1954 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 22ème Grand Prix d’Endurance les 24 Heures du Mans 1954 was a race for Sports Cars, staged on 12 and 13 June 1954, at the Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France. It was the 22nd 24 Hours of Le Mans and was also the fourth race of the 1954 World Sportscar Championship.^[1] The race was won by José Froilán González and Maurice Trintignant driving a Ferrari 375 Plus.

Le Mans in 1954

A battle between brute force and science. That was how the most people viewed the line-up ahead of the race. In the high technology corner, clothed in its beautiful, wind-tunnel tested, aerodynamic bodywork was the Jaguar D-Type with its 3.4-litre, six-cylinder engine. In the brute force corner, Ferrari’s formidable 4.9-litre V12-engined 375 Plus. Ranged somewhere in between was everyone else. It was billed as one of the most tantalizing line-ups ever seen at the French circuit.^[2]

Report

Entry

Following their 1953 success at la Sarthe, Jaguar arrived with three brand new works Jaguar D-Types. These were so new that they hadn’t even been painted when they got to Le Mans. However, in their limited testing, the Coventry marque beat the lap records by five seconds. These cars were purpose-built for the billiard-smooth tarmac of the Sarthe. The team, which won in 1951 with Peter Walker and Peter Whitehead, and in 1953 with Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton; entered three works D-Types – to be driven by Walker and Stirling Moss, Whitehead and Ken Wharton, and Rolt and Hamilton.^[2][3]

A grand total 85 racing cars were registered for this event, of which only 58 arrived for practice. In spite of the anticipated battle between Coventry and Maranello concerns, the entry list did not have quite the appeal that the star-studded quality as in 1953. The major Italian teams, Scuderia Ferrari, Officine Alfieri Maserati and Automobili Osca had built new cars for this race. Ferrari’s reply to the D-type came in the form of three Tipo 375 Pluses, a Ferrari 375 MM, which bored out engine, now with a cubic capacity of 4,954cc and double-ignition, putting out some 345 bhp. Ferrari’s hope were in the hands of Umberto Maglioli and Paolo Marzotto, José Froilán González and Maurice Trintignant, and Robert Manzon and Louis Rosier. They were backed up by a Ferrari 375 MM from the American, Briggs Cunningham team. Cunningham also brought over to Europe, a pair of Cunningham C4-Rs.^[4]

Race

In terms of handling and agility, the Jaguars were at the top of the class, but the Ferraris were quicker by far on acceleration. It came as no surprise when the 375’s of González/Trintignant, Manzon/Rosier and Maglioli/Marzotto stormed away in 1-2-3 formation at the start. Moss, sharing with Walker, kept the D-Type in touch the Maranello threesome during the early stages, while Rolt was never too far behind, quick to move into this select pack as a rain shower doused the track within the first couple of hours. The chase was on and these five men would start as if Le Mans were some kind of sprint race. The early pace played into the hands of González and the other Ferraris. The order stayed virtually intact until, by the end of the first hour, González remained in the lead, but Moss had managed to make his way up to 3rd.^[2][5][6][7]

Although the Jaguars seemed to be pacing themselves extremely well, problems with blocked fuel filters delayed them during the third hour. By this time these issues were resolved, the trio of works Ferraris had tightened their grip on the race. As the race moved from evening to night, so González and Trintignant pounded onwards, but the 375 Plus Ferraris of Maglioli and Manzon dropped out with rear axle failure.^[2][6][7]

A number of cars had fallen out of the race during the initial hours. Then, seven hours into the race, the number of retirements rapidly increased as the conditions began to change. The Aston Martin of Carroll Shelby and Paul Frère came out, and the Gordini of Jean Behra and André Simon would soon be gone.^[6][7]

1954 Ferrari 375 Plus. From the Ralph Lauren collection

The D-types were now steadily hauling themselves back into contention. By midnight Whitehead and Wharton were up to second place, only two laps behind the leading Ferrari. Manzon/Rosier were third, ahead of Rolt and Hamilton, with the Aston Martins of Parnell/Salvadori and Collins/Bira completing the top six. The Lagonda had been eliminated after Eric Thompson dented its rear so badly when he spun into the bank at the Esses that the rear lights were destroyed, so it had to be withdrawn. Another casualty of the long night was Ian Stewart, who rolled his Aston Martin DBR3S on the fast stretch between Arnage and White House corners. The car was completely written off; Stewart sustained serious arm injuries.^[2][6][7]

