In spite of the heroic efforts of the drivers and teams to revive it during the ensuing 24 hours, and lift it back on to its feet, at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 14th, it just fell over and died. The Zuffenhausen sports car manufacturer had been racing at the Sarthe circuit since 1951, achieving numerous class wins thanks to intrinsic Porsche qualities such as lightweight construction, aerodynamics and reliability.In the anniversary year of 1970, all the signs pointed towards an offensive that would finally see the much longed-for overall victory in Le Mans go to Stuttgart. The team’s second car, featuring a 4.9-litre engine and long-tail body, was driven by Vic Elford and Kurt Ahrens. The public were completely deceived, for they pay large sums of money to stand in the area in front of the start and to see the drivers prepare for the traditional run across the road. Compared to the traditional Le Mans start, which builds up to a climax as the start signal is given, the 1970 start was the dullest thing imaginable. 148 of these were produced in Weissach.In some years, Porsche conceded the most important race of the year to customer teams, who emerged as frequent winners. The Porsche 917, developed by Ferdinand Piëch, was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Let us know by using the email address below.Every effort has been made to trace the origins of the images. Info. This new ‘ultimate’ Porsche quickly caused a stir among rival competitors. This year would be dubbed Battle of the Titans. The Porsche 917 was destined for victory, having made its debut just a year earlier. In a unique Porsche 917 with a lightweight magnesium chassis, Gijs van Lennep and Dr. Helmut Marko drove to victory on a still largely chicane-free circuit. 24 Hours Of Le Mans: LMP1 Protoypes Take A Final Lap This Weekend Before Hypercar Rules Take Effect . Many famous drivers including Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood will also be taking part and will be available for autograph sessions.Let’s not forget about the great class win for the 914GT. The 24-hour race at Le Mans is not accepted as the greatest of all sports-car races just because it runs for 24 hours, but for many other reasons, among them the whole atmosphere of the 4 p.m. start. The 24-hour race at Le Mans is not accepted as the greatest of all sports-car races just because it runs for 24 hours, but for many other reasons, among them the whole atmosphere of the 4 p.m. start. The tubular steel frame was prone to stress cracking so they filled the frame tubes with compressed air and ran a PSI gauge to the dash. Up to 1994, different variants of the 956/962 won at Le Mans seven times. The Sindelfingen veteran combined speed and good sense. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly put a pause on a lot of major motorsport events. Compared to the traditional Le Mans start, which builds up to a climax as the start signal is given, the 1970 start was the dullest thing imaginable. (But safe and clinical, hurrah!). While the 38th running of the 24 Hours saw Porsche's first win, it was also the scene of the filming of "Le Mans," produced by and starring Steve McQueen who stayed in Le Mans for nearly six months. Programme Cover: Event: 24 Heures du Mans: Date: 14.6.1970: Track: Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans (F), 13.469 kms: Distance: 24 hours: Attendance: unknown: Le Mans 24 Hours… That may have been your last lap ever as a racing driver.” Back home in Stuttgart, his victory was celebrated with a parade, in which he drove his winning car through the city to the market square. If it lost air the driver knew there was a problem. As the race saw the factory teams entering four Ferrari 512S and five Porsche 917K, plus another nine of these 12-cylinder powered sports car entered by privateers, and provided the background for the Steve McQueen movie Le Mans. By Henry Kelsall 2 hours ago. The Porsche 917 completed precisely 5,335.313 kilometres and 397 laps in 24 hours, clocking up an average speed of 222.304 km/h (138.140 mph) despite all of the pit stops and the long night. By the time race week had arrived all question of anyone running across the road had been abandoned and it was said that the cars would still be lined up in echelon, with the drivers buckled in and the start signal would be given by lights mounted opposite the pits. At some time last year someone in the Automobile Club de l'Ouest put forward the suggestion that the traditional Le Mans start should be abandoned on grounds of safety, the principle cause being that drivers now wore full seat harness like an Air Force pilot and to run across the road at the start and jump in their cars and then buckle up all the harness was an impossibility, especially as some drivers needed the help of a mechanic to get everything buckled together. This race went down in history – and not just from the … Fifty years ago, Porsche clinched its very first win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, entering the 917 in the motorsport hall of fame. This time very few drivers could be seen, they sidled into the cars from the midst of groups of mechanics, team managers, helpers and well-wishers. An hour after the start, which saw the drivers begin the race sitting in their cars instead of performing the world-famous “Le Mans start”, Herrmann was only in ninth place. 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This year's race marks the last time that the current top-flight prototypes, and the privateer LMP1s, will do battle under this ruleset. The 917 gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. 21/07/2018 - 11:59. For me the 1970 Le Mans race fell flat on its face at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 13th, when Dr. Added on 7 Sep 2018.