Collection(s) : Sport auto
Paru le 20/01/2017 | Relié sous jaquette 279 pages
Tout public
24h Le Mans
84e Édition
Even before the 84th Le Mans 24-Hours race began, it was already assured of an exceptional level of media coverage. There are not many events at which Brad Pitt is the star ! The Hollywood leading man was on hand as the official starter of the race, and he probably did not expect to have such a hectic weekend. First of all, the rain interfered with his role because the organisers had to modify the start procedure at the very last minute. Then in the race itself the action never let up in all four categories comprising a total of 60 cars at the start, a first since 1955. But it was the finish that beggared belief when the leading car suffered mechanical problems on the last lap handing victory to another manufacturer. Never in the Le Mans 24-Hours legend, which is full of amazing incidents, had such a scenario unfolded. Thus, Porsche scored its 18th win in the greatest endurance race in the world. Toyota was left to rue a victory that escaped it only four minutes from the finish. Ford made an amazing comeback to the 24 Hours by winning the grand touring endurance category from Ferrari exactly 50 years after the first of its four victories in the overall classification. And Alpine came out on top in LM P2 with the A460 perpetuating a tradition whose last success at Le Mans went back to 1969 ! The 2016 Le Mans 24-Hours race was cruel for some, unbelievable for others, and it will remain engraved in everybody's memory, especially those of the 263 500 spectators present. The way it unfolded and the final result promise an even more thrilling race in 2017 as Audi, Ligier, Ferrari, Corvette, Aston Martin, and of course Toyota, will be more determined than ever to get back into the winner's circle after their disappointments this year.
Jean-Marc Teissedre
It was through his love of model cars that math's teacher, Jean- Marc Teissedre, discovered his true vocation. This coincided with the launch of Auto Hebdo in 1976 to which he has remained faithful ever since becoming one of the best (if not the best) endurance racing journalists. He has also contributed to all the major books dedicated to his specialty with his usual talent and enthusiasm, including this Yearbook on which he has worked since 1978 with Christian Moity and more recently with Alain Bienvenu. In addition to his professionalism, he adds the meticulousness of the model maker he has always been as he created the magazine Auto Modélisme, of which he recently stepped down from the post of chief editor.
Alain Bienvenu
In 1976, when he was a history student he answered a classified ad in the magazine Sport Auto which was looking for a collaborator. It was the start of his career in the world of the motor car. He then worked for the DPPI photo agency followed by publishing with Automobile Year, the first issues of Auto Passion, Automobile magazine and finally Auto Plus. In addition to his job in the editorial departments of these magazines, he discovered the other aspects of the motor car (shows, tests, new models etc) and began to specialize in the history of makes and the people behind them. But he did not neglect racing with books written in collaboration with his two accomplices mentioned above : 50 Ans d'endurance for E-T-A-l and the Le Mans 24 Hours.
