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113-556: The 250 TR achieved many racing successes, with variations winning 10 World Sports Car Championship races including the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1958, 1960, and 1961, the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1958, 1959 and 1961, the Targa Florio in 1958, the 1000 Km Buenos Aires in 1958 and 1960 and the Pescara 4 Hours in 1961. These results led to World Sports Car Championship constructor's titles for Ferrari in 1958, 1960 and 1961. The 250 Testa Rossa

226-454: A 1958 Scaglietti-bodied car (chassis 0734TR) and a 1961 250 TR/61 Spider Fantuzzi (chassis 0792TR). The value, performance and historical significance ascribed to the 250 TR have motivated many individuals and companies to create reproduction automobiles. Sold as a "replica", "recreation" or "reproduction", these can vary widely in historical accuracy and sophistication, sometimes using Ferrari engines and chassis or simply attempting to replicate

339-436: A 5-speed transmission in 1959. Customer cars were equipped with a 250 GT-style transmission positioned directly behind the engine, while Scuderia Ferrari team cars sometimes used rear-mounted transaxles for better weight distribution. The 250 Testa Rossa used a tubular steel spaceframe chassis, similar to that used in the 500 TR. Compared to the 500 TR, the wheelbase was extended by 10 cm to 2.35 meters. The chassis gained

452-541: A break as all applications that year were deemed unfit by the ACO. Frederic Sausset, a quadruple amputee, drove a modified Morgan LMP2 in the 2016 race. Financial problems forced Welter Racing to cancel its 2017 Garage 56 run with the Green4U Panoz Racing GT-EV, a biomethane -fuel prototype featuring a 3-cylinder 1.2-liter engine fueled by biomethane stored in cryogenic tanks. Welter Racing went on to develop

565-452: A car inspection on Monday and Tuesday. Currently, these sessions are held in the evening, with two separate two-hour sessions held each night. Friday serves as a day of rest, and a parade of all the drivers through Le Mans is held. Test days held at the end of April or beginning of May served as a pre-qualification weeding out the slowest cars. However, in 2005 the exorbitant cost of transporting cars to and from Le Mans led organizers to move

678-455: A distance of 10,739 kilometres (6,673 mi) with a winning time of 70 hours over 20 days with three classes of cars, motorbikes, and trucks. The 1992 Paris–Cape Town Rally covered a distance of 12,427 km. The 1994 edition saw competitors return to Paris, for a distance of 13,379 km. The Expedition Trophy , first held in 2005, runs from Murmansk to Vladivostok, for a total distance of 12,500 km. The 1908 New York to Paris Race covered

791-509: A distance of over 16,000 km, taking 169 days from February 12 to July 30. In the beginning of formalised endurance racing, the races tended to be for sports cars while the Grand Prix cars of the era began to evolve into the open wheel racing cars of today and ran over shorter distances. Over time sports cars began to evolve away from their roots as a production based alternative to pure-bred racing machines of Grand Prix cars, which led to

904-551: A hybrid electric car based on the DeltaWing's design, took the Garage 56 slot in 2014. Despite an early retirement from the race after only 23 minutes due to a gearbox issue, the ZEOD RC achieved its goals of hitting a top speed of 300 km/h (186.41 mph), and completing the first ever lap of Le Mans using exclusively electric power at racing speed. In 2015, the Garage 56 program took

1017-693: A loop race starting and finishing in Ensenada. The Intercontinental GT Challenge is world sports car racing endurance series run by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation , like the GTWCEEC. Its rule set is similar to GTWCEEC, although it is centred on internationally renowned endurance races that are often part of multiple championships, such as the Bathurst 12 Hours and the Nürburgring 24 Hours , which belong to

1130-544: A particular factory chassis number. 24 Hours of Le Mans The 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: 24 Heures du Mans ) is an endurance-focused sports car race held annually near the town of Le Mans , France . It is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious races, and is one of the races—along with the Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 —that form the Triple Crown of Motorsport , and

1243-687: A racing track. The 24 Hours of Le Mans was frequently part of the World Sportscar Championship from 1953 until that series' final season in 1992 . In 2011 , it was a part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup . Since 2012 , the race has been a part of the FIA World Endurance Championship . In the World Endurance Championship's super-season of May 2018 to June 2019, the 24 Hours of Le Mans

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1356-541: A real-time simulation of 24 hour events. In the 2018 stealth video game Hitman 2 , a level takes place amidst an endurance race in Miami, Florida , with a target being a racer in the event. In the early days of endurance racing cars and motorcycles raced side by side, but the two were soon separated. The most notable motorcycle endurance race was the Bol d'Or , first run on the circuit of Vaujours , near Paris in 1922. Only one rider

1469-429: A relief driver can take over during a pit stop while eating and resting. Current regulations mandate that three drivers share each competing vehicle. Competing teams race in groups called "classes", or cars of similar specification, while competing simultaneously for outright placing amongst all classes. Originally, the race showcased cars as they were sold to the general public, then called "Sports Cars", in contrast with

1582-505: A reputation for durability, as it was designed according to Enzo Ferrari's desire for absolute reliability even at the expense of excess weight. All 250 TRs used independent front suspension with coil springs . All customer cars had live rear axles . Pre-1960 factory team cars used either live or de Dion rear axles while the 1960 250 TRI60 and 1961 250 TRI61 used independent rear suspension. 1957 and 1958 250 TRs were equipped with drum brakes on all four wheels. Enzo Ferrari insisted on

