24h Le Mans
24 HOURS OF LE MANS CENTENARY – PERPETUAL INNOVATION ⎮ Not only did the Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine earn 22 Formula One titles between 1968 and 1982, it was also successful at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Local man driver/constructor Jean Rondeau notched up seven of the eight victories (two overall and six class wins). The riveting story of an engine that made its mark on motor racing began with a spat between the Ford and Ferrari camps.
In 1963, Enzo Ferrari’s infamous last-minute change of heart to a Ford buyout was not taken well by the US bosses. Had Ferrari ever really intended to sell or did he just want to attract the attention of potential investors? Whatever the case, Henry Ford II was sufficiently piqued to respond with a three-pronged attack. First, Le Mans, where the goal was to beat Ferrari on the marque’s familiar territory. Second, on the road, where the Mustang was to add a youthful glow to Ford’s brand image. And finally, in Formula One, where a 1966 rule increasing capacity for naturally aspirated engines to three litres threw up fresh opportunity.
Ford seized the chance to back the development of a competitive large-capacity engine. They turned to Cosworth, a British engineering company founded in 1958 by Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth which already had an established relationship with Ford UK. The Ford Cosworth DFV was launched in 1967. The double-four valve (abbreviated to DFV) 2,993 cc V8 engine made its first appearance at that year’s Dutch Grand Prix, powering the two Lotuses driven by Graham Hill and Jim Clark. Between 1967 and 1983 the Cosworth was instrumental in 155 victories, including all Formula One World championships between 1968 and 1974.
The end of the five-litre Sport class in 1971 brought about the retirement of the Porsche 917. Only the three-litre normally aspirated prototypes remained. The new rulebook paved the way for the DFV to feature at the 24 Hours of Le Mans; the challenge being to ensure its staying power.
Guy Ligier and Patrick Depailler’s JS3 was the first Le Mans car to sport a Ford Cosworth DFV, in 1971 (DNF). The following year, the engine powered Alain de Cadenet and Chris Craft’s Duckhams LM across the finish line in twelfth place.
Another three-litre engine, the Matra V12, reigned supreme at Le Mans between 1972 and 1974. Meanwhile, the Ford Cosworth DFV was gradually climbing its way through the ranks with the Gulf team; in 1974 Derek Bell and Mike Hailwood achieved fourth place.
In 1975, with Matra out of the running, Gulf Research Racing won the day, with one of the most iconic driver crews in the history of the race, Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell, who started in pole position. The Cosworth DFV made a clean sweep. The British team placed the Gulf-Mirage GR8 in first and third, with the Ligier JS2 in second place. Motorsport has a knack for uncanny coincidences and that year saw one of them: over in Formula One, the engine was beaten for the first time since 1968 by Ferrari – back at the top of the game thanks to Niki Lauda.
In 1976 four Cosworth DFVs finished in the top 10, including eighth place for local driver/constructor Jean Rondeau.
Jean Rondeau built his prototype around the highly successful Formula One engine. In 1977 and 1979 his cars scored four class wins and finished in the top 10 five times.
In 1980, following a long hard slog fending off the Porsche 908/80 of Jacky Ickx and Reinhold Joest in pouring rain, Rondeau, paired with Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, achieved the still unparalleled feat of winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans as both driver and constructor. Briton Gordon Spice and Belgian brothers Jean-Michel and Philippe Martin claimed third place and a class win in another Rondeau.
The following year, the Cosworth DFV claimed second and third place in two Rondeaus, beaten only by Ickx and Bell in the Porsche 936/81.
With the advent of Group C in 1982 a variant of the DFV was introduced. The DFL (for long-distance) was a larger (4-litre) engine, but its best result at Le Mans was 13th place in 1984. In fact, the DFV it was designed to replace continued to outrank it (10th in 1982 and 11th in 1984).
The DFV’s 155th and last Formula One win was the 1983 Detroit Grand Prix, when future Le Mans winner Michele Alboreto drove a Tyrrell to victory. The Italian went on to win Le Mans with Stefan Johansson and Tom Kristensen in 1997. Five other Le Mans winners – Graham Hill, Jacky Ickx, Bruce McLaren, Didier Pironi and Jochen Rindt – also won Formula One Grand Prix with a DFV engine.
PHOTOS: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES DU MANS, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS – From top (Copyright ACO Archives): Jean Rondeau at the wheel of the #16 Rondeau on the road to victory in 1980; Briton Alain de Cadenet was particularly loyal to the Cosworth engine in the seventies as illustrated by the #8 Lola here; the two Mirage GR8s at the front of the grid in 1975, when Derek Bell claimed the first of his five Le Mans 24 Hours wins.
