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Le Mans 1961 - Ferrari and the unlucky competition

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Created on May 28, 2011

Reading time 6min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

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Die einzigartige Coupé Version des DB HBR 5 in Le Mans 1961

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Le Mans 1961 Plakat

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Gesamtsieger Ferrari 250 TRI/61 mit Phil Hill und Olivier Gendebien in Le Mans 1961

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Fiat Abarth 700S vor einem DB HBR 4 in Le Mans 1961

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Maserati Tipo 63 (1961) - Die Maserati hatten in Le Mans 1961 keine Chance gegen die dominanten Ferrari

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Zwei Triumph TRS auf der Hunaudières in Le Mans 1961

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Triumph Rennwagen für Le Mans 1961

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Sunbeam Alpine Harrington von Peter Harper in Le Mans 1961

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Ein DB HBR 4 in Le Mans 1961

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Der Ferrari 250 GT von Giancarlo Baghetti schied in Le Mans 1961 nach 163 Runden aus

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Lotus Elite Type 14 vor einem Ferrari 250 TRI:61 in Le Mans 1961

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Spyder jagt Coupé in Le Mans 1961: Porsche 718/4 RS

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Seltenheiten in Le Mans 1961: O.S.C.A Sport 1000 hinter einem unbekannten Prototypen

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Werksfoto des Porsche 718/4 RS Coupé aufgenommen vor Le Mans 1961

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Werksfoto des Porsche 718/4 RS Spyder aufgenommen vor Le Mans 1961

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Maserati Tipo 63 (1961) - Lenkrad und minimal ausgestattetes Armaturenbrett des Maseratis

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Fahrzeug von Peter Harper für Le Mans 1961: Sunbeam Alpine Harrington

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Ferrari 246 SP (1961) - mit Mittelmotor, gefahren in Le Mans, aber nicht gewonnen

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_Werksfoto des Porsche 718/4 RS Coupe aufgenommen vor Le Mans 1961

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Summary

The 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans will certainly not go down in history as the most exciting event in the Sarthe, the race was too monotonous at the front and Ferrari proved to be too superior. All around, however, there were technical delicacies and exciting battles for category and special classification victories.

This article contains the following chapters

Diverse starting field
Ferrari on the podium among its peers
Stirling Moss' tenth and final start at Le Mans
The fast Dino 246SP
The Ferrari Coupé with Testarossa engine
Maserati too slow and not reliable enough
Failure of the English
Porsche not yet fast enough but class winner
Cooper Monaco in the crash barriers
Many retirements
Exciting battle for the index ranking
The final classification
Further information

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans will certainly not go down in history as the most exciting event in the Sarthe, the race was too monotonous at the front and Ferrari proved to be too superior. All around, however, there was an astonishing variety of over 20 different vehicle types, technical delicacies and exciting battles for category and special classification victories. Diverse starting field There were 55 competitors with 14 different brands and over 20 different vehicle types. In addition to Ferrari, which had come to Le Mans with a newly formed company entity (Societa Esercizio Fabbriche Automobili e Corse, SEFAC for short) and brought along a Dino 246SP and the new 250 GT SWB as well as the improved four Testarossa, Aston Martin arrived with the DBR1/300 and the new DB4 GT Zagato, Porsche with the modified RS61 and Maserati with the Tipo 63. Vehicles from Triumph, Austin-Healey, Sunbeam, Cooper, AC, Alfa Romeo, Lotus, Osca, DB Panhard and Fiat-Abarth also vied for top places in the overall standings and in the various classifications. However, one brand that had previously been an integral part of Le Mans was missing: Jaguar did not take part for the first time since 1950.However, nobody doubted the superiority of the Ferrari sports cars.

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