The 84th Geneva International Motor Show from March 6 to 16 will offer an exceptional exhibition to the 700,000 or so visitors expected in the Palexpo halls. In collaboration with the ACO (Automobile Club de l'Ouest), which organizes the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and with the support of Rolex, the official timekeeper, some twenty vehicles that have marked the history of what is still the most important motor race in the world will be on display.
Racing car rarities that made history
These masterpieces of automotive engineering will temporarily leave the Musée Automobile de la Sarthe or their private collections to celebrate a race that will take place for the 82nd time on June 14 and 15 this year.
The still most relentless touchstone for the technologies of tomorrow has a particularly interesting program this time, as Porsche makes its brilliant return to Le Mans with a brand-new hybrid prototype to interfere in the duel of recent years between Audi and Toyota, while 100% electric cars will be competing for the title.while 100% electric or hydrogen-powered prototypes will soon be ready to tackle the 13.6 km circuit, which attracts around 250,000 spectators to motorsport's premier race every year.
The world's number 1 sporting event
This first major long-distance motor race was launched in 1923 on the initiative of the ACO and has become an unmissable event over the years with its successes - but also its dramas. Like the Monaco Grand Prix in Formula 1, the Monte Carlo Rally or the Indianapolis 500, the Marathon of the Machines on the Circuit de la Sarthe has become a true legend, based on its unique 24-hour format and the intensity of a race that has become legendary.
In a survey conducted in 2012 by the renowned US magazine National Geographic, the "24 Hours of Le Mans" even came in first place among all sporting events worldwide, ahead of the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup.
On the trail of the legend
There are hardly any racing teams or constructors, accessory brands, sponsors and, of course, drivers who do not fervently wish for a triumph at Le Mans.
It is no coincidence that the greatest have won here, and this fabulous journey through time in the footsteps of the names that have written the history of Le Mans and motor racing is offered on a generous 1,800 m2 in Palexpo's new Hall 3.
From the victorious Chenard&Walcker of the first race in 1923 to the unforgotten Bentley Speed Six, Ferrari 166MM, Jaguar (D and XJR9), Ford GT40, Matra 670, Porsche (917 and GT1) and Peugeot (905 and 908) to last year's winning Audi R18 E-TEV.last year's winner Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro Hybrid, all the cars are gathered together to delight the eyes and sometimes evoke wistful memories.
Sauber Mercedes, Faessler - Switzerland on the winners' podium
The exhibition host Switzerland - from which no fewer than 141 drivers qualified for the start of the "24 Hours" and of which 31 won in the various categories of registered cars - is also well represented.
Up front with the Sauber Mercedes C9, which comes directly from the museum in Hinwil, the headquarters of the Zurich-based constructor, and which enabled Mercedes to celebrate not only a sensational one-two victory in 1989, but also two world championship titles (driver and constructor).
The younger Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro was co-piloted in 2012 by Marcel Faessler from Switzerland, the first - and only - Swiss winner at Le Mans (even twice in a row) and also world champion. Not forgetting the Rondeau M379B - the first "private" constructor to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1980 - whose Ford-Cosworth V8 engine from Formula 1 was prepared in the workshops of Heini Mader from Vaud in Gland.
The 20 exhibited cars
- 1923: Chenard&Walcker Sport (Lagache-Léonard, winner)
- 1929: Bentley Speed Six (Barnato-Birkin, winner)
- 1933: Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 (Nuvolari-Sommer, winner)
- 1937: Bugatti Type 57 (Wimille-Benoist, winner)
- 1949: Ferrari 166 MM (Chinetti-Mitchell Thompson, winner)
- 1954: Jaguar D-Type (Hamilton-Rolt, runner-up)
- 1958: Ferrari Testa Rossa (Gendebien-Hill, winner)
- 1966: Ford GT40 MkII (Amon-McLaren, winner)
- 1970: Porsche 917K (Attwood-Herrmann, winner)
- 1974: Matra 670B (Larrousse-Pescarolo, winner)
- 1978: Alpine Renault A442B Turbo (Jaussaud-Pironi, winner)
- 1980: Rondeau M379B Ford (Jaussaud-Rondeau, winner)
- 1989: Sauber Mercedes C9 (Dickens-Mass-Reuter, winner)
- 1991: Mazda 787B (Gachot-Herbert-Weidler, winner)
- 1991: Jaguar XJR9 (Boesel-Ferté-Jones, second)
- 1992: Peugeot 905 (Blundell-Dalmas-Warwick, winner)
- 1998: Porsche GT1 (Aïello-McNish-Ortelli, winner)
- 2000: Audi R8 (Biella-Kristensen-Pirro, winner)
- 2009: Peugeot 908 (Brabham-Gené-Wurz, winner)
- 2013: Audi R18 E-Tron Quattro (Duval-Kristensen-McNish, winner; Faessler-Lotterer-Tréluyer, winner 2012)