1695-405: A standard 4.2-litre Gibson V8 engine. LMP1 teams are subject to no such restrictions. Their extra power, lower weight, and more complex aerodynamics result in much quicker lap times; LMP1 cars also may use hybrid technology. The next class is LMGT3 , which are similar to production-based sports cars. Concept cars intended to test new automotive technologies may participate in the race under

1808-415: A well understood, proven design by incorporating new technology and strengthening known weak points. They created an exceptionally durable engine, a massive benefit in endurance racing . Other Ferrari racing cars ( 250 GTO , 250 P ) achieved racing success with the same basic engine well into the 1960s, years after the 250 TR chassis was obsolete. 1957–1958 250 TRs used a 4-speed transmission , followed by

1921-454: Is 2010's 5,410 km (3,360 mi), six times the length of the Indianapolis 500 , or about 18 times longer than a Formula One Grand Prix . Drivers and racing teams strive for speed and avoiding mechanical damage, as well as managing the cars' consumables, primarily fuel , tires , and braking materials. It also tests endurance, with drivers frequently racing for over two hours before

2034-520: Is also one of the races alongside the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring that make up the informal Triple Crown of endurance racing . Run since 1923, it is the oldest active endurance racing event in the world. Unlike fixed-distance races whose winner is determined by minimum time, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is won by the car that covers the greatest distance in 24 hours. The cars on this track are able to achieve speeds of 366 km/h (227 mph), and reached 407 km/h (253 mph) on

2147-404: Is meant to test the durability of equipment and endurance of participants. Teams of multiple drivers attempt to cover a large distance in a single event, with participants given a break with the ability to change during the race. Endurance races can be run either to cover a set distance in laps as quickly as possible, or to cover as much distance as possible over a preset amount of time. One of

2260-408: Is one of the most prestigious off-road races in the world. The race was founded by Ed Pearlman in 1967 and is sanctioned by SCORE International . The Baja 1000 allows various types of vehicles and classes to compete on the same course at the same time. The course has remained relatively the same over the years, with about every event being either a point-to-point race from Ensenada to La Paz , or

2373-508: Is related to the former Japan Le Mans Challenge that turned into the older Asian Le Mans Series (which was cancelled after one season). The GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup (GTWCEEC) is a European sports car racing endurance series run by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation . It is similar to the ELMS, but only uses performance-balanced GT3 cars instead of prototypes and holds generally shorter races, although some races are exceptions, such as

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2486-451: Is that cars must be switched off while refueling in the pits. Not only is this safer and less of a fire hazard, but it is also another test of reliability, demanding a guaranteed ability to restart many times under race conditions. Another element of this rule is that mechanics are not allowed to work on the car while it is being refuelled (other than helping a driver in or out of the car), which has led teams to adapt innovative ways to decrease

2599-560: Is track marshals waving safety flags during the race's final lap, congratulating the winners and other finishers. Le Mans was the venue for the first televised instance of a winning driver celebrating by spraying champagne instead of drinking it. When Dan Gurney won the 1967 race with co-driver A. J. Foyt , the two drivers mounted the victory podium, and Gurney was handed a magnum of champagne. Looking down, he saw Ford CEO Henry Ford II , team owner Carroll Shelby and their wives, as well as several journalists who had predicted disaster for

2712-417: The 1969 race, Jacky Ickx opposed it by walking across the track while his competitors ran. Although he was nearly hit by a faster competitor's car while walking, Ickx took the time to fasten his safety belts before pulling away. Privateer John Woolfe died in an accident on the first lap of that race; Ickx won. Endurance racing (motorsport) Endurance racing is a form of motorsport racing which

2825-492: The 24 Hours of Spa , which the series is centred on. One of the key emphases of the series is being friendly for amateur and gentlemen drivers, and there are numerous non-pro classes in addition to the premier GT3 Pro class. The series began in 2011 and saw increased involvement in 2012 and 2013 . The Baja 1000 is an annual Mexican off-road motorsport endurance race held on the Baja California Peninsula . It

2938-587: The Circuit de la Sarthe against more aerodynamic cars such as the Maserati Tipo 61 and Jaguar D-Type . As a result, the Scaglietti bodywork was soon revised and a wide variety of alternative styles were created from 1958 through 1961. Even during 1958, some Scuderia Ferrari cars were equipped with more conventional bodies in the style of the 1957 prototype. The 250 TR's open interior was simple and utilitarian, lacking

3051-525: The GT World Challenge Australia and Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie championships respectively. Endurance motor racing has proven a popular subject for depiction in video games, and on film. The Lee H. Katzin film Le Mans , starring Steve McQueen , used real race footage, and enjoys cult status. The 1986 arcade game WEC Le Mans was the first to portray endurance racing in a videogame, while Gran Turismo 4 and 5 extended this to

3164-466: The Goodwood Festival of Speed . A 1957 250 TR (chassis 0714TR) sold for €9,020,000 at RM Sotheby's 2009 Maranello auction. The 1957 250 TR prototype (chassis 0666TR) sold for $ 16.39 million at the 2011 Gooding & Co Pebble Beach auction. 250 TR chassis 0704 reportedly sold privately in 2014 for $ 39.8 million. Fashion designer Ralph Lauren 's extensive auto collection contains two 250 TRs,

