Le Mans Classic

Le Mans Classic 2004 : In orbit!

Dithyrambic media review and grapevine has worked well: Le Mans Classic really takes off during this second edition…

The start, always an exciting moment, was given by seven previous winners of the 24 Hours who –excepting the regretted Maurice Trintignant- took part in the race: Jürgen Barth, Jean Guichet, Johnny Herbert, Phil Hill, Jean Pierre Jaussaud and Henri Pescarolo. Among the driving personalities; Mark Knopfler, Adrian Newey and the first participation of the man who was to become First Minister to Nicolas Sarkozy, François Fillon.

The car bearing the colours of Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque gives a humoristic note to this second edition. Stylist Chantal Thomass takes the relay from photographer Bettina Rheims (in 2002) for the decoration of an extremely glamorous E-Type!

A new record is broken with the highest bid in a European auction for the Bentley Speed 6 built in 1930 and winner at Le Mans the same year.

The Clubs and Le Mans 24H Club (to become the Le Mans Heritage Club) pay tribute to Panhard for the first edition contests takeoff. The results can be seen by clicking on the links (see below).

Le Mans Classic 2004 in a few figures:

  • 18 races in 24 Hours 
  • 50 Jeep shuttles for the drivers
  • 130 chassis having raced in the 24 Hour of Le Mans
  • 350 legendary racing cars 
  • 700 mechanics
  • 900 drivers
  • 900 race stewards
  • 4,000 club cars - becoming the largest European club meeting 
  • 13,000 sq m of tents
  • Over 50,000 spectators

All won a prize in their field 

On the track

Position

Team

Drivers

Cars

1

25

Cointreau
Bessade/Laurent/Magnin
Leventis/Dron
Bessade/Aguilar/Mahul
Luco/Barth/Crubile
Luco/Barth/Crubile

Bugatti 51 1930
Gordini T24s 1953
Ferrari 246 S 1960
Cd Lm 64 1964
Porsche 908/3 1971
Porsche 936 1977

2

21

Fabri/Stoop
Fabri/Stoop
Guichet/Guichet
Noblet/Prunet
Thadani
Macaluso/Wang

Aston Martin Ulster 1935
Aston Martin Db 3 S 1955
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Szt 1960
Ferrari 275 Gtb 1965
Ferrari 275 Gtb/C 1966
Ferrari 308 Gt4 Le Mans 1974

3

10

Frankel
Flood/Markey
Chiles/Ingram
Chiles/Ingram
Sheldon
Keiner/Johnson/Scalli

Bentley 3 Litres 1926
Austin Healey 100 1954
Austin Healey 3000 1961
Ford Gt 40 1965
Chevron B 16 1970
Porsche 911 Rsr 3,0l 1974

For all 2004 race results, click here.

 

Clubs Contest

Position

Club

Representative(s)

1

RENAULT

Christian Schmaltz

2

PORSCHE

Vincent Flandin

3

BENTLEY

David J Rolfe
David Benson

For all Club Contest 2004 results, click here.

 

Le Mans 24H Club (to become Le Mans Heritage Club)

Theme - Panhard-powered cars

 

Car

Representative

1

Panhard Le Mans 1951

M. Lesueur

2

Panhard Coupé 1954

M. Coural

3

Panhard Monopole LM 1955

M. Deligny

 
Jury Special Prize

 

Car

Representative

   

Lorraine Dietrich B3/6 LM 1926

 P. Leroux
For further results of the Le Mans 24H Club 2004 contest, click here.