In 1952, Frenchman Pierre Bouillin updated the Talbot T26 GS, based on the car that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1950 with Rosier at the wheel. The new version sported the bodywork recommended by the most recent race regulations.

Bouillin – who raced under the name of Levegh in memory of his uncle – was to share the car with René Marchand but at the last minute he decided to go it alone.

While Marchand drowned his sorrows in the VIP lounges, Levegh wallowed in glory, acclaimed by a crowd eager to see another triumph for Talbot. Victory loomed large when a tired Levegh made a mistake and broke a connecting rod. The despairing driver collapsed with exhaustion and fell asleep on the spot.

Lagging behind the Frenchman by four laps, Mercedes manager Alfred Neubauer had settled for second and third but the team took advantage of Levegh’s retirement and swept a one-two finish with the new “lightweight” prototypes. Judging Levegh a formidable opponent in view of his stamina (22 hours and 50 minutes at the wheel), Neubauer reckoned it was better to have the Frenchman on his side and hired him. Levegh joined Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, John Fitch, André Simon and Karl Kling on the German team.

Following Levegh’s mammoth stint, the ACO set a maximum of 80 laps without driver changeover. Today, drivers are permitted to remain at the wheel for up to four hours and a total of 14 out of the 24 hours.