3277-496: The Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans. In comparison, during the same race Masten Gregory 's Maserati Tipo 61 reached approximately 175 mph (282 km/h). 1959 cars that were updated to 1960 specification (minus independent rear suspension) are often designated as 250 TR59/60. All 1961 250 Testa Rossas were designated 250 TRI61 as independent rear suspension was now standard. Due to high drag and visibility problems with

3390-516: The Porsche 718 were the 250 TR's closest competitors during this time. Stirling Moss drove a DBR1 to win first place against strong Ferrari opposition at the 1958 1000km Nürburgring , and DBR1s would go on to win over 250 TRs at the 1959 Le Mans, Nürburgring, and Tourist Trophy races, depriving Ferrari of the Constructor's World Championship in 1959. The Tipo 128 Colombo-designed 3.0L V12 developed for

3503-515: The Rolex Sports Car Series ' 24 Hours of Daytona ) held all four major American endurance classics in preparation for teams to race at Le Mans . The race has approximately 60 competitors. Each car was required to have at least two seats. However, recently cars only need to have space to accommodate a second seat in the cockpit rather than the seat itself. Two doors are allowed; open cockpit cars do not require doors. Since 2014, all cars in

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3616-473: The "Garage 56" banner. Such entries are classified in the race results, though are not expected to be competitive as their sole focus is to demonstrate experimental features. The program debuted in 2012 with the DeltaWing , an unusual rocket-shaped car fielded by All-American Racers and supported by Nissan. The DeltaWing concept showed promise, delivering nearly LMP2-level performance while only consuming 48% of

3729-441: The 1957 Nürburgring 1000km . This hastily prepared prototype was based on a 290 MM chassis and had conventional bodywork by Scaglietti very similar to that of the 4-cylinder 500 TR, except for a large hood bulge. For the 1958 250 TR, new bodywork was developed in collaboration between Scaglietti and Chiti with several innovations on the previous 4-cylinder Testa Rossa body. Instead of the conventional fully enclosed front end,

3842-470: The 1958 "pontoon fender"-bodied cars, drum brakes were still subject to heat-induced fade . They were finally replaced with Dunlop disc brakes in all Scuderia Ferrari cars for the 1959 race season. All 250 TRs had 2-seater spider bodies, as did the earlier 4-cylinder Testa Rossas. At the time, this was considered the lightest and most aerodynamic configuration for a racing sports car. The first 250 Testa Rossa prototype (chassis number 0666TR) debuted at

3955-438: The 1958 cars became the most iconic 250 TR style and was used on all cars sold new to private customers. This resulted in the colloquial name for early Scaglietti-bodied 250 TRs: "pontoon fender." Despite their radical appearance, racing and test runs soon showed that this design generated a significant amount of aerodynamic drag and high speed instability. This was especially noticeable when competing on high speed courses such as

4068-547: The 1958, 1959 and 1961 12 Hours of Sebring , the 1958 Targa Florio , the 1958 and 1960 1000 km Buenos Aires and the 1961 4 hours of Pescara . Notable drivers included Phil Hill , Olivier Gendebien , Luigi Musso , Peter Collins , Dan Gurney , Wolfgang von Trips and Mike Hawthorn , among them. The excellent results of 250 TRs and Scuderia Ferrari's skilled drivers earned Ferrari the 1958, 1960 and 1961 Constructor's World Sportscar Championship titles. The Aston Martin DBR1 and

4181-443: The 250 TR again changed for the 1960 season, primarily due to new regulations requiring a windshield with a vertical height of 25 cm. The new, larger windshield was immediately disliked by drivers, as it was difficult to see over, the plexiglass material could not be effectively cleared by windshield wipers, and the much larger surface area increased drag. The excess drag resulted in a top speed of 161 mph (259 km/h) down

4294-410: The 250 TR sold to independent racing teams, replacing the 500 TRC for this market. All customer cars had left hand drive Scaglietti "pontoon fender" bodies and live rear axles. They did not benefit from the continual improvements to Scuderia Ferrari cars, although many independent teams modified their 250 TRs or purchased ex-Scuderia Ferrari cars in order to stay competitive. The 250 Testa Rossa engine

4407-475: The 250 Testa Rossa would continue to be used in Ferrari sports racing cars through the early 1960s. The 250 GTO , 250 P and 250 LM achieved racing success with this engine. Experimentation on 250 TR body styles from 1957 through 1962 provided Ferrari engineers with valuable experience in developing both low-drag and stability-promoting aerodynamic bodywork. The 250 GTO, SP sports racers , and 250/275/330 P were

4520-465: The 250-series 3.0L unit. This engine design would be used again in the 1964 330 P . The single 330 TRI/LM (chassis number 0808) was built from a damaged 250 TRI60 (chassis 0780TR). The original chassis was lengthened and a TRI61-style spider body by Fantuzzi was fitted. At the 1962 24 Hours of Le Mans , this car was driven by Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill and became the last front-engine car to win an overall victory at Le Mans. The 250 Testa Rossa

4633-422: The 3 carburetors typical for 250 GT engines. The cylinder heads used single overhead cams , 2 valves per cylinder and helical double-coil valve springs (a first for Ferrari). The helical valve springs were much smaller than previously used torsion springs , allowing the cylinder heads to be strengthened and secured with 24 studs rather than 18 in previous 250 engines. This increased the overall reliability of

