MATRA MS640

Henri Pescarolo lies in a hospital recovering from burns he suffered when the Matra MS640 he was driving crashed during Le Mans test days in 1969

1969 - On the sports car side, a near tragedy very nearly struck the team again during April test days at Le Mans.

For 1969 a futuristic new coupé, designated the MS640, had been built with bodywork based on the aerodynamic theories of Robert Choulet, a former associate of Charles Deutsch, builder of the superstreamlined CD Le Mans cars,.

The 640 used much the same running gear as its predecessor, but was covered with bulbous bodywork that featured tall vertical tail fins to aid straight-line stability.

During April test days Henri Pescarolo crashed heavily in the new 640 and barely escaped with his life. His injuries included severe burns to the face, from which it would take the better part of the remainder of the year to recover.

The 640 project was set aside, forever as it turned out and four other cars were entered in the race, all with Matra engines.

FORD MIRAGE M12

1982 - Harley Cluxton, concessionaria Ferrari e Lamborghini de Phoenix, Arizona, comprou a Mirage de John Wyer alguns anos atrás, e John Horsmann, diretor técnico, veio a se estabelecer nos Estados Unidos onde projetou um novo carro construindo pela Tiga Race Cars na Inglaterra. Testado no túnel de vento de alta velocidade da Lockheed em Atlanta, o carro conta com um avançado efeito aerodinâmico, impulsionado por um motor Ford-Cosworth DLF V-8 de 3955 cm³.

O carro contará com a presença de Mario Andretti ao volante, que tem se mostrado muito eficaz no desenvolvimento. Mario tem um interesse particular nesse projeto, porque ele nunca escondeu que uma de suas ambições ainda não cumpridas é a de vencer as 24 Horas de Le Mans.

Formará dupla com seu filho Michael, e eles sem dúvidas serão uma das atrações da prova. O carro correrá com as cores da Pionner, Valvoline e Goodyear.

LE MANS

1955 - At the 1955 running of Le Mans, Pierre Levegh's Mercedes spun into the grandstand, killing eighty-three spectators. For Phil Hill, it was a barbarous introduction to the European circuit. He made his debut in 1955, he also scored three wins 58/61/62.

Well done, mate ! Let's do this again !

1975 - 24 Hours of Le Mans, The Gulf GR-8 driven by Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell won the race. The other Gulf had mechanical problems and finished third, leaving second position to a Ligier piloted by Guy Lafosse and Guy Chasseuil. The gap between the winning Gulf and the Ligier was only one lap.

" Well done, mate ! Let's do this again !" 

Bell and Ickx congratulate each other before starting on the champagne.

BOMBSHELL

Le Mans 1973 - Marie-Claude Beaumont, Chevrolet Corvette, finished 12º, 24 Heures Du Mans

DEREK BELL

REAL ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE SHOOTING OF THE FILM

Looking at Derek Bell's scorched face one can understand why wearing a full-face helmet would be painfull 

1970 - " It was sometime in August and I was doing a sequence with Steve. He was driving his 917 and I was in the 512 I normally drove, which belonged to Jacques Swaters. I was playing the Erich Stahler character and wearing an open-face helmet with a Nomex mask. It was quite a long sequence starting at the Mulsanne corner and running all the way to the Ford chicane. We were to follow the GT40 camera car, which Rob Slotemaker was driving, part of the way, then pass him at some point and he would follow us as we diced back and forth. "

Black smoke billows from the burning 512, "I don't think Jacques Swaters is going to be pleased about this", Derek remembers thinking.

They completed the run without any problems, and when the two reached the Ford chicane they radioed back with their walkie-talkies that they were returning.

Steve McQueen started off on the return run, but Derek couldn't get his car in gear. He fiddled with it for a bit and finally managed to find first. Knowing there was a problem with the box, he stayed in that gear and drove slowly back around the track.

The smoldering remains of Jacques Swater's Ferrari 512S is hosed down by the fire crew. French Ferrari collector Pierre Bardinnon bought the wreckage for $5,000.

