1953 Le Mans 24 hour race

A Jaguar C-Type, here at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009. Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton's winning car was the first racing car with disc brakes to win the overall standings at Le Mans

Borgward Hansa 1500 Sport by Jacques Poch and Edmond Mouche in original condition

One of the two Pegaso Z102 Barchetta Touring Le Mans that had an accident during training. The car was repaired and later sold to the USA

The 21st 24-hour race of Le Mans , the 21 ^e Grand Prix d'Endurance les 24 Heures du Mans , also 24 Heures du Mans, Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans , took place from 13th to 14th June 1953 the Circuit des 24 Heures .

The race

Changes to the regulations

As a result of Pierre Levegh's solo drive from the previous year , the Automobile Club de l'Ouest changed or specified the regulations. No driver was allowed to sit at the wheel for more than 80 laps in a row and not drive more than 18 hours in total. After the first sports car world championship was held in 1953 , the technical regulations had to be adapted. Vehicles with supercharged engines were still allowed, but their coefficient in the Index of Performance was multiplied by two, which made it impossible for these racing cars to win this competition.

For the first time, speed measurements were also carried out at Le Mans. The Cunningham C5-R owned by John Fitch and Phil Walters was the fastest sports car on the Hunaudières Straight with a top speed of 249 km / h.

The racing teams

Triggered by the first sports car world championship, a large number of works teams came to Le Mans. Of the 60 starters, no fewer than 50 were works cars. The favorites were the works Jaguar C-Type with their revolutionary disc brakes and the works Ferrari . In addition to the disc brakes, the C-Types also received a new engine. The 3.4-liter unit now developed 220 hp. The top vehicle of the Scuderia was the 4.5-liter 340MM from Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi . Ascari exceeded the 180 km / h hurdle for the average over one lap with the 340MM in the race with a lap of 4.27.00.

For the first time since 1949 , the Alfa Romeo works team also took part. Four vehicles were registered, three approved for the start. The 3.5-liter 6C 3000 CM were driven by Juan Manuel Fangio , Onofre Marimón , Consalvo Sanesi , Piero Carini and last year's German winner Fritz Riess and his compatriot Karl Kling .

Gordini brought new prototypes to the Sarthe and the Talbots received new bodies. Briggs Cunningham also came to France from overseas with new prototypes. The C5-R had a 310 hp Chrysler engine.

Lancia also came to Le Mans with a works car. The fast D20 coupes had 2.7-liter supercharged engines. Panhard had hired the French aircraft designer Riffard, who gave the 0.7-liter racing car aerodynamic bodies. Also, Aston Martin and Renault participated with works cars.

Porsche came to Le Mans again from Germany . Three works cars, two 550 Coupé and one 356 were used . The works team from Mercedes-Benz did not start . The team from Stuttgart celebrated a one-two victory in 1952 after the loss of Pierre Levegh, which was not very popular in France. Nevertheless, a second German team was at the start: Borgward made its Le Mans debut with the Hansa 1500 Rennsport. Like Porsche in 1951 , the Borgward race management entrusted one of the two vehicles to a French driver pairing. In contrast, Mercedes had hired German drivers in the previous year without exception.

Both Spanish Pegasos had accidents during training and could not take part in the race. The Spaniard Juan Jover and the later President of the FIA , Paul Alfons von Metternich-Winneburg shared one of the two coupés .

The course of the race

After the start, the factory Allard J2R with Philip Fotheringham-Parker at the wheel surprisingly took the lead. However, this only lasted four laps, then the car had a brake defect and the Briton had to retire. This was followed by a fierce exchange of blows between Stirling Moss in the Jaguar and the Ferrari works driver Luigi Villoresi, which lasted until Moss' unforeseen pit stop due to a dirty petrol filter.

Even after the relapse of Moss, the Jaguars remained the toughest opponents of the factory Ferrari. The failure of the fast Villoresi / Ascari-340MM-Berlinetta due to clutch damage after driving 229 laps decided the race in favor of Rolt and Hamilton. The Scuderia had to accept far worse: During the night Tom Cole had a fatal accident in the dangerous section of the Maison Blanche route.

