The 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 36th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 28 and 29 September 1968 on the Circuit de la Sarthe, in Le Mans, France.
Originally scheduled for the weekend of 15 and 16 June, the race had to be delayed until September due to protests, strikes, and civil unrest in France during the summer of 1968. The rescheduled race increased the chances of the Group 6 Prototypes against the Group 4 Sports cars, as the new Prototype cars had matured during the season. It also increased the amount of darkness that drivers would be racing in compared to June, by about three hours: a total of 11 hours. Its new date made it the tenth and final round of the 1968 World Sportscar Championship of a tense and close championship between Ford and Porsche.
The winners were Pedro Rodriguez and Lucien Bianchi, in the J.W. Automotive Gulf-Oil Ford GT40. Despite Porsche finishing second and third, the victory was enough to give Ford the manufacturer's title.
There were also two major accidents during the race ending the racing careers of Willy Mairesse and Mauro Bianchi (Lucien's younger brother), who both suffered severe burns in the crashes.
1st 9 Rodriguez / Bianchi Ford GT40 J. W. Automotive Engineering Ltd. 331 24:00:00.000 4452.880 kms 185.536 1st S5.0 1st 3001-5000
2nd 66 Steinemann / Spoerry Porsche 907 LH Squadra Tartaruga 326 24:00:00.000 4378.720 kms 182.446 1st P3.0 1st 2001-2500
3rd 33 Stommelen / Neerpasch Porsche 908 Porsche System Engineering 325 24:00:00.000 4366.220 kms 181.920 2nd P3.0 1st 2501-3000
4th 39 Giunti / Galli Alfa Romeo T33/2 Autodelta S.P.A. 322 24:00:00.000 4326.230 kms 180.259 3rd P2.0 1st 1601-2000
5th 38 Facetti / Dini Alfa Romeo T33/2 Autodelta S.P.A. 315 24:00:00.000 4231.910 kms 176.325 4th P2.0
6th 40 Casoni / Biscaldi Alfa Romeo T33/2 Autodelta S.P.A. 305 24:00:00.000 4097.200 kms 170.716 5th P2.0
7th 21 Piper / Attwood Ferrari 250 LM David Piper 302 24:00:00.000 4060.390 kms 169.182 2nd S5.0
8th 30 de Cortanze / Vinatier Alpine A220 Renault Société des Automobiles Alpine 297 24:00:00.000 3998.710 kms 166.012 6th P3.0
9th 57 LeGuellec / Serpaggi Alpine A210 Renault Ecurie Savin-Calberson 289 24:00:00.000 3887.890 kms 161.995 7th P2.0 1st 1151-1600
10th 52 Thérier / Tramont Alpine A210 Renault Société des Automobiles Alpine 288 24:00:00.000 3866.380 kms 161.199 8th P1.3
11th 53 Wollek / Ethuin Alpine A210 Renault Trophée Le Mans-Alpine 282 24:00:00.000 3789.790 kms 157.907 9th P1.3
12th 43 Gaban / Vanderschrieck Porsche 911 T Jean-Peirre Gaban 281 24:00:00.000 3783.850 kms 157.660 1st GT2.0
13th 64 Laurent / Ogier Porsche 911 T/R Claude Laurent 276 24:00:00.000 3710.940 kms 154.622 2nd GT2.0
14th 55 Nicolas / Andruet Alpine A210 Renault Société des Automobiles Alpine 272 24:00:00.000 3658.800 kms 152.971 10th P1.3 1st 1001-1150
15th 50 Enever / Poole Austin-Healey Sprite Donald Healey Motor Co. Ltd. 255 24:00:00.000 3421.070 kms 152.450 11th P1.3
16th 46 Martin / Mésange Fiat Dino Ecurie Fiat-Abarth France 253 24:00:00.000 P2.0
24 авг 2024
