1966 24 Hours of Le Mans

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1966 24 Hours of Le Mans
Previous: 1965 Next: 1967
Index: Races | Winners

The 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 34th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 18 and 19, 1966. It was also the seventh round of the World Sportscar Championship.

Contents

[edit] Pre-race

In 1966, the Ford Mk. II had become reliable. Shelby test driver Ken Miles managed to win at the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring with the big block Ford. Ford sent no less than eight Mark II to La Sarthe, entered by three teams: Shelby, Holman & Moody and Alan Mann Racing.

Ferrari sent only two works P3s to compete against the Ford armada. Another P3 was entered by NART, and four 365 P2 were entered by Ferrari's usual private partners.

[edit] Race

The two works P3s were involved in an accident. At 01:45 the P2s had already exhausted their engine in trying to keep contact with the Mk. II and the last Ferrari prototype, the Pedro Rodríguez/Richie Ginther NART P3 retired with overheating. The race was won for Ford.

At the last pit stop, three Mark IIs were in front. Ken Miles and Denny Hulme were leading, followed by Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon in the same lap. Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson were third, but twelve laps behind.

At the finish, Ford decided to stage publicity photo between Miles/Hulme and McLaren/Amon with the No. 5 following, too. According to witnesses, McLaren left a small margin to Miles and it was expected than Miles/Hulme will be declared winner after the examination of the photo finish. But the ACO declared the McLaren/Amon car had won the race, having covered more distance in 24 hours, as it had started the race several places behind the Miles/Hulme car. The ACO estimated the difference to 8 meters. This was a terrible disappointment for Ken Miles who expected the triple crown Daytona-Sebring-Le Mans as a reward for his investment in the GT40 development. The well-known photography published by the Ford Motor Company showing McLaren leading Miles, with the MkII of Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson third, may have fooled some people, but this document doesn't show the finish line and the public doesn't know at what time the picture was shot. The finish remains, however, the closest in Le Mans history.

[edit] Official Results

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Engine Laps
1 P
+5.0
2 Flag of the United States Shelby-American Inc. Flag of New Zealand Bruce McLaren
Flag of New Zealand Chris Amon
Ford GT40 Mk.II Ford 7.0L V8 360
2 P
+5.0
1 Flag of the United States Shelby-American Inc. Flag of the United Kingdom Ken Miles
Flag of New Zealand Denis Hulme
Ford GT40 Mk.II Ford 7.0L V8 360
3 P
+5.0
5 Flag of the United States Holman & Moody / Essex Wire Corp. Flag of the United States Ronnie Bucknum
Flag of the United States Dick Hutcherson
Ford GT40 Mk.II Ford 7.0L V8 348
4 P
2.0
30 Flag of Germany Porsche System Engineering Flag of Switzerland Jo Siffert
Flag of the United Kingdom Colin Davis
Porsche 906/6L Carrera 6 Porsche 2.0L Flat-6 339
5 P
2.0
31 Flag of Germany Porsche System Engineering Flag of Germany Hans Herrmann
Flag of Germany Herbert Linge
Porsche 906/6L Carrera 6 Porsche 2.0L Flat-6 338
6 P
2.0
32 Flag of Germany Porsche System Engineering Flag of Germany Udo Schütz
Flag of South Africa Peter de Klerk
Porsche 906/6L Carrera 6 Porsche 2.0L Flat-6 337
7 S
2.0
58 Flag of Germany Porsche System Engineering Flag of Germany Günther Klass
Flag of Germany Rolf Stommelen
Porsche 906/6 Carrera 6 Porsche 2.0L Flat-6 330
8 GT
5.0
29 Flag of the United Kingdom Maranello Concessionaires Flag of the United Kingdom Piers Courage
Flag of the United States Roy Pike
Ferrari 275 GTB/C Ferrari 3.3L V12 310
9 P
1.3
62 Flag of France Société des Automobiles Alpine Flag of France Henri Grandsire
Flag of Italy Leo Cella
Alpine A210 Renault 1.3L I4 311
10 GT
5.0
57 Flag of Belgium Ecurie Francorchamps Flag of Belgium Pierre Noblet
Flag of Belgium Claude Dubois
Ferrari 275 GTB Ferrari 3.3L V12 310
11 P
1.3
44 Flag of France Ecurie Savin-Calberson Flag of France Jacques Cheinisse
Flag of France Roger Delageneste
Alpine A210 Renault 1.3L I4 307
12 P
1.3
45 Flag of France Société des Automobiles Alpine Flag of France Guy Verrier
Flag of France Robert Bouharde
Alpine A210 Renault 1.3L I4 307
13 P
1.3
46 Flag of France Société des Automobiles Alpine Flag of Switzerland Mauro Bianchi
Flag of France Jean Vinatier
Alpine A210 Renault 1.3L I4 306
14 GT
2.0
35 Flag of France "J. Franc" Flag of France Jacques Dewes
Flag of France Jean Kerguen
Porsche 911S Porsche 2.0L Flat-6 284
15 P
1.3
50 Flag of France Jean-Louis Marnat & Cie Flag of France Claude Ballot-Léna
Flag of France Jean-Louis Marnat
Marcos Mini Marcos GT 2+2 BMC 1.3L I4 258