All Aston Martin, Lancia, and Bristol failed. Tommy Wisdom suffered severe burns to his hands and legs in an accident in his Bristol. One of the most original explanations for an accident failure came from Reg Parnell , who shared a factory Aston Martin DB3 S with Peter Collins . He thought of his house pigs and lost both concentration and control over his car.

Results

Pilots by nationality

48 French	27 British	14 Americans	14 Italians	8 Germans
4 Argentinians	3 Belgians	1 Monegasse	1 Dutch

Final ranking

Item	class	No.	team	driver	chassis	engine	tires	Round
1	S 5.0	18th	Jaguar Cars Ltd.	Tony Rolt Duncan Hamilton	Jaguar C-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6		304
2	S 5.0	17th	Jaguar Cars Ltd.	Stirling Moss Peter Walker	Jaguar C-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6		300
3	S 8.0	2	Briggs Cunningham	Phil Walters John Fitch	Cunningham C5-R	Chrysler 5.5L V8		299
4th	S 5.0	19th	Jaguar Cars Ltd.	Peter Whitehead Ian Stewart	Jaguar C-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6		297
5	S 5.0	15th	Scuderia Ferrari	Paolo Marzotto Gianni Marzotto	Ferrari 340MM Berlinetta	Ferrari 4.1L V12		294
6th	S 3.0	35	Automobiles Gordini	Maurice Trintignant Harry Schell	Gordini T16S	Gordini 2.5L I6		293
7th	S 8.0	1	Briggs Cunningham	Briggs Cunningham Bill Spear	Cunningham C4-R	Chrysler 5.5L V8		290
8th	S 5.0	7th	Automobiles Talbot-Darracq SA	Pierre Levegh Charles Pozzi	Talbot-Lago T26GS	Talbot-Lago 4.5L I6		276
9	S 5.0	20th	Ecurie Francorchamps	Roger Laurent Charles de Tornaco	Jaguar C-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6		275
10	S 8.0	3	Briggs Cunningham	Charles Moran John Gordon Bennett	Cunningham C4-RK	Chrysler 5.5L V8		269
11	S 5.0	11	Nash-Healey Inc.	Leslie Johnson Bert Hadley	Nash-Healey Sports	Nash 4.1L I6		265
12	S 3.0	34	Donald Healey Motor Company	Johnny Lockett Maurice Gatsonides	Austin-Healey 100	BMC 2.7L I4		257
13	S 2.0	39	Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd.	Ken Wharton Laurence Mitchell	Frazer Nash Le Mans Touring Coupe	Bristol 2.0L I6		253
14th	S 3.0	33	Donald Healey Motor Company	Marcel Becquart Gordon Wilkins	Austin-Healey 100	BMC 2.7L I4		252
15th	S 1.5	45	Porsche KG	Richard von Frankenberg Paul Frère	Porsche 550 Coupe	Porsche 1.5L Flat-4		247
16	S 1.5	44	Porsche KG	Helmet Glöckler Hans Herrmann	Porsche 550 Coupe	Porsche 1.5L Flat-4		247
17th	S 750	57	Automobiles Deutsch et Bonnet	René Bonnet André Moynet	DB HBR	Panhard 0.7L Flat-2		237
18th	S 1.1	48	Automobili OSCA	Mario Damonte Pierre Louis-Dreyfus	Osca MT-4 1100 Coupe	OSCA 1.1L I4		232
19th	S 750	58	Automobiles Deutsch et Bonnet	Marc Gignoux Marc Azéma	DB HBR	Panhard 0.7L Flat-2		231
20th	S 1.1	50	Automobiles Panhard et Levassor	Charles Plantivaux Guy Lapchin	Panhard X89	Panhard 0.9L Flat-2		227
21st	S 750	61	Automobiles Panhard et Levassor	Pierre Chancel Robert Chancel	Panhard X88	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2		223
