Interesting LeMans story
Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2019 12:59 pm
Without knowing any of the history, I always thought the old LeMans starts looked CAF. 
Hadn't heard about this one though.
Some footage HERE.
Jackie Ickx winning LeMans in 1969 "by 30feet".
What I hadn't realised thought is that Ickx made a safety protest before the race - feeling that the traditional "run across the track to the cars" was too unsafe. All of the drivers at that time would exit as quickly as possible - only doing up their belts when they got to the Mulsanne straight in order to save time / gain track position. When he wasn't listened to, Ickx made a point of walking across the track at the start, entering his car and carefully doing up his belts before leaving the line - in last place.
A crash on lap1 killed fellow driver John Wolfe - it was said he would have survived if appropriately belted in.
Hadn't heard about this one though.
Some footage HERE.
Jackie Ickx winning LeMans in 1969 "by 30feet".
What I hadn't realised thought is that Ickx made a safety protest before the race - feeling that the traditional "run across the track to the cars" was too unsafe. All of the drivers at that time would exit as quickly as possible - only doing up their belts when they got to the Mulsanne straight in order to save time / gain track position. When he wasn't listened to, Ickx made a point of walking across the track at the start, entering his car and carefully doing up his belts before leaving the line - in last place.
A crash on lap1 killed fellow driver John Wolfe - it was said he would have survived if appropriately belted in.