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4746-499: The ACO deeming none of the applications sufficiently mature. 2020 saw Frederic Sausset attempting to return to Garage 56 under the SRT41 banner by fielding a specially modified Oreca 07 LMP2 car with a lineup of three disabled drivers; however, the attempt was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The SRT41 program was delayed to 2021, which saw Garage 56 successfully making a return for

4859-501: The LMP category as rules have been changed to their benefit and to further push efficiency. The race is held in mid June, meaning the shortest night and very hot conditions for drivers, particularly in closed vehicles with poor ventilation. Rainy weather is common. The race begins in mid-afternoon and finishes the following day at the same hour the race started the previous day. Modern competitors often cover well over 5,000 km. The record

4972-531: The Mulsanne Straight in 1988  – instigating the addition of more chicanes to the track to reduce speed reached. Racing teams must balance the demands of speed with the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without mechanical failure. The race is organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). It is held on the Circuit de la Sarthe , composed of closed public roads and dedicated sections of

5085-449: The TR60 body style, Ferrari engineers including Giotto Bizzarrini and Carlo Chiti were tasked with completely re-designing the 250 TR bodywork for the 1961 racing season. As a result, the new Fantuzzi-built TRI61 body incorporated a number of dramatic changes, informed by new aerodynamic theories and wind-tunnel testing. The windshield now had a more gradual slope and wrapped around both sides of

5198-632: The Targa Florio near Palermo , Sicilia, running four or five laps, 108 km each. The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race founded in 1906- the track length of the last decades was limited to the 72 kilometres of the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, which was lapped 11 times. The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy 24 times from 1927 to 1957. The world's first organized 24-hour automobile race event

5311-513: The WSCC and ELMS/AsLMS below. The series features both Le Mans Prototypes and GT cars. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is included as a feature race, while the other races are 6 hours long and take place in countries all over the world such as Bahrain, Brazil, Japan, and the United States. The WEC is considered a revival of the defunct World Sportscar Championship which ended in 1992. An early championship

5424-468: The World Championship. The race is also known as a leg of the informal Triple Crown of Motorsport which links Formula One , IndyCar , and Sports car racing to represent a career achievement for drivers. Additionally, it is seen as a leg of the Triple Crown of endurance racing , which links the three largest sports car races together, with 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Daytona forming

5537-413: The World Endurance Championship in 2012, the series has dropped LMP1 and now features LMP2 as its premier category, in addition to LMP3 and GT categories. The Asian Le Mans Series (AsLMS) is an Asian sports car racing series run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). It uses the same car categories and regulations as the ELMS, and also provides automatic entries to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The series

5650-469: The body style of the original with unrelated mechanical underpinnings. Some of these reproductions have been unscrupulously represented as original, factory-built 250 TRs. As 250 TR values rose, some extremely damaged or destroyed 250 TRs were reconstructed using varying amounts of newly fabricated or non-original components. In at least one instance, this has resulted in a case of disputed identity, whereby multiple reconstructed or reproduced cars lay claim to

5763-399: The bunched field at the start. This starting method inspired Porsche to locate the ignition key switch to the left of the steering wheel. In a left-hand drive car, this allowed the driver to use his left hand to start the engine and his right hand to put the transmission into gear, which in turn shaves off a few tenths of a second. Stirling Moss developed another method for speeding up

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5876-491: The car with hopes of entering the car in 2018 and 2019, but ultimately did not compete due to complex issues with the car in 2018, and due to Don Panoz 's death suspending the program in 2019. The 2019 slot was also eyed by UK-based constructor Perrinn with the Project 424, an LMP1-based electric-powered car with an autonomous driving mode; however, this did not come to pass, and Garage 56 was left empty in both 2018 and 2019 due to

5989-427: The car. The car marked NASCAR's 75th anniversary, which coincided with the race's centenary. Chad Knaus , Johnson's crew chief during each of his Cup Series championships, was project manager, while the car bore #24 in honor of Hendrick vice chairman and former driver Jeff Gordon . Initially, there were no rules on the number of car drivers or how long they could drive. Although almost all teams used two drivers in

6102-457: The cockpit to meet the rear bodywork. Instead of the rounded tail with fairing for the driver's head, the TRI61 had a very high rear body that met the trailing edge of the side windows and tapered to a truncated, slightly concave Kamm tail . This bodystyle was called an "open coupe" and was very similar to bodies used on mid-engined Ferrari sports racers such as the 1961 246 SP . The front air inlet

6215-446: The creation of GT and touring car racing classes, and these classes continued to embrace the endurance format. Multiple drivers per car was an early adaptation as the rigors of endurance racing quickly overcome the abilities of most racing drivers to compete solo, although solo attempts on 24 hour races like Le Mans would continue into the 1950s. The various endurance formats were appealing to manufacturers, not only as alternatives to

6328-405: The early decades, some Le Mans drivers such as Pierre Levegh and Eddie Hall attempted to run the race solo, hoping to save time by not having to change drivers. This practice was later banned. Until the 1980s, there were teams in which only two drivers competed, but by the end of the decade, the rules were changed to stipulate that at least three drivers must drive each car. By the 1990s, due to

6441-452: The engine by improving head gasket sealing. One spark plug was used per cylinder and the position was changed from earlier 250 designs, now located outside the engine vee between exhaust ports. This allowed for a better spark position and more efficient combustion. Piston connecting rods were now machined from steel billet , rather than forged , which resulted in more stress-resistance at higher RPM . The cam covers were painted bright red,

