That year, the "real" 24 Hours of Le Mans was punctuated by a fantastic duel between Porsche and Ferrari. The two manufacturers also figured at the heart of the film produced by and starring Steve McQueen in 1970.

In the movie, a Porsche 917 in the sky blue and orange colours representing Gulf Oil won the race...which the team led by John Wyer was never able to achieve in real life! Another feature decoration won in the form of the Porsche 917 K of Herrmann-Attwood, with its stylized flames emanating from the headlights, typical of the Porsche Konstruktionen Salzburg team cars. For the filming of "Le Mans," Porsche also lent the 917 LH of Vic Elford-Kurt Ahrens which had scored pole position. The car that filmed shots during the real race was also a Porsche: a 908 equipped with three cameras, driven by Jonathan Williams and Herbert Linge.

The script calling for the 917's victory after a close duel with a 512 S in the last laps, Enzo Ferrari refused any direct involvement in the movie. Journalist Gérard Crombac, a consultant for Solar, Steve McQueen's production company, decided to contact the Belgian Jacques Swaters. Close with the "Commendatore" and top Ferrari importer in Europe, he provided the Ferrari 512 prototypes and also welcomed the film crew in the pit of his Ecurie Francorchamps. He ensured the recruiting by Solar of certain Ferrari drivers at the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans, like his fellow countryman Hugues de Fierlandt and British driver Derek Bell, for post-race shots. Swaters' involvement even caused him to go all the way to Ferrari's factory in Modena to negotiate the purchase of an additional 512 chassis, which he brought back to Le Mans attached to the roof of a Mercedes taxi!

Steve McQueen, a huge fan no matter what, didn't favour one over the other, whether Ferrari or Porsche. So, we have seen him on the screen with Ferrari 250 Spider cabriolets (in "The Thomas Crown Affair," 1968) and Porsche 356 Cs (in "Bullitt," 1968), as well as in his personal Porsche 911 in the opening scene of  "Le Mans."

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY & SUNDAY JUNE 1970. In the Porsche 908 entered by Solar, Steve McQueen's production company, to film the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans, can be see the aerodynamic camera housings on the front and rear hoods.