Ferrari: a centenary victory… 50 years on!
Ferrari returns to Le Mans fifty years after its last appearance in the top category. Porsche, Peugeot, Cadillac and Ferrari… many manufacturers had set their sights on the centenary edition to challenge the dominance of the defending champion, Toyota.
In the end, it was the No. 51 Ferrari driven by Alessandro Pier Guidi, James Calado and Antonio Giovinazzi that came out on top.
And yet, having led for more than half the race, the Italian car’s winning run almost came to an end with twenty-three minutes to go. Just as it had pulled clear of its nearest rival, the car refused to start again during a pit stop. Two long, nerve-wracking minutes… and then it sped off again. Ferrari won the Le Mans race for the first time since 1965.
To mark this special edition, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest has commissioned a leading institution in French heritage, the Monnaie de Paris, to design a unique trophy.
The base features the Rudge-Whitworth Cup, the first prize awarded at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and bears the names of all the race’s winners. Standing over 1.5 metres tall, the bronze trophy consists of two spirals, one gold and the other black, decorated at their summits with a chequered flag, a reminder that the race is won after competing through both day and night.
Joaquin Jimenez, chief engraver and artistic director at the Monnaie de Paris, Claire Narboni, 3D designer, and Sébastien Poteloin, foundryman, are the creators of this unique work of art.
Whilst the line-up of competitors on the track is impressive, the 24 Hours Museum has also set itself a challenge worthy of this legendary race.
Throughout June 2023, the Centenary Grand Exhibition will showcase 83 authentic racing cars that have competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 1923: 60 overall winners and a selection of cars that have left their mark on the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
By a twist of fate, a car enthusiast from Essonne announced in February 2023 that he had located the grave of André Lagache, the first winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1923 in the iconic Chenard & Walcker No. 9, which had previously been lost to history.
