1961 - The Stirling Moss show

In 1961, Stirling Moss, who was not yet knighted but had just won the Monaco Grand Prix, took the wheel of the  Ferrari 250GT SWB (for short wheelbase). The North American Racing Team Ferrari got off to a flying start, taking the lead on the first lap. Moss, the man whose driving skills could make up for a 30 horsepower deficit, laid on a show. When rain set in, his teammate Graham Hill, boosted by the good start, pursued with some brilliance of his own and took fourth place, leaving the prototypes mesmerised by such masterful audacity. An overheated engine put an end to the driving lesson, but the tone was set. Spurred on by such a splendid performance, the Rodriguez brothers also pushed the factory Ferrari to its limits, breaking the lap record before the car declared forfeit.

1962 - Racing improves the breed

In 1962, Graham Hill completed a breathtaking first lap in the Aston Martin DP212. He was overtaken by Gendebien just before the Mulsanne Corner on the second lap, but the initial flourish remains etched on many a memory. The beautifully streamlined 4-litre machine held on to second place for a while. However, after 80 laps, the 330 hp engine snarled no more, victim of an armature failure and then a fractured oil pump pipe. In 1963, the DP214 and DP215 also held their own among the leaders, proving that the previous year had been no freak success. However, all three retired with various mechanical issues. In 1964, the only DP214 on the grid failed to see the chequered flag. 

1984-1988 - Roger Dorchy at home on the Mulsanne Straight

In 1984, Roger Dorchy got off to a scorching start in his WM, completing the first and third laps in the lead. His speed on the straight put him at an advantage but his enthusiasm got the better of him and he brushed the rails at Mulsanne Corner fourth time round. Dorchy got his revenge in 1988 when he beat the top speed record in the WM Peugeot on the Mulsanne Straight, hitting 405kph. What better way to hail the launch of the Peugeot 405? Two years later, FIA rules imposed the addition of two chicanes on the straight, meaning the record is likely to remain unbroken.

Photo: ACO Archives