Ford GT40 in their classic colours of red, with white stripes.

ECURIE ECOSSE - Flockhart leaves his starting number block to jump in to his Ecurie Ecosse entered Tojeiro-Jaguar at Le Mans in 1959.

PROJECT CARS - A pair of Aston Martin DP215's sit on the pit lane before the start of the 1963 race. Number eighteen was driven by Hill and Bianchi.

FORD LINE-UP - The winning Ford as entered by Shelby American Inc and driven by Americans Gurney and Foyt at the 1967 24 Hours.

PACKED TRIBUNES - The old Tribunes above the pits are full of spectators, as an Alpine M64 passes during the 1965 race.

MULSANNE CORNER - Barnato rounds the Mulsanne corner winning the 1929 race in his Bentley Speed Six, 'Old Number One', with Henry 'Tim' Birkin.

STIRLING MOSS - Moss and co-driver, Peter Walker, finished a creditable second overall at Le Mans in 1953, in their beautiful C-type.

WINNING DRIVER - Gendebien runs to his Ferrari (out of picture) that he shared with Phil Hill to win the 1962 race. Number three is a Maserati Tipo 151.

COBRA POWER - Number four of Hugus and Jopp sits alongside the sister car of Sanderson and Bolton at the 1963 race.

MIRAGE - Another great pit shot this time featuring the Mirage M1 of Ickx and Muir. It failed to trouble the lap timers!

DRIVER CHANGE - Attwood exits the Gulf sponsored 917K, as 'Herbie' Muller prepares for another stint. They finished second behind the Martini entered 917K.

SPARTACO DINI - What a name! Dini, partnered by Facetti finished fifth overall in the 1968 race.

LULL BEFORE THE STORM - The Kremer Porsche 935 of Ludwig and the Whittington brothers won the 1979 edition of the Vinght Quatre Heures du Mans.

WORKING THROUGH THE NIGHT - Privateers Piper and Attwood finished a creditable seventh at the 1968 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans.

AFTERSHAVE SPONSORSHIP - Jules sponsored the winning Porsche of Bell and Ickx, a classic winning combination, during the 1981 24 Hour race.

STREAMLINED STRIPES - An unusual view of the winning Ford Mk 1V. Le Mans 1967 is where Champagne was first sprayed by the victors.

LIGHTS PIERCING THE GLOOM - The shrill Peugeot 905 Evo 1 restored French pride at the 1992 Le Mans 24 Hours.

ROLT AND HAMILTON - Initially disqualified and then re-instated on race morning, Rolt and Hamilton won the first Le Mans to use disc brakes.

THE CAT STRIKES - The iconic 'Silk Cut' livery Jaguary of F1 driver Brundle, partnered by John Nielsen and Price Cobb won the 1990 edition.

FRAZER-NASH- FN was a brand of British sports car manufactured from 1922 first by Frazer Nash Limited founded by engineer Archibald Frazer-Nash.

ROAD GOING PORSCHE - The Dauer 962 GT LM was a road going Porsche developed by Jochen Dauer in to a race winning sports car.

ASTON MARTIN - A super image of the Aston Martins 'works' entered DB3S charging through the 'Esses' at Le Mans in 1953.

ROTHMANS 956 - Ickx and Bell finished second to the sister car of Schuppan, Holbert and Haywood in 1983.

DAVID BROWN LOOKS ON - Privateers Baillie and Fairman finished ninth overall in their Aston Martin DBR1/300 during the 1960 race.

MULTI WINNERS - Ludwig and Johansson both won Le Mans on multiple occasions, whilst 'Brilliant' Bob Wollek failed to register a victory.

CUNNINGHAM BRUTE - The Chrysler powered Cunningham, entered by Briggs Cunningham, finished tenth overall at the 1953 Le Mans.

LONG TAIL TWELVE - A super image of the 'long tail' Alfa Romeo T33/2, entered by Autodelta S. P. A.

RUNNERS-UP - Moss and Collins, either side of the winning Ecurie Ecosse D-type of Flockhart and Sanderson, took the fight to the Scottish team but ended up one lap shy of overall victory.

WINNING TRIUMVIRATE - Schuppan, Haywood and Holbert won the 1983 race ahead of the sister car of Ickx and Bell.

GENEVA SALON CAR - After leaving Geneva the beautiful 375 MM Berlinetta entered the Le Mans 24 Hours, but ended up in the sand, despite the attempt of Count Baggio to extricate it.

TETRE ROUGE - Baghetti and Maglioli exit Tetre Rouge on the run down the Mulsanne straight during the 1964 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans.

TOP TEN RESULT - the ASA Cachia-Bondy entered Carrera RSR finished a creditable tenth overall in 1974 Le Mans and fourth in class, seen here rounding Mulsanne corner.

BEST OF THE 911 T'S - The Jean-Pierre Gaban entered 911 T finished twelfth and first of the 'T' versions of the 911 in 1968.

FIVE TIME WINNER - Bell won the Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans on five occasions and in 1974 finished fourth, having paired with ex-motorcycle ace, Mike Hailwood.

1-2-3 CLEAN SWEEP - Porsche System finished in the first three places, with the Ickx/Bell car crossing the line first.

ASTON MARTIN VICTORY - Whilst Aston Martin won this famous race in their DBR1/300 after 323 laps, this super DB4 GT was the second car to retire after only 21 laps.

REFUELLING A PORSCHE 917K - The second placed car is refuelled at the Le Mans 24 Hours of 1971, with David Yorke presiding.

EXITING ARNAGE - Gonzalez and teammate Trintignant won a thrilling, but wet 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Gonzalez also setting the Fastest Lap of the race.

BRAKING FOR THE FORD CHICANE - The 'Silk Cut' Jaguar of the Americans, but entered by Tom Walkinshaw, did not trouble the lap keepers.

AUTOMOBILI OSCA - Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili constructed this pair of 1500cc beauties, but sadly neither were classified at the end of the 1954 Le Mans 24 Hours.

SCRUTINEERING IN THE BASKETBALL HALL - The gorgeous Ferrari 340 MM Pinin Farina Berlinetta gets a close looks from eagle eyes.

HOTEL DE FRANCE - A solitary Ford GT40 leaves the garage at La Chartre-sur-le-Loir for the short drive to Le Mans for the 1968 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans.

GO! Maranello Concessionaires entered this Ferrari Dino 206 S for Hobbs and Parkes. They did not finish.

PORSCHE CONVOY - Ballot-Lena and Elford's Carrera RSR passes the stricken NART Ferrari 365 GTB/4 of Paoli and Couderc through the 'Esses' at Le Mans in 1974.

FILM STAR ATTRACTION - Film star, Paul Newman, shared this bright red 935 with pro driver Stommelen and car owner Barbour. where they finished second.

PORSCHE SNAKE - Polensky and von Frankenberg at the head of the 'snake' finished a remarkable fourth overall, first in class at the 1955 Vingt Quatre Heures du Mans.

THROUGH THE ESSES - The Ferrari 330 P2 of Guichet and Parkes drifts through the atmospheric 'Esses' at Le Mans in 1965.

SCREAMING ROTARY - German Weidler negotiates the Ford Chicane on his way to a memorable victory in 1991. The sound of the rotary engine was unforgettable.

BATHING IN THE PRE-RACE SUNSHINE - The Porsche 917K of Hobbs and Hailwood did not make the finish due to a crash avoiding Facetti's Alfa Romeo.