In the early hours of Sunday morning, Walker/Whitehead and Rosier/Manzon retired, both Jaguar and Ferrari succumbing to gearbox breakages. With the Moss/Walker car packed up with braking problems late on Saturday evening, dawn arrived with the battle reduced to just one car for each team at the front of the field. What’s more, as the clouds built up and rain became an ever-present threat, the prospects for the aerodynamic D-types were starting to look promising. By breakfast time, the rain started to come down very heavily and the stage was set for a heroic chase. González and Trintignant could afford to take things cautiously, but any unnecessary delays would enable the pursuing Jaguar to open up a chink the Ferrari’s armour, and as the rain intensified, the sole remaining D-type piled on the pressure.^[2]

Rolt and Hamilton had nothing to lose and everything to gain. They threw caution to the wind and raced their D-type as hard as they dared in defence of the title. On one lap Rolt glanced into the bank coming out of Arnage, and stopped for a bout of impromptu panel beating. He had been forced off the road by a slower car, but there were no recriminations from the former British Army Major, and the ferocious chase continued.^[2]

1954 Jaguar D-Type. From the Heritage Motor Centre collection

The rain eased during the morning, allowing the Ferrari to use its power to better effect, but still the Jaguar would not give up. Then, around noon, the rain intensified again and the Jaguar drivers began to close the gap. With just two hours left to run, González and Trintignant were still almost two laps ahead of the English car. Despite the gallant efforts of Rolt and Hamilton, their battle seemed hopeless. But with only ninety minutes to run Trintignant brought the Ferrari in for a routine stop. González took over, but the V12 refused to start. After a few seconds the Argentine jumped out of the car while the mechanics fumbled with the plugs. Rolt was now in sight; the Englishman was intent on stopping for new goggles, but his pit crew waved him on; now the Jaguar was on the same lap as the leader. ^[2][6][7]

Still the Italian mechanics fiddled beneath the bonnet. The crew knew the car’s engine was running well as it had come into the pit lane under its own power, and it sounded strong enough to complete the rest of the race. Therefore, the problem had to be something else leading to the engine. The number 4 Ferrari would sit idle for seven agonizing minutes. Then suddenly the Ferrari’s engine burst back into life, González jumped back into the car and accelerated back onto the track. But he was barely ninety seconds ahead of the chasing Rolt, and his V12 sounded less healthy. With thunder and lightning now lashing the soaking circuit, and with one hour to go, Rolt handed over to Hamilton for the final assault. In a desperate sprint to the finish, Hamilton had cut the lead down to 1:26 mins, but as the track began to dry for the last few laps, González sped away to win by just under three minutes.^[2][6][7]

González and Trintignant had driven their Ferrari 375 Plus to victory, covering a distance of 2,523.486 miles (4,061.15 km), over 302 laps, averaging a speed of 105.145 mph (169.215kph). Rolt and Hamilton, in second place was their D-Type, were classified as one lap behind at the finish. The podium was completed by the American pair, William Spear and Sherwood Johnston, in their Cunningham-Chrysler C4-R, who were 19 laps (over 157 miles) behind the winners.^[2][8]

The Argentinian winner has a very special place in motorsport history, in relation to both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Formula One. Three years before this victory, José Froilan González scored Ferrari’s first F1 victory. Now, in his last appearance at La Sarthe, this victory gave González a new status: the first driver to win in a Ferrari in Formula 1 and Le Mans.^[6]

Overall, the Jaguars were faster (Moss was timed at 154.44 mph/278kph), but the Ferrari had superior acceleration and better braking. Although finishing third and fifth, the Cunninghams were unable to match the pace of the leaders, with no Astons at the finish. The 1500cc class saw a lucky for Porsche KG, and their drivers Johnny Claes and Pierre Stasse, as the two leading Oscas, leading by 15 laps, both retired in the last hour.^[7]

Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton had gone down fighting, but Le Mans had not heard the end of the Jaguar D-type...