22nd	S 1.1	51	Automobiles Panhard et Levassor	Raymond Stempert Georges Schwartz	Panhard X87	Panhard 0.9L Flat-2		218
23	S 750	53	RNU Renault	Jean-Louis Rosier Robert Schollemann	Renault 4CV	Renault 0.7L I4		218
Not classified
24	S 750	60	Automobiles Panhard et Levassor	Jean Hémard Jean de Montrémy	Panhard X85	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2		212
25th	S 3.0	66	Alexis Constantin	Alexandre Constantin Michel Aunaud	Constantin	Peugeot 1.3L Supercharged I4		200
26th	S 750	56	Just-Émile Vernet	Just-Émile Vernet Jean Pairard	VP 166R	Renault 0.7L I4		183
Failed
27	S 5.0	12	Scuderia Ferrari	Alberto Ascari Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari 340MM Berlinetta	Ferrari 4.5L V12		229
28	S 1.5	41	Borgward GmbH	Jacques Poch Edmond Mouche	Borgward Hansa 1500 racing	Borgward 1.5L I4		228
29	S 8.0	63	Scuderia Lancia	Clemente Biondetti José Froilán González	Lancia D20 Compressor	Lancia 2.7L Supercharged V6		213
30th	S 3.0	27	Aston Martin Ltd.	Eric Thompson Dennis Poore	Aston Martin DB3S	Aston Martin 2.9L I6		182
31	S 5.0	16	Luigi Chinetti	Luigi Chinetti Tom Cole	Ferrari 340MM Vignale S	Ferrari 4.1L V12		175
32	S 8.0	31	Scuderia Lancia	Robert Manzon Louis Chiron	Lancia D20 Compressor	Lancia 2.7L Supercharged V6		174
33	S 1.1	49	Porsche KG	Auguste Veuillet Petermax Müller	Porsche 356	Porsche 1.1L Flat-4		147
34	S 2.0	40	Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd.	Bob Gerard David Clarke	Frazer Nash Le Mans Mk.II Coupe	Bristol 2.0L I6		135
35	S 5.0	23	SpA Alfa Romeo	Karl Kling Fritz Riess	Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM	Alfa Romeo 3.5L I6		133
36	S 5.0	21st	SpA Alfa Romeo	Consalvo Sanesi Piero Carini	Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM	Alfa Romeo 3.5L I6		125
37	S 5.0	9	Automobiles Talbot-Darracq SA	Guy Mairesse Georges Grignard	Talbot-Lago T26 GS	Talbot-Lago 4.5L I6		120
38	S 8.0	30th	Scuderia Lancia	Piero Taruffi Umberto Maglioli	Lancia D.20 Compressor	Lancia 2.7L Supercharged V6		117
39	S 1.1	46	Gonzague Olivier	Gonzague Olivier Eugène Martin	Porsche 356	Porsche 1.1L Flat-4		115
40	S 750	55	Jacques Lecat	Jacques Lecat Henri Mustard Life	Renault 4CV	Renault 0.7L I4		84
41	S 3.0	36	Automobiles Gordini	Roberto Mieres Jean Behra	Gordini T15S	Gordini 2.3L I6		84
42	S 1.5	47	Rees T. Makins	Fred Wacker Phil Hill	Osca MT4 1300	OSCA 1.3L I4		80
43	S 3.0	26th	Aston Martin Ltd.	George Abecassis Roy Salvadori	Aston Martin DB3S	Aston Martin 2.9L I6		74
44	S 2.0	38	Bristol Aircraft Company	Tommy Wisdom Jack Fairman	Bristol 450 Coupe	Bristol 2.0L I6		70
45	S 8.0	32	Scuderia Lancia	Felice Bonetto Luigi Valenzano	Lancia D.20 Compressor	Lancia 2.7L Supercharged V6		66
46	S 8.0	5	Allard Motor Company	Zora Arkus-Duntov Ray Merrick	Allard J2R	Cadillac 5.4L V8		65
47	S 1.5	67	Capt. Marceau Crespin	André Guelfi Roger Loyer	Gordini T15S	Gordini 1.5L I4		40
