13/06/2023
Will you watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend? And which marque will you be rooting for? Personally, I’m pulling for Ferrari—if for no other reason than this 100th anniversary race will be the first time Ferrari has fielded a factory-backed team (as opposed to privateers) since 1973. With the full weight of the company behind the effort, there is so much history that goes with it.
Over the years Piero Ferrari and I have discussed the company’s DNA, and he really felt (and I agree) that during the company’s formative years, it was endurance racing and not Formula 1 that made Ferrari, FERRARI. From that first victory at Le Mans in 1949 in a 166 Barchetta, into the 1950s with machines such as the 375 MM and 375 Plus, all the way in to the 1960s and the 250 SWBs, 250 GTOs and even the 250 LM, they were Ferraris that looked as if they could be driven to the track, compete, win, and driven home. In other words, there was a very strong link between Ferrari’s endurance racers and what the public bought, one that really went away when Formula 1 became their sole competition platform in the 1970s.
Another reason I’m pulling for Ferrari is they haven’t won the race outright since 1965. That victory came in this car, 250 LM chassis 5893 GT. Interestingly, it was fielded by Ferrari importer/distributor Luigi Chinetti and his North American Racing Team (i.e., N.A.R.T.). This LM is one seriously cool piece that for several years raced with some regularity at Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona in Florida. After one good shunt and rebuild in 1968, chassis 5893 GT competed into early 1970, where it finished 7th overall at Daytona. It was then bought and “put away wet” by the Indianapolis Motor Museum so it remains in largely original condition. After several absent decades it would be nice to see some “rosso” atop the Le Mans podium…Buona Fortuna, Ferrari!
&car