Official results

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
1	S 5.0	4	Scuderia Ferrari	José Froilán González Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari 375 Plus	Ferrari 5.0L V12	302
2	S 5.0	14	Jaguar Cars Ltd.	Duncan Hamilton Tony Rolt	Jaguar D-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6	301
3	S 8.0	2	Briggs Cunningham	William Spear Sherwood Johnston	Cunningham C4-R	Chrysler 5.5L V8	283
4	S 5.0	16	Ecurie Francorchamps	Roger Laurent Jacques Swaters	Jaguar C-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6	277
5	S 8.0	1	Briggs Cunningham	Briggs Cunningham John Gordon Bennet	Cunningham C4-R	Chrysler 5.5L V8	274
6	S 3.0	30	Equipe Gordini	André Guelfi Jacques Pollet	Gordini T15	Gordini 2.5L I6	263
7	S 2.0	35	Bristol Aeroplane Company	Peter S. Wilson Jim Mayers	Bristol 450	Bristol 2.0L I6	260
8	S 2.0	33	Bristol Aeroplane Company	Tommy Wisdom Jack Fairman	Bristol 450	Bristol 2.0L I6	257
9	S 2.0	34	Bristol Aeroplane Company	Mike Keen John Line	Bristol 450	Bristol 2.0L I6	255
10	S 750	57	Automobiles Deutsch et Bonnet	René Bonnet Élie Bayol	DB-Panhard Barquette	Panhard 0.7L Flat-2	240
11	S 2.0	36	Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd.	Maurice Gatsonides Marcel Becquart	Frazer Nash Le Mans Coupe	Bristol 2.0L I6	228
12	S 1.5	39	Porsche KG	Johnny Claes Pierre Stasse	Porsche 550/4 RS 1500 Spyder	Porsche 1.5L Flat-4	228
13	S 750	55	Ets. Monopole	Jean Hèmard Pierre Flahaut	Monopole X84	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2	222
14	S 1.1	47	Porsche KG	Zora Arkus-Duntov Gustave Olivier	Porsche 550/4 RS 1100 Spyder	Porsche 1.1L Flat-4	216
15	S 2.0	62	Edgar B. Wadsworth	Edgar Wadsworth John Brown	Triumph TR2	Triumph 2.0L I4	214
16	S 750	56	Ecurie Jeudy-Bonnet	Marc Gignoux Louis Cornet	DB-Panhard Barquette	Panhard 0.7L Flat-2	213

Not Classified

Failed to cover 70% of winner's distance (211 laps)

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
17	S 750	59	Automobiles Panhard et Levassor	René Cotton André Beaulieux	Panhard X88	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2	195
18	S 750	54	P. Garzynski	René Breuil Jean Py	BG Le Mans	Renault 0.7L I4	194

Disqualified

• #11 was disqualified for failing to complete their final lap of the race in under 30 minutes.
• #43 was disqualified for receiving outside assistance while still on the course.

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
19	S 5.0	11	Georges Grignard	Jean Blanc Serge Nersessian	Talbot T26 Gran Sport	Talbot 4.6L I6	206
20	S 1.5	43	Automobili O.S.C.A.	Lance Macklin Pierre Leygonie James Simpson	O.S.C.A. MT-4 1500	O.S.C.A. 1.5L I4	247