6554-429: The engine to sit lower in the chassis, lowering the car's center of mass for improved handling and enabling a lower, more aerodynamic front profile. Rear independent suspension was introduced to the 250 TR in 1960. The car equipped with independent suspension was designated the 250 TRI60 (chassis 0780TR) and throughout the season raced alongside the 250 TR60 equipped with a conventional de Dion rear axle . The body of

6667-578: The establishment of several endurance racing series — thereby giving teams the opportunity of running their cars in Championship events throughout the year. The FIA World Endurance Championship is an international sports car racing series organized by both the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It supeceded the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup , run in 2010 and 2011, and uses similar rules to

6780-537: The expense of Grand Prix racing, but also because of its increased relevance to road going models. In automobile endurance racing, three events have come to form a Triple Crown. They are considered three of the most challenging endurance races over the decades: the 24 Hours of Daytona , 12 Hours of Sebring , and 24 Hours of Le Mans . Strong spectator figures, media interest and television coverage of endurance racing's Triple Crown events ( 24 Hours of Daytona , 12 Hours of Sebring , and 24 Hours of Le Mans ) has led to

6893-614: The factory with an engine built for racing. The first 24-hour race to take place at a dedicated motorsport venue was at Brooklands in England, eleven days after its opening in 1907. This incurred the wrath of local residents and would lead to the Double Twelve race. This format meant the race took place for 12 hours each between 8 am to 8 pm and between it, the cars were locked up overnight to prevent maintenance work from being performed on them. The 2001 Dakar Rally saw competitors cover

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7006-405: The famous race as to claim victory for their commercial partners). The race was a part of the World Sportscar Championship in every season from its inception in 1953 until its demise in 1992 except the 1956 , 1975 – 1979 and 1989 – 1990 seasons , and since 2012 the race has been the part of the FIA World Endurance Championship . However, Le Mans has always had a stronger reputation than

7119-409: The final iteration of the front-engined Testa Rossa, the 330 TRI/LM (LM standing for Le Mans). The biggest change from the 250 TR was a Tipo 163 4.0 Litre Colombo V12 developed from the engine of the 400 Superamerica , further improved with Testa Rossa cylinder heads and other modifications seen on 250 TR engines. This engine produced 390 hp (290 kW) at 7500 rpm, significantly more power than

7232-532: The first time in five years. Two of the drivers, paralyzed from the waist down, became the first disabled teammates to compete in the history of the race. In 2022, Garage 56 was once again empty. For 2023, a modified NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 stock car fielded by Hendrick Motorsports was the Garage 56 entry, with seven-times Cup champion Jimmie Johnson , 2009 Formula One world champion and NASCAR driver Jenson Button , and 2010 Le Mans overall and LMP1 winner Mike Rockenfeller driving

7345-440: The first to win them all in the same year. The "greatest distance" rule was modified with the introduction of a rolling start in 1971. Now, the car that completes the greatest distance as of the final lap's completion—where "greatest distance" is measured by the start/finish line for all competitors—wins. When two cars finish the same number of laps, their finishing order is determined by the faster overall completion time. This rule

7458-562: The fuel, but retired after a collision with an LMP1 car six hours into the race. In 2013, Garage 56 was given to the Swiss-designed hydrogen-fueled GreenGT H2, which was to be the first car without an internal combustion engine to compete at Le Mans. However, the car was pronounced unfit to take part in the race by the team a few days before the race. In 2016, the H2 went on to complete a single demonstration lap at Le Mans. The Nissan ZEOD RC ,

7571-423: The grid than Miles's, McLaren's car had covered the greatest distance over the 24 hours. With the margin of victory determined to be eight metres, McLaren and his co-driver, Chris Amon , were declared the winners. The decision cost Miles and Denny Hulme a victory. Miles had already won the other two endurance races at Sebring and Daytona. With a win at Le Mans, he would have become the first man to win all three and

7684-661: The high-profile duo. Gurney shook the bottle and sprayed everyone nearby. Gurney autographed and gave the bottle of champagne to Life photographer Flip Schulke , who used it as a lamp for years before returning it to Gurney. The first race was held on 26–27 May 1923 and has since been run annually in June with exceptions in 1956, when the race was held in July; 1968, when it was held in September due to nationwide political turmoil in May ; 2020, when it

7797-463: The immediate beneficiaries of this knowledge. Ferrari named the 1984-1991 Testarossa road car as a homage to the 500 TR and 250 TR. In contrast to the front-engine V12-powered 250 TR, the Testarossa is a mid-engine design using a flat-12 engine and was designed as a road-going sports car , rather than a racer. The 250 Testa Rossa is one of the most valuable vintage Ferraris (and therefore one of

7910-703: The importance of reliability. The oil crisis in the early 1970s led organizers to adopt a fuel economy formula known as Group C that limited the amount of fuel each car was allowed. Although it was later abandoned, fuel economy remains important as new fuel sources reduce the time spent during pit stops. Such technological innovations have had a trickle-down effect and can be incorporated into consumer cars. This has also led to faster and more exotic supercars as manufacturers seek to develop faster road cars in order to develop them into even faster GT cars. Additionally, hybrid systems (flywheel, super-capacitor, battery coupled with both petrol and diesel) have been championed in

8023-739: The inaugural FIM Endurance Cup initially made up of four races, the Thruxton 500 , Montjuich , Warsage , and the Bol d'Or . The popularity of motorcycle endurance racing increased in the 1970s with the arrival of four-cylinder machines from Japan. In 1976 the FIM Endurance Cup became the European Championship and in 1980 a World Championship . Motorcycle endurance classics: Endurance races last for an extended period, ranging from 30 minutes up to 24 hours or more, for one or more drivers. In general, consistency, reliability, and pit strategy