He'd just gone through Indianapolis in the opposite direction when he heard a loud WHOOMP and the cockpit was engulfed in flames. Derek hit the fire extinguisher several times, but the safety pin was apparently still in and it didn't go off. The crews had been constantly working on the cars and there'd been numerous occasions when the extinguishers had been set off accidentally.

It took Derek almost ten seconds to get his belts off, open the door, and tumble out. When he got to his feet he saw one of the film crew who'd been filming the sequence running out of the woods.

"I shouted 'Call the fire brigade!' Derek says, "and as soon as I said that I felt pain on my face and realized I'd been burned, so I added, "And an ambulance as well!".

Derek Bell as "Erich Stahler"

Derek believes that something shorted out on the Ferrari's instrument panel. There may have been a little fuel on the floor and all that was needed to set things off was a spark.

"It was bloody painful for the first few days and I had to keep the burns covered with cream and dressed properly, which was a nuisance, " Derek says, "But the main problem was that I had a Formula 2 race to do that weekend at Enna down in Sicily. I was leading the championship and didn't need this."

LE MANS 1971

Alan Hearn, Ray Jones and Dixie Dean to puush the pole-sitting langneck 917 of Rodriguez / Oliver to the start of the 1971 Le Mans 24 Hour race. The car was delayed by overheated rear wheel bearings then retired due to a split oil hose. In the background is a welcome banner promoting Steve McQueen's film, Le Mans.

Morreu o Criador das "24 HORAS DE LE MANS"

Charles Faroux

1957 - Faleceu em fevereiro último o criador e animador da mais importante corrida de automóveis do mundo, as "24 Horas de Le Mans", Charles Faroux, aos 84 anos.

Ainda em 1955, quando essa corrida sensacional enlutou o esporte automobilístico, com o abalroamento da Mercedes-Benz número 20, de Levegh, Charles Faroux era o árbitro da prova, e ordenou que a mesma prosseguisse, pois, não obstante a magnitude da catástrofe em que perderam a vida 82 pessoas, e mais de 100 foram feridas, "estavam presentes 300.000 espectadores, assim como os intêresses de dezenas de fábricas", segundo as razões que apresentou para a continuação da corrida.

Ecurie Ecosse

.

Que carro para Le Mans ?

.

Duas vitórias sucessivas na tradicional prova 24 horas de Le Mans projetaram o nome da organização dirigida por David Murray. Fundada há cinco anos, limitava-se mais a provas de âmbito nacional. Em 1956 arriscaram-se os dirigentes da Ecurie Ecosse a uma prova de grande projeção, Le Mans , até então considerada verdadeira prova para fábricas ou milionários, como Briggs Cunningham.

.

A confiança depositada no único Jaguar D Type que possuíam e uma paciente revisão e regulagem do mesmo pagaram dividendos. A grande prova foi vencida com galhardia; porém, a situação financeira da sociedade tornou-se insustentável. Auxílios diversos tornaram possível uma nova tentativa e nova vitória foi conquistada em 1957.

.

Aproveitou-se, então, David Murray para lançar um apelo aos entusiastas do automobilismo de competição contribuirem para a manutenção da equipe, a fim de livrá-la das dificuldades financeiras. A idéia foi aceita e imediatamente concretizada através da Associação Escuderia Escócia, uma espécie de clube, que promete retribuir os benefícios recebidos por meio de conferências, filmes, informações e (como não podia deixar de ser) emblemas.

.

Superada a crise financeira um outro problema surgiu para a temporada que ora se inicia: Com que carro competir ? Os modelos Jaguar D Type não são mais produzidos. O mais novo que a Escuderia possui, vai entrar no terceiro ano de fabricação. É certo, entretanto, que a equipe competirá em Le Mans com dois carros.

.

Somente uma marca inglesa possui atualmente os requisitos necessários para as provas Sport: o Aston Martin DB8 Mark III, com 2.922 cilindradas. Os demais modelos não possuem cilindrada suficiente para uma 24 Horas de Le Mans, ou, se possuem, excedem de 3.000 cilindradas, como é o caso das marcas Lister e Tojeiro, ambas impulsionadas por motor Jaguar D de 3,442 cilindradas.

.

Uma coisa é certa, a equipe de David Murray estará em Le Mans para tentar mais uma vitória ...

.

*