Did Not Finish

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
21	S 1.5	42	Automobili O.S.C.A.	Jacques Péron Francesco Giardini	O.S.C.A. MT-4 1500	O.S.C.A. 1.5L I4	243
22	S 5.0	8	David Brown	Reg Parnell Roy Salvadori	Aston Martin DB3S SC	Aston Martin 2.9L Supercharged I6	222
23	S 1.1	63	Lucien Farnaud	Lucien Farnaud Adolfo Macchieraldo	O.S.C.A. MT-4 1100	O.S.C.A. 1.1L I4	199
24	S 750	49	Automobiles VP	Yves Giraud-Cabantous Just-Emile Verney	VP 166R	Renault 0.7L I4	190
25	S 5.0	5	Scuderia Ferrari	Robert Manzon Louis Rosier	Ferrari 375 Plus	Ferrari 5.0L V12	177
26	S 750	58	Automobiles Panhard et Levassor	Pierre Chancel Robert Chancel	Monopole X88	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2	157
27	S 1.5	41	Porsche KG	Hans Herrmann Helmut Polensky	Porsche 550/4 RS 1500 Spyder	Porsche 1.5L Flat-4	148
28	S 3.0	20	David Brown	Prince Birabongse Bhanubandh Peter Collins	Aston Martin DB3S Coupe	Aston Martin 2.9L I6	138
29	S 5.0	15	Jaguar Cars Ltd.	Peter Whitehead Ken Wharton	Jaguar D-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6	131
30	S 3.0	27	Jean-Paul Colas	Jean-Paul Colas Hermano da Silva Ramos	Aston Martin DB2/4 Vignale	Aston Martin 2.9L I6	121
31	S 5.0	6	Briggs Cunningham	Phil Walters John Fitch	Ferrari 375MM	Ferrari 4.5L V12	120
32	S 2.0	28	Officine Alfieri Maserati	Alfonso de Portago Carlo Tomasi	Maserati A6GCS	Maserati 2.0L I6	116
33	S 2.0	38	Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd. Sture Nottorp	Sture Nottorp Ivar Andersson	Frazer Nash Le Mans	Bristol 2.0L I6	109
34	S 750	52	Ecurie Jeudy-Bonnet	Marc Azéma Alphonse de Burnay	DB-Renault central-seater	Renault 0.7L I4	102
35	S 2.0	44	Alexandre Constantin	Edmond Mouche Alexandre Constantin	Constantin Barquette	Peugeot 1.3L Supercharged I4	95
36	S 5.0	12	Jaguar Cars Ltd.	Stirling Moss Peter Walker	Jaguar D-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6	92
37	S 5.0	3	Scuderia Ferrari	Umberto Maglioli Paolo Marzotto	Ferrari 375 Plus	Ferrari 5.0L V12	88
38	S 1.1	46	Kieft Cars Ltd.	Alan Rippon William Black	Kieft	Coventry Climax 1.1L I4	86
39	S 1.1	65	Equipe Gordini	André Pilette Gilberte Thirion	Gordini T17S	Gordini 1.1L I4	76
40	S 3.0	19	Equipe Gordini	Jean Behra André Simon	Gordini T24S	Gordini 3.0L I8	76
41	S 3.0	22	David Brown	Carroll Shelby Paul Frére	Aston Martin DB3S	Aston Martin 2.9L I6	74
42	S 750	50	Guy Michel et André Guillard	Guy Michel André Guillard	Renault 4CV	Renault 0.7L I4	73
43	S 3.0	21	David Brown	Ian Stewart Graham Whitehead	Aston Martin DB3S Coupe	Aston Martin 2.9L I6	64
44	S 5.0	9	Ecurie Rossier	Jean-Louis Rosier Pierre Meyrat	Talbot-Lago T26 Gran Sport	Talbot-Lago 4.5L I6	62
45	S 2.0	31	Equipe Gordini	Charles de Clareur André Moynet	Gordini T15	Gordini 2.0L I6	54
46	S 2.0	37	Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd.	Rodney F. Peacock Gerry A. Ruddock	Frazer Nash Le Mans	Bristol 2.0L I6	49
47	S 5.0	10	Pierre Levegh	Pierre Levegh Lino Fayen	Talbot-Lago T26 Gran Sport	Talbot-Lago 4.4L I6	33
48	S 1.1	48	Kieft Cars Ltd.	Georges Trouis Alfred P. Hitchings	Kieft Sport	MG 1.1L I4	26
49	S 5.0	7	David Brown	Eric Thompson Dennis Poore	Lagonda DP115	Lagonda 4.5L V12	25
50	S 750	66	Jacques Faucher	Jacques Faucher Jean Hébert	Renault 4CV	Renault 0.7L I4	20
51	S 750	51	Automobiles Deutsch et Bonnet	Pierre-Louis Dreyfus Leon Dernier Jean Lucas	DB-Renault central-seater	Renault 0.7L I4	8
52	S 750	53	Nardi et Co.	Alexandre Gacon Dr. Mario Damonte	Nardi 750LM	Crosley 0.7L I4	7
53	S 5.0	18	Luigi Chinetti	Porfirio Rubirosa Innocente Baggio	Ferrari 375MM Berlinetta	Ferrari 4.5L V12	5
54	S 750	60	Automobiles Panhard et Levassor	Lucien Pailler Jacques Dewez	Panhard X88	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2	5
55	S 1.5	40	Porsche KG	Richard von Frankenberg Helm Glöckler	Porsche 550/4 RS 1500 Spyder	Porsche 1.5L Flat-4	4
56	S 750	64	Ecurie Jeudy-Bonnet	Claude Storez Jean-Claude Vidilles Jean Lucas	DB-Renault central-seater	Renault 0.7L I4	4
57	S 750	61	Automobiles Panhard et Levassor	Eugéne Dussous Jacques Savoye	Panhard X84	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2	0

Standings after the race

Pos	Championship	Points
1	Ferrari	22
2	Lancia	14
3	Jaguar	9
4	Osca	8
5	Maserati	5

• Note: Only the top five positions are included in this set of standings.

Championship points were awarded for the first six places in each race in the order of 8-6-4-3-2-1. Manufacturers were only awarded points for their highest finishing car with no points awarded for positions filled by additional cars. Only the best 4 results out of the 6 races could be retained by each manufacturer.

References