48	S 5.0	8th	Automobiles Talbot-Darracq SA	Élie Bayol Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago T26 GS	Talbot-Lago 4.5L I6		37
49	S 750	54	RNU Renault	Louis Pons Jean Rédélé	Renault 4CV	Renault 0.7L I4		35
50	S 2.0	37	Bristol Aircraft Company	Lance Macklin Graham Whitehead	Bristol 450 Coupe	Bristol 2.0L I6		29
51	S 1.5	42	Borgward GmbH	Hans-Hugo Hartmann Adolf Brudes	Borgward Hansa 1500 racing	Borgward 1.5L I4		29
52	S +8.0	6th	André Chambas	Charles de Cortanze André Chambas	Talbot-Lago T26 GS Compressor	Talbot-Lago 4.5L Supercharged I6		24
53	S 5.0	22nd	SpA Alfa Romeo	Juan Manuel Fangio Onofre Marimón	Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM	Alfa Romeo 3.5L I6		22nd
54	S 2.5	25th	Aston Martin Ltd.	Reginald Parnell Peter Collins	Aston Martin DB3S	Aston Martin 2.9L I6		16
55	S 750	52	RNU Renault	Yves Lesur André Briat	Renault 4CV tank	Renault 0.7L I4		14th
56	S 5.0	14th	Scuderia Ferrari	Giuseppe Farina Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari 340MM Coupe	Ferrari 4.1L V12		12
57	S 5.0	10	Nash-Healey Inc.	Pierre Veyron Yves Giraud-Cabantous	Nash-Healey Sports	Nash 4.1L I6		9
58	S 750	59	Ets. Monopolies	Eugène Dussous Pierre Flahault	Monopoles X84	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2		9
59	S 2.0	62	Ets. Fiat Degrada	Giovanni Lurani Norbert-Jean Mahé	Fiat 8V	Fiat 2.0L V8		8th
60	S 8.0	4th	Allard Motor Company	Sydney Allard Philip Fotheringham-Parker	Allard J2R	Cadillac 5.4L V8		4th
Not started
61	S 1.5	43	Borgward GmbH	Adolf Brudes Karl-Heinz Schäufele Max Nathan	Borgward Hansa 1500 racing	Borgward 1.5L I4		1
62	S 3.0	28	Nacional de Autocamiones SA	Juan Jover Paul Metternich	Pegaso Z102			2
63	S 3.0	29	Nacional de Autocamiones SA	Jaoquin Palacio Pover Pablo Julio Reh Cardona Celso Fernandez	Pegaso Z102			3
64	S 5.0	18T	Jaguar Cars Ltd.	Norman Dewis Stirling Moss	Jaguar C-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6		4th
65	S 3.0	33	Donald Healey Motor Company	Gordon Wilkins Marcel Bequart Ken Rudd	Austin-Healey 100	BMC 2.7L I4		5
reserve
66	S 3.0	24	Automobiles Gordini	Jean Behra Jean Lucas	Gordini T24S	Gordini 2.3L I6		6th
67	S 3.0	69	Peter. CT Clark	Peter Clark Thomas M. Meyer	Aston Martin DB2	Aston Martin 2.6L I6		7th
68	S 750	72	Jean Hébert	Jean Hébert James Scott Arthur Jones	Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4		8th
69	S 750	74	Jacques Faucher	Jacques Faucher Pierre Laine	Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4		9
70	S 5.0	65	René Marchand	René Marchand Johnny Simone Aramad Roboly	Jaguar C-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6		10
71	S 5.0	68	SpA Alfa Romeo	Antonio Stagnoli Pietro Palmieri	Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM	Alfa Romeo 3.5L I6		11
72	S 1.1	70	Automobili OSCA	Phil Stiles Bob Said	Osca MT-4	OSCA 1.1L I4		12
withdrawn
73	S 5.0	64	Automobiles Talbot-Darraq SA	Jean Blanc	Talbot-Lago T26GS	Talbot-Lago 4.5L I6		13

