24h Le Mans
Ferrari and Jaguar are two icons of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, boasting 10 and seven wins, respectively. The action never stops when two competitors of this magnitude cross paths on the track. Here is a look back at 1954 when the nail-biting suspense was matched only by the beauty of the cars on the grid.
The stunning racing car wowed the crowd when it reached Le Mans in May 1954. The Jaguar Type D prototype arrived from the U.K. unpainted and straight from its workshop solely for the 24 Hours. Surprisingly, it differed from its predecessor, the Type C, whose performance had impressed the previous year. That car introduced the first disc brakes, a major innovation quickly adopted by the world's carmakers. However, Jaguar had decided on a new direction by presenting this model with its incomparable aerodynamic shape and spoiler similar to the one found on the latest Hypercars. All eyes were on the Jaguar Type D's revolutionary design and carefully crafted rounded lines.
In the mid-1950s, the level of competition at the 24 Hours was particularly fierce thanks to Cunningham (bold American prototypes), Maserati (Italian marque dominating Formula 1), Aston Martin Lagonda (with its five factory DB3Ss) and last but not least, the Scuderia Ferrari. Regardless of the model, Ferrari's presence alone made even the most experienced team principals nervous. The car it fielded during that period was formidable, though less original in terms of development. The 375 Plus made its mark not through a unique design, but with its heart, and a new Lampredi V12 (just under 5.0 litres with 340 hp). The Type D's straight-six and 250 hp paled in comparison, but aerodynamics just might close the chasm.
Back then, the starting order of the race was determined by engine capacity, not qualifying. Briggs Cunningham's 8-litre C4-Rs led the pack, but the Jaguars and Ferraris soon proved their superiority. The three British cars clocked the same time, five seconds faster than the record established in 1953 by Alberto Ascari. The Cavallino Rampante followed closely behind, but the 375 Plus had some problems. The braking was ineffective and a lack of refinement caused the car to perform 20 kph slower in the Mulsanne Straight than the competition. On the other hand, its power gave it staggering acceleration.
At the start, large black clouds had formed over the circuit. Anticipating a major downpour, certain drivers rushed to their cars even faster than usual, including to the trio of official Ferraris and two private 375MMs.
The rain arrived after five incredibly intense laps. Ferrari's power advantage was reduced to nothing and Jaguar remained in the fight. By the end of the first hour, both had gained a lap on the rest of the field. The duel everyone was hoping for was on, backdropped by less than ideal weather. It is often said that wet conditions highlight a driver's talent level. At the wheel of the #12 Jaguar Type D, one of the greatest drivers of his era, Sir Stirling Moss, demonstrated his mastery, even securing the lead for a time. But then something began to go wrong with his car. Meanwhile, the other Jaguars had been experiencing unexpected slowdowns since the start. The Type Ds were misfiring and were forced to head to pit lane.
In the end, they all suffered the same fate. Fine sand in the fuel had blocked the cars' fuel filters, robbing an insane amount of time from Ken Wharton in the #15 Jaguar and Moss' teammate Peter Walker in the #12. All they could do was wait and listen to the announcements of successive accidents caused by the slippery track.
Eventually, the three Type Ds were back on the offensive, led by the imposing José Froilán González in the #4 Ferrari 375 Plus. Nicknamed "The Pampas Bull," the Argentinian (who closer resembled a wrestler than a racing driver) had been the first to take Ferrari to victory in Formula 1, three years earlier. After night fell, González passed the wheel to teammate Maurice "Le Pétoulet" Trintignant. Six years earlier, the French driver had narrowly escaped death in an accident in Switzerland that left him with a huge abdominal scar.
Though still in the race, the #15 Type D driven by Ken Wharton/Peter Whitehead trailed the Franco-Argentinian duo by two laps, followed by the other Ferraris and Jaguars. Then at 23:00, the #3 375 Plus shared by Umberto Maglioli/Paolo Marzotto, already behind compared to the other two, lost its gearbox. Two hours later, Moss found himself with no brakes in the Mulsanne Straight while going 250 kph. Using the engine brake and handbrake, he managed to exit the track and stop the car without injury, but his race was over.
