24h Le Mans
In addition to a very innovative shape, the Porsche 917 was also fitted with a special aerodynamic package when it first appeared at the 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours.
The 917 pulverised the track record in the hands of German driver Rolf Stommelen with a 3:30.700 during the 1969 preliminary tests for the 24 Hours. But a month later, the CSI decided to ban the wings following two incidents involving the two Lotus Fords of Jochen Rindt and Graham Hill during practice for the Formula 1 Spanish GP. Too dangerous to drive with its flaps in a fixed position, the 917 is allowed to use them in a moveable fashion for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Stommelen again beat the track record during qualifying with a 3:22.9 (238 kph average), taking 12 seconds off the previous year's pole position by Jo Siffert in a Porsche 908.
In the race, the three 917s are forced to retire, but the Vic Elford-Richard Attwood entry led for most of the race untila clutch problem stopped the car for good with only three hours to go. Later, the moveable flaps were banned entirely and following major revisions, the 917 became the first Porsche to win at Le Mans and the breaker of all records in 1971, with the fastest times ever seen at La Sarthe and a distance record that wouldn't be broken until 2010.
The 82nd edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be held on June 14 and 15, 2014.
Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translated by Rainier Ehrhardt / ACO
Photo : LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY, JUNE 14 AND SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 1969, RACE. Note the moveable winglet at the edge of the rear wing on the Porsche 917 driven by Vic Elford and Richard Attwood, longtime leaders of the race.