8136-551: The low-production, hand-built nature of these cars and their use and modification in period mean that differences are most thoroughly explained in the context of an individual chassis' history. For the 1959 season, the 250 TR body design was lightly revised by Pinin Farina , with fabrication of the bodies handled by Fantuzzi . The cutaway nose with pontoon fenders was gone, replaced by a more aerodynamic design that still incorporated many ventilation grilles and air inlets. The 1959 250 TR

8249-524: The luxury trimmings found in Ferrari GT cars . The instrumentation and controls were completely focused around the driver. Like other 1950s and 1960s Ferrari sports cars, 250 TRs were equipped with an open gated shifter and a Nardi wooden steering wheel. The 250 TR was subject to continual iteration and refinement from 1957 to 1961, resulting in numerous differences between individual cars that may or may not coincide with different chassis production dates. As

8362-544: The many revisions that kept the car competitive through 1962. Other Ferrari engineers had major contributions to the 250 TR, notably Giotto Bizzarrini , who helped with aerodynamic improvements for the 1961 season, and Andrea Fraschetti, who helped develop the first 250 TR prototype before his 1957 death during a test drive. The 250 TR was raced and continually developed by Scuderia Ferrari from 1957 through 1962. In total, 33 250 TRs of all types were built between 1957 and 1962. Included in this total are 19 "customer versions" of

8475-440: The more common lengths of endurance races can be running for 500 kilometres (310 mi), or roughly 3 hours, or 1,000 kilometres (620 mi), or roughly 6 hours. Longer races can run for 1,000 miles (1,600 km), 12 hours, or even 24 hours. Teams can consist of anywhere from two to four drivers per event, which is dependent on the driver's endurance abilities, length of the race, or even the rules for each event. Coppa Florio

8588-488: The most valuable cars of any type), due to their low production (33 total including all 250 TR variants), racing success and historical influence. The 250 GTO is generally considered to have a greater monetary value, although true market values are difficult to determine due to how seldom either model is sold at auction. 250 TRs are often seen at prestigious auto shows such as the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and

8701-408: The new body had a distinctive cut-away nose reminiscent of a Formula 1 car. The protuberant central air intake was now flanked by deep channels and the headlights were set into nacelle - or pontoon -like fenders that enveloped each front wheel. The purpose of this design was to funnel cooling air inwards towards the brake drums , mitigating the persistent problem of heat-related fade . The lower body

8814-470: The new engine, Ferrari improved the existing Testa Rossa chassis and bodywork. As with other Ferrari racing cars, Enzo Ferrari demanded absolute reliability from all components, resulting in a somewhat conservative design approach that aimed for endurance racing success through durability rather than overall speed. Carlo Chiti was the chief designer during 250 TR development and his continual experimentation counterbalanced Mr. Ferrari's conservatism and led to

8927-451: The old European Le Mans Series which was created by IMSA and the ACO, but only ran in 2001. LMS champions and runners-up in all four categories receive an automatic entry to the following year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. All races used to be 6 hours long, but the format was changed to 3 hours in 2013 to differentiate it further from the WEC; currently, it has been reextended to 4 hours. With the debut of

9040-762: The other legs. Since 1998, the American Le Mans Series (now the IMSA Weathertech Sports Car Championship ) has held an endurance race, along with the 12 hours of Sebring, every year called " Petit Le Mans ", as a 10-hour American version. In 2014, the Weathertech Sports Car Championship (a merger of the races at Sebring; Petit Le Mans in Braselton , Georgia; the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen in Watkins Glen , New York; and

9153-516: The pits as possible. At the same time, the layout of the track required cars with better aerodynamics and stability at high speeds. While this was shared with Grand Prix racing, few tracks in Europe had straights of a length comparable to the Mulsanne . Additionally, because the road is public and thus not as meticulously maintained as permanent racing circuits, racing puts more strain on the parts, increasing

9266-410: The premier LMP1 category must have a roof due to safety concerns, with open-cockpit cars only permitted in the slightly slower LMP2 category. Since 2017, all prototype cars, LMP1 or LMP2, must have closed cockpits. Although all cars compete at the same time, as of 2021 there are separate classes. A prize is awarded to the winner of each class and the overall winner. The number of classes has varied over

9379-429: The prototype with the deflector, driver Richie Ginther commented that high-speed stability seemed to improve with only a slight reduction in top speed, leading to the inclusion of this feature on all 1961 bodies. The Ferrari engineers had in effect created a rear spoiler , well before engineers understood the aerodynamic theory behind them and integrated them into many car designs. For the 1962 season, Ferrari developed

9492-530: The public. These are further broken down into two sub-classes: constructors' prototypes, privateer prototypes, and two subclasses of GT cars. Competing teams have had a wide variety of organizations, ranging from competition departments of road car manufacturers (eager to prove the supremacy of their products) to professional motor racing teams (representing their commercial backers, some of which are also car manufacturers who want to win without paying for their own teams) to amateur teams (racing as much to compete in

9605-454: The race has had different regulations for safety and competition reasons partly due to its length. For many decades, cars had to run at least an hour into the race before they could refill fluids for the car, such as oil or coolant, except for fuel. This was an attempt by the ACO to help increase efficiency and reliability. Those who could not last the first hour without replacing lost fluids risked disqualification. Another rule unique to Le Mans

