Born on 18 January 1940 and 7 July 1936, respectively, Pedro Rodríguez and Jo Siffert were unique personalities whose journeys in auto racing kicked off very differently. In 1962, the first was confronted with the death of his younger brother Ricardo during a race, but decided to go on to pursue his career as a professional driver, enjoying a meteoric rise. The second, however, having come from a modest background, carved out his path through sheer will and determination.

Siffert and Rodríguez both started out on two wheels. In 1958, as the 18-year-old Mexican was taking his rookie start in the 24 Hours, the Swiss driver was participating as a passenger in speed sidecar competitions. The following year, Siffert won a moto race in the 350 cm3 class in his native country. At the 1961 running of Le Mans, Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez, drivers for Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team (NART), proved the fiercest rivals of winners Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill. After switching to auto racing the previous year, Siffert took part in the European Junior Formula Championship, subsequenty competing in the 24 Hours in 1965 with a Maserati Tipo 65 along with Jochen Neerpasch. That same year, Rodríguez made it to the checkered flag for the first time in eight participations, finishing in seventh place at the wheel of a Ferrari shared with 1964 winner Nino Vaccarella.

Still representing NART in 1966 and 1967, Rodríguez was forced to retire in both races. During that time, Siffert became a factory Porsche driver at Le Mans and finished the race in the top 5 twice: fourth in 1966 driving a 906 shared with Colin Davis and fifth in 1967 in a 907 shared with Hans Herrmann (amounting to two wins in the 2-liter prototype class).

The 1968 24 Hours marked an important stage in Siffert and Rodríguez's respective careers as they found themselves at the heart of a new technical era. After Ford's unprecedented performances at Le Mans with a 7-liter engine in 1966 and 1967, the Commission Sportive Internationale (CSI), predecessor to the current FIA, decided in 1968 to limit prototype engine capacity to three liters and to create a Sport class (five liters) which allowed the Ford GT40, winner in 1966 and 1967, to be able to compete in the 24 Hours.

In 1968, Porsche entered the next phase of its legacy at the 24 Hours by launching the 908, in compliance with the new 3-liter prototype regulations, with the aim of becoming a contender for the overall win. At the wheel of the new car, Siffert scored the German marque's first pole position at the 24 Hours in 3:35.4 at an average 225 kph. For his part, Rodríguez was called upon at the last minute to replace Jacky Ickx injured at the Canadian Grand Prix. He joined forces with Belgian driver Lucien Bianchi in the Gulf team's sky blue and orange #9 Ford GT40.

Siffert and teammate Hans Herrmann held the lead for three hours before the Swiss driver was forced to retire with a broken clutch. After starting from fourth position, Rodríguez and Bianchi then slipped into the lead for the majority of the 36th 24 Hours, only losing the top spot temporarily during the sixth and seventh hours. Given his bad luck in previous participations, the public considered this a well-deserved victory for Rodríguez.

In 1969, the year the first Porsche 917 was released, Siffert and Kurt Ahrens placed the car on the top step of the podium at the Zeltweg circuit in Austria in the World Marques Championship. For the 1970 season, John Wyer's Gulf team partnered with Porsche to enter two 917s in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the championship. Among the outfit's drivers figured Siffert and Rodríguez for one of the most extraordinary chapiters in the history of endurance racing. Learn more in the second installment in this series.

PHOTOS (Copyright - ACO Archives): LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS 1961-1968). From top to bottom: the starting grid at the 1963 24 Hours, with in pole position the #10 Ferrari of Pedro Rodríguez and Roger Penske; Pedro Rodríguez (at right) and to his right brother Ricardo at the 1961 24 Hours; the start at the 1968 24 Hours with pole-sitter Jo Siffert's #31 Porsche and the first Ford GT40 visible at the left of the image driven by Pedro Rodríguez that qualified fourth; 1968 winners Pedro Rodríguez (holding a Champagne bottle) and Lucien Bianchi (with helmet).