Le Mans and the Nürburgring, a one-two of giants
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Le Mans and the Nürburgring, a one-two of giants

Thirteen drivers have won both at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and at the 1,000 km N

With Monaco, Indianapolis, Monza and Spa-Francorchamps, the 13 kilometers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit and the 22 of the Nordschleife figure among these motorsports "Everests." At these circuits, a victor does not only win the race. He forever immortalizes his place in the pantheon of his sport. From the early 1950s to the early 1980s, the 1,000 km Nürburgring, raced at the Nordschleife, was a key event in endurance racing, similar to the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1,000 km of Spa-Francorchamps.

-In 1964, Sicilian driver Nino Vaccarella was the only driver to have won both races in the same year, with two different teammates: Jean Guichet at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Ludovico Scarfiotti at the 1,000 km Nürburgring.

-Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill make up the only driver line-up to have won at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1,000 km Nürburgring in the same year. It was 1962, the year of their third and final joint-win at Le Mans.

-With eight victories, Jacky Ickx has the most cumulative wins: six at Le Mans and two at the 1,000 km Nürburgring. Added to this recored are two victories at the Nordschleife in the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Germany in 1969 and 1972.

-In 1971, Gérard Larrousse was the first French driver to win the 1,000 km Nürburgring, in a Porsche 908 along with British driver Vic Elford. Two years later, he won two consecutive victories at Le Mans with Matra with Henri Pescarolo. The latter also won at the Nordschleife in 1978.

-Winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1963 then at the 1,000 km Nürburgring in 1964 and '65, Ludovico Scarfiotti-Lorenzo Bandini was the only 100% Italian winning driver line-up to win at Le Mans at the wheel of a Ferrari. A former Ferrari driver in F1 (from 1984 to 1988), Michele Alboreto won at the Nordschleife in 1982, then at Le Mans 15 years later.

-Three German drivers have won at home: Jürgen Barth, Hans-Joachim Stück and Jochen Mass.

-Two American drivers have achieved the Le Mans-Nürburgring one-two: Masten Gregory and Dan Gurney.

Fourth round of the World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of Nürburgring will take place Sunday, August 30th.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SUNDAY JUNE 21 1964, PODIUM. Three weeks after having won the 1,000 km of Nürburgring, Nino Vaccarella (at left) celebrates with his teammate Jean Guichet his win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

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