¹ Accident during training ² Accident during training ³ Accident during training ⁴ Replacement car ⁵ not started ⁶ Reserve ⁷ Reserve ⁸ Reserve ⁹ Reserve ¹⁰ Reserve ¹¹ Reserve ¹² Reserve ¹³ withdrawn

Only in the entry list

Here you can find teams, drivers and vehicles that were originally registered for the race, but did not take part for various reasons.

Item	class	No.	team	driver	chassis	engine	tires
74	S 5.0	15th	William Spear	Bill Spear	Ferrari 340 Mexico	Ferrari 4.1L V12
75	S 5.0	16	Pierre Louis-Dreyfus	Pierre Louis-Dreyfus	Ferrari 340 America	Ferrari 4.1L V12
76	S 5.0	23	Frank LeGallais	Frank LeGallais Otway Plunkett	Jaguar C-Type	Jaguar 3.4L I6
77	S 3.0	25th	Edgar Wadsworth	Edgar Wadsworth	Aston Martin DB3	Aston Martin 2.9L I6
78	S 3.0	32	Franco Cornacchia	Franco Cornacchia Dorino Serafini	Ferrari 250MM Berlinetta Pinin Farina	Ferrari 2.9L V12
79	S 3.0	33	McAfee	Ernie McAfee Jack McAfee	Ferrari 250MM	Ferrari 2.9L V12
80	S 3.0	45	Donald Healey Motor Company		Austin-Healey 100	BMC 2.7L I4
81	S 3.0	48	Empresa Nacional de Autocamiones SA	Jaoquin Pover Pablo Cardona	Pegaso Z102 Barchetta Touring Le Mans
82		50	André Clermont	André Clermont Julian Clermont	Siata
83	S 2.0	51	Porfirio Rubirosa	Porfirio Rubirosa Pierre Leygonie	Ferrari 166MM	Ferrari 2.0L V12
84	S 2.0	53	Bristol Aircraft Company	Tommy Wisdom	Bristol 450	Bristol 2.0L I6
85	S 2.0	57	Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd.	Bob Gerard David Clark	Frazer Nash Le Mans Mk.II Coupe	Bristol 2.0L I6
86	S 2.0	58	Raymond Chalut-Natal	Raxmond Chalut-Natal Roland Mercier	BMW 328	BMW 2.0L I6
87	S 2.0	59	Rodney Peacock	Rodney Peacock Gerry Ruddock	Frazer-Nash Targa Florio
88	S 1.5	63	Singer Ltd.	Jacques Savoye Marcel Renault	Singer SM 1500
89		64	Jean Blanc	Jean Blanc Georges Grignard	Talbot Sport LM
90		66	Automobiles Gordini		Gordini T15S
91	S 1.1	67	Jean de Giroude	Jean de Giroude	Gordini TTM
92	S 3.0	69	Nigel man	Nigel Mann Mortimer Morris-Goodall	Aston Martin DB2	Aston Martin 2.6L I6
93	S 8.0	71	Allard Motor Company		Allard J2R
94	S 1.5	72	Cyril Kieft	Alfred Hitchings Arthur Jones	Kieft
95	S 750	73	Automobiles German & Bonnet	Georges Trouis Élie Bayol	DB HBR	Panhard 0.7L Flat-2
96	S 1.1	74	Automobili OSCA	Jacques Péron Paul van de Kaart	Osca MT4	OSCA 1.1L I4
97	S 750	75	Paul Garcynski	Yves Dommee Serge Dzouilleau René Breuil	Dyna Panhard
98	S 1.1	77	Porsche KG	Heinz Brendel Constantin from Berkheim	Porsche 356	Porsche 1.1L Flat-4
99	S 750	83	Max Deblon	Max Deblon	Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4
100	S 750	88	RNU Renault		Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4
101	S 750	89	RNU Renault		Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4
102	S 750	90	RNU Renault		Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4
103	S 750	91	RNU Renault		Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4
104	S 750	97	Stanguellini		Stanguellini Bialbero
105	S 750	100	Automobiles Panhard et Levassor	Pierre Hémard André Guerne	Panhard X85	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2
106	S 1.5	105	Poulain Fréres	Jean-Maurice Poulain Michel Poulain André Racchise	Fiat 1500
107	S 750	101	Patrick Gaillard		Panhard X84	Panhard 0.6L Flat-2
108	S 750	106	Nardi et Co		Nardi 4CV
109	S 750	107	Nardi et Co		Nardi 4CV
110	S 750	108	Michel Aunaud	Michel Aunaud Georges Stevens	Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4
111	S 1.6	111	Roger Loyer	Roger Loyer	Gordini T18C
112	S 5.0	112	Roberto Bonomi	Roberto Bonomi Roberto Mieres	Ferrari 340	Ferrari 4.1L V12
113	S 750	114	RNU Renault		Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4
114	S 750	115	RNU Renault		Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4
115	S 2.0	116	Emmanuel Baboin	Emmanuel Baboin	Lancia Aurelia
116	S 5.0	117	Tom Cole		Ferrari 340 America	Ferrari 4.1L V12
117	S 1.5		Allard Motor Company		Frazer-Nash Palm Beach
118	S 750		Automobiles Panhard et Levassor		Panhard
119	S 750		Automobiles Panhard et Levassor		Panhard
120	S 750		Automobiles Panhard et Levassor		Panhard
121	S 750		Automobiles Panhard et Levassor		Panhard
122	S 750		Louis Pons		DB HBR	Panhard 0.7L Flat-2
123	S 750		Fernand Pousse		Panhard
124	S 750		Automobiles Deutsch et Bonnet		DB HBR	Panhard 0.7L Flat-2
125	S 750		Angelo Dagrada		Dagrada
126	S 4.0		Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd.		Frazer-Nash
127	S 5.0		Jim Kimberley	Jim Kimberley Paul O'Shea	Ferrari 340MM	Ferrari 4.1L V12
128	S 750		Jean-Louis Rosier	Jean-Louis Rosier Jean Estager	Renault 4CV 1063	Renault 0.7L I4