[edit] Did Not Finish

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Engine Laps
16 S
2.0
33 Flag of Germany Porsche System Engineering Flag of the United States Peter Gregg
Flag of Sweden Sten Axelsson
Porsche 906/6 Carrera 6 Porsche 2.0L Flat-6 321
17 P
+5.0
3 Flag of the United States Shelby-American Inc. Flag of the United States Dan Gurney
Flag of the United States Jerry Grant
Ford GT40 Mk.II Ford 7.0L V8 257
18 P
1.3
49 Flag of the United Kingdom Donald Healey Motor Company Flag of Ireland Paddy Hopkirk
Flag of the United Kingdom Andrew Hedges
Austin-Healey Sprite Le Mans BMC 1.3L I4 237
19 S
5.0
14 Flag of Switzerland Scuderia Filipinetti
Flag of the United Kingdom F.R. English Ltd. / Comstock Racing
Flag of the United Kingdom Peter Sutcliffe
Flag of Switzerland Dieter Spoerry
Ford GT40 Mk.I Ford 4.7L V8 233
20 P
5.0
21 Flag of Italy SpA Ferrari SEFAC Flag of Italy Lorenzo Bandini
Flag of France Jean Guichet
Ferrari 330 P3 Ferrari 4.0L V8 226
21 GT
5.0
26 Flag of the United States Ed Hugus Flag of Italy Gianpiero Bascaldi
Flag of France Michel de Bourbon-Parma
Ferrari 275 GTB Ferrari 3.3L V12 218
22 S
5.0
28 Flag of Belgium Equipe Nationale Belge Flag of Belgium Gustave Gosselin
Flag of Belgium Eric de Keyn
Ferrari 250LM Ferrari 3.3L V12 218
23 P
1.3
47 Flag of France Société des Automobiles Alpine Flag of Sweden Berndt Jansson
Flag of Finland Paul Toivonen
Alpine A210 Renault 1.3L I4 217
24 S
5.0
59 Flag of the United States Essex Wire Corporation Flag of the United States Peter Revson
Flag of the United States Skip Scott
Ford GT40 Mk.I Ford 4.7L V8 212
25 S
5.0
15 Flag of France Ford France S.A. Flag of France Guy Ligier
Flag of the United States Bob Grossman
Ford GT40 Mk.I Ford 4.7L V8 205
26 P
5.0
19 Flag of Switzerland Scuderia Filipinetti Flag of Belgium Willy Mairesse
Flag of Switzerland Herbert Müller
Ferrari 365 P2/P3 Ferrari 4.4L V12 166
27 S
5.0
60 Flag of the United States Essex Wire Corporation Flag of Germany Jochen Neerpasch
Flag of Belgium Jacky Ickx
Ford GT40 Mk.I Ford 4.7L V8 154
28 P
5.0
27 Flag of the United States North American Racing Team (NART) Flag of the United States Richie Ginther
Flag of Mexico Pedro Rodríguez
Ferrari 330 P3 Spyder Ferrari 4.0L V12 151
29 P
1.3
28 Flag of the United Kingdom Donald Healey Motor Company Flag of the United Kingdom John Rhodes
Flag of the United Kingdom Clive Baker
Austin-Healey Sprite Le Mans BMC 1.3L I4 134
30 P
5.0
17 Flag of Belgium Ecurie Francorchamps Flag of Belgium Jean Blaton
Flag of France Pierre Dumay
Ferrari 365 P2/P3 Ferrari 4.4L V12 129
31 P
5.0
20 Flag of Italy SpA Ferrari SEFAC Flag of Italy Ludovico Scarfiotti
Flag of the United Kingdom Mike Parkes
Ferrari 330 P3 Ferrari 4.0L V12 123
32 P
1.15
55 Flag of France Société des Automobiles Alpine Flag of France André de Cortanze
Flag of France Jean-Pierre Hanrioud
Alpine A210 Renault 1.0L I4 118
33 P
2.0
41 Flag of France Matra Sports SARL Flag of France Johnny Servoz-Gavin
Flag of France Jean-Pierre Beltoise
Matra M620 BRM 1.9L V8 112
34 P
+5.0
9 Flag of the United States Chaparral Cars Inc. Flag of the United States Phil Hill
Flag of Sweden Joakim Bonnier
Chaparral 2D Chevrolet 5.4L V8 111
35 P
+5.0
7 Flag of the United Kingdom Alan Mann Racing Ltd. Flag of the United Kingdom Graham Hill
Flag of Australia Brian Muir
Ford GT40 Mk.II Ford 7.0L V8 110
36 P
2.0
34 Flag of France Auguste Veuillet Flag of France Robert Buchet
Flag of Germany Gerhard Koch
