24h Le Mans
In addition to the return of the World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series, this fall 2015 has seen the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans embodied in the context of two events combining elegance and great motorsports history.
At the second edition of Arts & Elégance at Chantilly (September 6), the jury honoured two exceptional cars seen at Le Mans. The following weekend in Great Britain, the Goodwood Revival (September 11-13) arranged for several former 24 Hours of Le Mans winners to be enjoyed hitting a track again.
Ferrari and Alpine: two Chantilly prizes - In the Closed Grand Touring cars: From the city to the track from 1957 to 1973 category, first prize was awarded to the Ferrari 250 GTO. Entered by the Equipe Nationale Belge at the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans, this car finished fourth in the hands of Léon Dernier (racing under the pseudonym "Eldé") and Pierre Dumay. Unveiled during an exhibition lap as a prelude to the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Alpine Célébration received the Jury Special Prize of the Concours d'Elégance.
Chantilly: the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the heart of the jury - Among the members of the jury at the second edition of Arts & Elégance figured Gérard Larrousse, two-time winner at Le Mans in 1973 and '74 and President of the 24 Hours Drivers' Club. Already present last year, South African engineer Gordon Murray, designer of the McLaren F1 GTR that won in 1995, was once again a jury panelist in 2015.
Tom Kristensen, a win and a top 5 at Goodwood - In addition to his victory in the St. Mary's Trophy with Ford, the win record-holder at the 24 Hours of Le Mans finished fifth at the Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration at the wheel of a Lister Jaguar sporting the number...24. Noteworthy is that British driver Mark Blundell, winner at the 24 Hours in 1992, also figured in the top 10 in the St. Mary's Trophy, ninth place at the wheel of a Ford-Lotus Cortina.
Emanuele Pirro and Derek Bell, two times five at Goodwood - The Italian and the Brit, both five-time winners at the 24 Hours, shared the wheel of a Ferrari 250 LM at the Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration, finishing in 17th place. At Goodwood, Pirro also competed in the Lavant Cup in which he finish fourth at the wheel of a Ferrari 500 TRC from 1957.
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO
Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY JUNE 13 2015, PRE-RACE CEREMONIES. Unveiled at the 24 Hours circuit, the design of the Alpine Célébration was honoured at Chantilly on September 6th.
