Vern Schuppan will long remember the final lap of the 24 Hours in 1983. Driven at that time by Al Holbert, the car spat a plume of smoke from its left side exhaust and looked as if it was in danger of not crossing the finish line In one of these miracles of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and to the delight of Vern Schuppan and his other team mate Hurley Haywood, the car took the chequered flag.

Subsequently, two Australian brothers entered Le Mans history. Winner of the 24 Hours in 1993 Peugeot 905 with two French drivers, Eric Helary and Christophe Bouchut, Geoff Brabham crowned a superb career endurance racing that had been mainly in the United States. In 2008, another Peugeot, a 908 HDi FAP, carried his younger brother David, with Marc Gené and Alexander Wurz. He went on to have two consecutive wins in the GT class as factory Aston Martin driver. The first World Champion driver in Formula 1 with a rear engine (1959 and 60) and the only driver of a car bearing his name (1966), Sir Jack Brabham, who participated three times at the 24 hours, can be proud of his sons, including third son Gary, who had the satisfaction of seeing the chequered flag at the end of his only race in La Sarthe in 1989, driving a Porsche 962 C shared with Swedish Eje Elgh ... and driver/team owner Vern Shuppan.

From 2014, there is no doubt that Mark Webber will enrich the great history of Australians at Le Mans. He has unfinished business after retiring in 1998 and in 1999 his two spectacular airborne misadventures in a Mercedes. Could he be the next Australian winner in La Sarthe? He is undoubtedly the 'right stuff'.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO

Photo: CIRCUIT OF 24 HOURS (Le Mans, Sarthe), 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, RACE, June 19, 1983. The Porsche 956 (No. 3) Vern Schuppan, Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood emits a large plume of smoke.