24h Le Mans
In 1983 the "Star Wars" trilogy ended with the release of "Return of the Jedi," while at Le Mans Porsche's domination continued with its eighth victory at the 24 Hours.
1983 at Le Mans - That year, Jacky Ickx was the first driver to score three consecutive pole positions at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But he would not win a seventh victory: the fate of the race was sealed in the second lap at the Mulsanne turn when the Belgian driver and Dutch driver Jan Lammers had a dust-up. Having restarted in 43rd position after a pit stop, Ickx and his teammate Derek Bell finished on the second step of the podium behind winners Vern Schuppan, Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood. After the implementation of technical regulations for Group C prototypes in 1982, Porsche - with its factory team and several clients - swept the 51st edition of the 24 Hours, with eight 956s in the top eight spots. With that eighth victory, Porsche was only one win away from the record that had been held at the time by Ferrari since 1965.
1983 at the movies - As usual, "Star Wars Episode VI-Return of the Jedi," directed by Richard Marquand, was number one at the box office in 1983. Among the pack of directors who along with George Lucas formed what was referred to as the "new Hollywood" (Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola), Brian de Palma directed the wildly popular "Scarface" (written by Oliver Stone), played by a more over-the-top than ever Al Pacino. Released in the U.S. on October 21, 1983 (in 1984 in Europe), "The Right Stuff," adapted from a book by Tom Wolfe, revisits with humour the epic tale of the Mercury space program astronauts. In France, Isabelle Adjani triumphed in "L'été meurtrier" ("One Deadly Summer") and François Truffaut filmed his movie, "Vivement dimanche!" ("Confidentially Yours").
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY & SUNDAY JUNE 18-19 1983. In addition to winners Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood, two other American drivers claimed podium finishes at the 51st edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans: Mario Andretti and his son Michael, third, along with French driver Français Philippe Alliot at the wheel of the Kremer Racing team's private No. 21 Porsche 956.
