Le Mans Classic

Success Story

Hugues Mallet Reports

The 2010 Le Mans Classic confirmed its status as a “must do” event, not only for the drivers of the racing cars, but also for the participants in the numerous club events that included raids, concours, displays and other activities for their members, and also for 100,000 happy spectators, who were able to see, on and off track a phenomenal number of rare and exotic cars. Always a measure of success for continental events, Le Mans had a large number of British participants and spectators, continuing the on-going love affair between the Brits and this unique venue.

The principle is well known: three 45-minute races in 24 hours, and consequently including night racing, disputed by six grids divided by age of cars, all of which must have run at Le Mans in the past. Every grid was bursting at the seams, with many reserves ready to take over in case of breakdowns or incidents. This year, the meeting was held in heat-wave conditions, which had a bearing on the results, with cars and drivers suffering from the extreme temperatures.

Plateau 1

The races for the earliest cars (1923-1939) showed, like in previous le Mans Classics, two (out of four) of John Ruston’s green Talbot team cars, driven by Gareth Burnett/Alex Ames and Julian Bronson/Lee Maxted Page respectively, to be fastest in daytime practice – and indeed they took a race win a piece out of three, while Albert Otten took a first and two second places in his 328 BMW. The final score went to the consistent BMW.

Plateau 2

The second group was for cars built between 1949 and 1956, and it was always going to go to a Jaguar – Jaguar was celebrating its 75th anniversary at Le Mans in style this year – it was just a question of which one it would be. Here again it was consistency that won the day after three hotly contested races. On accumulated times, it was the D of Peter Neumark and James Baxter that took the first podium spot, ahead of the 300S Maserati of Nicolas and Henri Chambon. Nigel Webb, always quick, took third step with his C-type.

	Overall winner Grid 4 Christian Glasel 1965 Ford GT 40

Plateau 3

Pole for the cars built from 1957 to 1961 was taken by the splendid 246 S Ferrari, driven by Harry Laventis, Gregor Fisken and Bobby Verdon-Roe, which went on to dominate the first race before suffering a two-minute penalty for a pit lane infraction, which dropped it to fourth. In the second race on Saturday evening the Ferrari was again in the thick of the action as part of a three-car battle with the Lotus 15 of Roger Wills and Joe Twyman and the recently Steve Hart-restored Maserati Birdcage of Frank Stippler and Willi Balz. Despite getting caught behind a Safety Car, which separated Fisken from the leaders, he fought his way back to the front as the race went green and was leading when he was forced to retire with a minor mechanical issue. The magnificent ex-Masten Gregory Birdcage went on to win the second and third heats to take overall honours.

Dominique Guenat/Yvan Mahé 1971 Matra 660 and Harry Leventis/ Gregor Fisken/Bobby Verdon-Roe 1966 Ferrari P3

Plateau 4

The races for the cars up to 1965 was to prove less hectic at the front, with Christian Gläsel taking pole and all three races without trouble. Only Claudia Hurtgen looked challenging in the first race in a Ferrari 275/330 P until she was sidelined with mechanical woes.

Plateau 5

It looked as if the race for cars up to 1971 was also going to be a walkover for one car. Jean Marc Luco took pole and an easy victory in the first heat in his Cosworth-powered Ligier JS 3. But to win you must get to the end, which was not the case for Luco, nor for the magnificent Ferrari P3 piloted by Laventis/Fisken/Verdon-Roe, who had finished second in the first heat. Nor was it the case for Leo Voyazides, who was also lined up for a good podium finish in his Lola T70 MKIII B until his mechanics let him down in the last race. In the final reckoning, it was Bernard Thuner who tasted victory in his Lola MKIII ahead of John Sheldon’s Chevron B16.

	Henri Pescarolo 1976 Inaltera Photos Eric Sawyer

Plateau 6

Jean Marc Luco was to take his revenge in Plateau 6 for cars up to 1979. Pole and three race wins in his Porsche 936 must have tasted sweet after his disappointment in Plateau 5.

For a full report and results, see our August issue