Class winner

class	driver	driver	vehicle	Placement in the overall ranking
Index of Performance - 7th Annual Cup of the ACO	Pierre Chancel	Robert Chancel	Panhard X88	Rank 21
19th Biennial Cup	Pierre Chancel	Robert Chancel	Panhard X88	Rank 21
5001-8000 cc	Phil Walters	John Fitch	Cunningham C5-R	Rank 3
3001-5000 cc	Tony Rolt	Duncan Hamilton	Jaguar C-Type	Overall victory
2001-3000 cc	Maurice Trintignant	Harry Schell	Gordini T24S	Rank 6
1501-2000 cc	Ken Wharton	Laurence Mitchell	Frazer Nash Le Mans Touring Coupe	Rank 13
1101-1500 cc	Richard von Frankenberg	Paul Brother	Porsche 550 Coupe	Rank 15
751-1100 cc	Mario Damonte	Pierre Louis-Dreyfus	Osca MT-4 1100 Coupe	Rank 18
- 750 cc	René Bonnet	André Moynet	DB HBR	Rank 17

Racing data

• Reported: 127
• Started: 60
• Rated: 23
• Race classes: 9
• Spectator: unknown
• Honorary starter of the race: Jean Masson, French Secretary of State for Education
• Weather on the race weekend: warm and dry
• Route length: 13.492 km
• Driving time of the winning team: 24: 00: 00,000 hours
• Total laps of the winning team: 303
• Total distance of the winning team: 4088.064 km
• Winner's average: 170.336 km / h
• Pole position: unknown
• Fastest race lap: Alberto Ascari - Ferrari 340MM Berlinetta (# 12) - 4: 27.400 = 181.642 km / h
• Racing series: 3rd round of the 1953 World Sports Car Championship

literature

• RM Clarke: Le Mans. The Jaguar Years 1949-1957. Brooklands Books, Cobham 1997, ISBN 1-85520-357-X .
• Christian Moity, Jean-Marc Teissèdre, Alain Bienvenu: 24 heures du Mans, 1923–1992. Éditions d'Art, Besançon 1992, ISBN 2-909413-06-3 .

Web links

Commons : Le Mans 24 Hours 1953  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Predecessor race Mille Miglia 1953

Sports car world championship

Successor to the 24-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps in 1953