Porsche 906/6 Carrera 6 Porsche 2.0L Flat-6 110
37 P
2.0
42 Flag of France Matra Sports SARL Flag of France Jo Schlesser
Flag of the United Kingdom Alan Rees
Matra M620 BRM 1.9L V8 100
38 P
+5.0
6 Flag of the United States Holman & Moody Flag of the United States Mario Andretti
Flag of Belgium Lucien Bianchi
Ford GT40 Mk.II Ford 7.0L V8 97
39 P
1.15
53 Flag of France S.E.C. Automobiles CD Flag of France Georges Heligouin
Flag of France Jean Rives
CD SP66 Peugeot 1.1L I4 91
40 P
5.0
18 Flag of the United States North American Racing Team (NART) Flag of the United States Masten Gregory
Flag of the United States Bob Bondurant
Ferrari 365 P2 Ferrari 4.4L V12 88
41 P
1.15
51 Flag of France S.E.C. Automobiles CD Flag of France Claude Laurent
Flag of France Jean-Claude Ogier
CD SP66 Peugeot 1.1L I4 54
42 P
1.3
54 Flag of the United States North American Racing Team (NART) Flag of France François Pasquier
Flag of France Robert Mieusset
ASA RB613 Ferrari 1.3L I4 50
43 P
5.0
24 Flag of Italy Scuderia San Marco Flag of France Jean-Claude Sauer
Flag of France Jean de Mortemart
Serenissima Jungla GT Spyder ATS 3.5L V8 40
44 P
+5.0
11 Flag of Italy Prototip Bizzarrini SAL Flag of the United States Sam Posey
Flag of Italy Massimo Natili
Bizzarrini 5300GT Chevrolet 5.4L V8 39
45 P
2.0
43 Flag of France Matra Sports SARL Flag of France Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
Flag of France Henri Pescarolo
Matra M620 BRM 1.9L V8 38
46 P
5.0
16 Flag of the United Kingdom Maranello Concessionaires Flag of the United Kingdom Richard Attwood
Flag of the United Kingdom David Piper
Ferrari 365 P2 Spyder Ferrari 4.4L V12 33
47 P
1.3
61 Flag of Italy ASA Flag of Italy Spartaco Dini
Flag of Italy Ignazio Giunti
ASA RB613 Ferrari 1.3L I4 31
48 P
+5.0
8 Flag of the United Kingdom Alan Mann Racing Ltd. Flag of the United Kingdom Sir John Whitmore
Flag of Australia Frank Gardner
Ford GT40 Mk.II Ford 7.0L V8 31
49 P
1.15
52 Flag of France S.E.C. Automobiles CD Flag of France Pierre Lelong
Flag of France Alain Bertaut
CD SP66 Peugeot 1.1L I4 19
50 P
2.0
36 Flag of the United Kingdom Maranello Concessionaires Flag of the United Kingdom Mike Salmon
Flag of the United Kingdom David Hobbs
Ferrari Dino 206S Ferrari 2.0L V6 14
51 P
+5.0
4 Flag of the United States Holman & Moody Flag of the United States Mark Donohue
Flag of Australia Paul Hawkins
Ford GT40 Mk.II Ford 7.0L V8 12
52 P
2.0
38 Flag of the United States North American Racing Team (NART) Flag of the United States Charlie Kolb
Flag of the United States George Follmer
Ferrari Dino 206S Ferrari 2.0L V6 9
53 P
+5.0
10 Flag of Italy Prototip Bizzarrini SRL Flag of Switzerland Edgar Berney
Flag of Switzerland André Wicky
Bizzarrini P538 Chevrolet 5.4L V8 8
54 S
5.0
12 Flag of the United Kingdom F.R. English Ltd. \ Comstock Racing Flag of the United Kingdom Innes Ireland
Flag of Austria Jochen Rindt
Ford GT40 Mk.I Ford 4.7L V8 8
55 P
2.0
25 Flag of Italy Scuderia San Marco
Flag of the United States North American Racing Team (NART)
Flag of Italy Nino Vaccarella
Flag of Italy Mario Casoni
Ferrari Dino 206S Ferrari 2.0L V6 7

[edit] Statistics

  • Pole Position - #3 Shelby-American Inc. - 3:30.6
  • Fastest Lap - #3 Shelby-American Inc. - 3:30.6
  • Distance - 4843.09km
  • Average Speed - 210.795km/h

[edit] Trophy Winners

  • Index of Performance - #30 Porsche System Engineering
  • Index of Thermal Efficiency - #33 Ecurie Savin-Calberson