9718-551: The race returning to its original start time of 16:00 in 2021, 2023 and 2024 respectively. The only exceptions were as follows: Initially, the car that covered the greatest distance from its starting position was the winner. This is known to have caught out the Ford team in 1966 . With a dominant 1–2 lead, the two cars slowed to allow for a photo opportunity at the finish line, with Ken Miles slightly ahead of Bruce McLaren . However, since McLaren's car had started much farther back on

9831-502: The race stewards. The race traditionally began with what became known as the Le Mans start , in which cars were lined up along the length of the pits. Until 1962, cars lined up by engine capacity. Beginning in 1963, qualifying times determined the lineup. The starting drivers stood on the opposite side of the front stretch. When the French flag dropped to signify the start, the drivers ran across

9944-470: The source of the name "Testa Rossa" (literally, "Red Head"). This tradition and name originated with the 500 TR. The resulting engine was designated Tipo 128 and generated 300 hp (220 kW) at 7000 rpm. The power/ displacement ratio of 100 hp/litre was a particular point of pride for Ferrari, as it demonstrated how Ferrari's engineering prowess could create a competitive engine even under rules restricting displacement. The engineering team improved

10057-484: The specialised racing cars used in Grand Prix motor racing . Over time, the competing vehicles evolved away from their publicly available road car roots. Today, the race comprises two classes: the purpose-built Sports prototypes which are also known as Le Mans Prototypes (LMP) and are the highest level in sports car racing, and the production-based Grand Touring (GT) cars which are similar to sports cars sold to

10170-420: The speeds of the cars and the strain it puts on drivers, additional rules to reduce driver fatigue mandated that drivers could not drive for over 240 minutes (over 4 hours) and that no one driver could run for over 840 minutes (14 hours) total. With careful management of driver stints, this makes it possible to complete the race with only two drivers (as Jeroen Bleekemolen and Cooper MacNeil did in 2014), although

10283-408: The start. His car was waiting with first gear already engaged. He switched the starter on when he jumped in without depressing the clutch. The starter motor immediately jerked the car forward, but the engine did not start due to low RPM. After a few seconds of motion, he pushed the clutch down, allowing the engine to speed up and start while the car was moving. Feeling this type of start was unsafe, in

10396-658: The test day to the first weekend of June. Pre-qualification was eliminated in 2000, meaning that all competitors invited to the test would be allowed into the race. Since 2001 the Le Mans Legend races have also been part of the schedule, usually running exhibition races during qualifying days, a few hours prior to the sessions for the Le Mans entrants. From its inception, until 2008, the race started at 16:00 local time on Saturday, and consequently from 2009 to 2019, 2022 and come 2025 & hereafter it started at 15:00 local time, with

10509-478: The time of these lengthy pit stops. Drivers can get out of the car and be replaced by another driver during refuelling. Those rules are also applied in the FIA World Endurance Championship . There are various long-standing traditions at Le Mans, including the waving of the French tricolor to start the race. This is usually followed by a fly-over featuring jets trailing blue, white, and red smoke. A similar flag tradition

10622-423: The track, entered and started their cars without assistance, and drove away. This became a safety issue in the late 1960s when some drivers ignored their safety harnesses, then a recent invention. This led to drivers running the first few laps either improperly harnessed due to attempting to do it while driving or sometimes not even harnessed at all, leading to several deaths when cars were involved in accidents due to

10735-411: The twin intakes would improve air penetration was confirmed by Chiti's wind tunnel testing, leading to the adoption of this style throughout Ferrari's 1961 racing cars. During testing of the 250 TRI61, a full-width angled "deflector" panel was installed along the top edge of the rear bodywork. This was initially installed to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the cockpit under deceleration. After testing

10848-468: The unique Daytona Prototypes and Daytona-spec GT cars. The series is considered to be the successor of the defunct IMSA GT Championship as well as the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Sports Car Series that merged to form it. The European Le Mans Series (ELMS) is a European sports car racing endurance series run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO). The ELMS is seen as a rebirth of

10961-412: The use of drum brakes in the early 250 TRs as he believed they were more reliable and predictable in how they faded compared to more powerful but relatively new disc brakes . Drum brakes were unpopular with drivers as they required tremendous physical exertion to operate, due to lack of servo assist and the extremely hard, long-lasting pads used for endurance races. Despite the extensive air cooling used in

11074-443: The vast majority of teams still continue to use three drivers. In 2017, the driving time rules were further changed. If necessary, officials may require a drive time limit of 80 minutes of consecutive time behind the wheel and a minimum 30-minute rest break. The rule applies only if the air temperature is at least 32 °C (89.6 °F). Although it has been a part of the World Sportscar Championship for most of its existence,

11187-608: The years, but there are now three: Hypercar, LMP2, and LMGT3. Successor to the Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) is the custom-built Hypercar (LMH or LMDh) class. It is the top class and debuted in 2021. The new technical regulations are intended to prevent cost escalations while enabling greater variety in technical approaches and car aesthetics. This is followed by the LMP2 class where teams are obliged to run one of four approved chassis—ORECA, Ligier, Dallara, or Multimatic/Riley—mated with