The bad luck didn't end there for Jaguar team principal Lofty England who soon watched in disbelief as his best-placed car, the #15 Type D driven by Whitehead/Wharton, returned to pit lane. Once again, the fuel filter had clogged with sand. The car returned to the garage several times before its gearbox eventually failed around 03:00. Incessant rain drained everyone's morale, and soon fans in France and England watching the race live on TV for the first time witnessed another surprise twist. The gearbox of the #5 Ferrari shared by Louis Rosier/Robert Manzon also gave out. By dawn, as spectators numbed by the rain struggled to wake up, only two contenders for victory remained: the #4 375 Plus and the #14 Jaguar.
The #14 Type D was driven by renowned British driver Duncan Hamilton. His eccentricity, imposing size and WWII anecdotes made him a favourite in the paddock. Above all, he was one of the best sports prototypes drivers of the 1950s. Hamilton shared the wheel with fellow countryman and former soldier Tony Rolt, as well known for his talent as for his seven escapes from German prison camps between 1940 and 1943. The pair had won the 1953 24 Hours together.
González and Trintignant carved out a two-lap lead during the morning, but it was too early for celebrations. Dark clouds continued to loom and soon the downpours started all over again. Rolt and Hamilton proceeded at full throttle, the aerodynamics of their Type D providing them with much more comfort in the deluge than their rivals. As the minutes ticked by, tempers began to flare as the Ferrari had difficulty restarting during a pit stop and the Jaguar suffered a collision with a slower car. However, the gap between the two remained the same.
Mother Nature took a brief break, but then released a storm of unprecedented intensity shortly before noon. The Jaguar was closing in on the Ferrari.
At the wheel of the 375 Plus, Trintignant was ready to blow. Not only was his opponent gaining on him, but he was also fighting a sputtering engine due to an oil leak. An ignition fault caused by the ambient humidity was also preventing his V12 from maximising its power. Even the greatest competitors struggle to keep their cool in such a situation.
Afraid of returning to pit lane for fear of failing to restart, Trintignant carried on slowly, eventually racing at a snail's pace until he had no choice but to stop for repairs. Rolt wasn't faring much better. His glasses were filled with water, but he was kindly asked to continue, unable to see, in order to keep the pressure on Ferrari. The Italian mechanics dried the engine as best they could. Now was the moment of truth, time to restart the car. First try, nothing. Second try, nothing. Third. Fourth. Nothing. With the Jaguar trailing by less than a lap, the situation was critical. Trintignant was beside himself.
After the seventh attempt, the V12 of the 375 Plus rose from the ashes as Rolt stopped to turn his car over to Hamilton (and wipe his glasses). Trintignant, feeling too nerve-racked to take the wheel again, decided to give González the final assault. Never mind that the Argentinian hadn't slept all weekend. Jaguar chased Ferrari mercilessly for an hour, the advantage switching from Hamilton in the wet areas to González in the sections with more grip. The rain stopped all together 30 minutes from the chequered flag. The exhausted Ferrari crossed the finish line just three minutes ahead of Hamilton's valiant Jaguar at the 1954 24 Hours, the closest finish since 1933. The crowd welcomed the heroes in a frenzy after a day-long battle that seemed twice as long. Despite the endless challenges, disappointments, mechanical problems and wild weather, the 4,000 km mark had been reached.
Once again, Le Mans gave fans more than a race, but a drama for the ages directed by Mother Nature herself. The Scuderia triumphed in its very first 24 Hours as an official team, five years after a private Ferrari won thanks to Lord Selsdon and the legendary Luigi Chinetti. Jaguar left with its head held high and a truly unforgettable racing car.