11300-577: Was an Italian car race started in 1900, and renamed in 1905 when Vincenzo Florio offered the initial 50 000 Lira and a cup designed by Polak of Paris. The Brescia race visited the route Brescia-Cremona-Mantova-Brescia. In 1908, the race used the Circuito di Bologna: Bologna-Castelfranco Emilia-Sant'Agata Bolognese-San Giovanni in Persiceto-Bologna. Since 1914 most of the Coppa Florio was co-organized with

11413-413: Was based on Colombo-designed 3.0L V12 used in 250 GT road and racing cars. Carlo Chiti and other Ferrari engineers made several modifications to increase the performance of this already proven engine. The starting point was a 1953-style cylinder block with an overall capacity of 2953 cc, a 73 mm bore and 58.8 mm stroke . Six two-barrel Weber 38 DCN carburetors fed the engine, increased from

11526-552: Was both the second and the last round of the season. Launched when Grand Prix motor racing was the dominant form of motorsport throughout Europe, Le Mans was designed to present a different test. Instead of focusing on the ability of a car company to build the fastest machines, the 24 Hours of Le Mans would concentrate on the ability of manufacturers to build sporty yet reliable cars. This encouraged innovation in producing reliable and fuel-efficient vehicles , because endurance racing requires cars that last and spend as little time in

11639-508: Was common with Ferrari racing cars of the 1950s and 1960s, 250 TRs were frequently modified and updated by the Ferrari factory and/or private owners. Bodywork was often changed to improve performance or to repair crash damage. Ferrari historians track these changes with a numbering suffix based on year of production (such as 250 TR61 for a 1961-style car) as well as descriptors such as "Spider Fantuzzi" to denote cars with bodies fabricated by Fantuzzi. Despite this historiographical systematization,

11752-527: Was held on a 1-mile oval track at Driving Park , Columbus, Ohio on July 3–4, 1905. Beginning on the afternoon of July 3, four cars from Frayer-Miller , Pope-Toledo , Peerless and White Steamer raced for a $ 500 silver trophy. The winning Pope-Toledo car covered 828.5 miles. A protest was filed by the Frayer-Miller and Peerless teams, alleging the Pope-Toledo was not owned by the driver, instead sent from

11865-413: Was initially developed to compete in the 1957 World Sportscar Championship racing season, in response to rule changes planned for the upcoming 1958 season that would enforce a maximum engine displacement of 3 litres. The objective was to improve on the existing 4-cylinder 2.0L 500 TR / 500 TRC Testa Rossa by integrating the more powerful Colombo-designed 3.0L V12 as used in 250 GT series. Along with

11978-512: Was moved to 19–20 September due to the COVID-19 outbreak; and 2021, when it was moved to 21–22 August. The race has been cancelled ten times—in 1936 (a labour strike during the Great Depression ) and between 1940 and 1948 (World War II). The race usually takes place on the second weekend of June, with qualifying and practice taking place on the Wednesday and Thursday before the race, following

12091-420: Was now split into two openings, introducing the distinctive "sharknose" or "nostril" style that was also used on other Ferrari sports racing cars such as the 246 SP and the 156 Formula 1 car. This front end styling had first appeared on a trio of Maserati 250Fs that Fantuzzi re-bodied in 1958 for racer Ross Jensen and team owner Temple Buell (son of the architect with the same name ). Fantuzzi's suggestion that

12204-581: Was permitted per bike and there was no stopping other than for refuelling. Motorcycle endurance racing began to expand after the second World War as new races began to emerge, among them the 24 Hour Race in Warsage , Belgium in 1951, the 24 Hours of Montjuïc in Barcelona in 1957, 24 hours in Monza , Italy in 1959, and the Thruxton 500 mile endurance race at Thruxton , Hampshire , England in 1960. 1960 also saw

12317-405: Was raced successfully throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s. Independent teams raced the 250 TR alongside Scuderia Ferrari cars from 1958 on, although the most developed versions of the car were restricted to factory-sanctioned teams only. 250 TRs were extremely competitive during this time, winning 10 World Sportscar Championship races including the 1958, 1960, and 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans ,

12430-461: Was recessed inwards behind the front wheels in order to vent heat from the brakes and exhaust. The front hood was topped with a large bulge and air intake (forward facing on some cars, reverse facing on others) to provide clearance for the vertically oriented carburetors. The rear bodywork was more conventional, including a tapered fairing behind the driver's head and two small brake lights set into vertical fins. The distinctive cutaway-nose bodywork of

12543-715: Was the Australian Endurance Championship , held since 1981. The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (WSCC) is a US sports car racing series organized by the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA). The season begins with the 24 Hours of Daytona , traditionally held in the last weekend of January or the first weekend of February. There then follows a further 12 races, including the famed 12 Hours of Sebring , 6 Hours of Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans . The WSCC includes Le Mans Prototypes and Le Mans-spec GT cars and formerly featured

12656-432: Was the first Ferrari sports car to use disc brakes (manufactured by Dunlop). Disc brakes are much less susceptible to heat build-up and fade than drum brakes, so the extra air cooling provided by the 1958 Scaglietti body was no longer necessary. A 5-speed transmission mounted directly behind the engine was also introduced in 1959. Dry sump lubrication systems became standard equipment for all 250 TRs in 1960. This allowed

12769-401: Was used in the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans to determine the race winner. The top two finishers completed 355 laps, with only 13 seconds difference between them. Although "greatest distance run" determines the provisional order of finishers, additional requirements must be met for a car to be classified. All classification requirements hold except in exceptional circumstances, as determined by

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