1985 Le Mans 24 hour race

The victorious Porsche 956B with starting number 7

The second-placed Porsche 956 GTi with starting number 14

The 53. 24-hour race at Le Mans , the 53 ^s Grand Prix d'Endurance les 24 Heures du Mans , and 24 Heures du Mans Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans , took place on the 15th and June 16th, 1985 the Circuit des 24 Heures .

The race

As in the previous year , the racing teams that started with Porsche prototypes were the clear favorites for overall victory in 1985 . While the works team used the new Porsche 962C , the private teams had to make do with the Porsche 956B .

Neither the Lancia LCs nor the Toyota 85C-L and the rotary engine Mazda 737C were given a chance of victory. During practice on the Thursday before the race, there was a serious accident when Porsche driver Dudley Wood collided with the Alba AR2 , driven by Jean-Pierre Frey, at the end of the Les Hunaudieres straight. Both cars were so badly damaged that they could not start.

In qualifying, Hans-Joachim Stuck drove a record lap with an average of 251,815 km / h. The race was won by Klaus Ludwig , Paolo Barilla and Louis Krages in the Joest Porsche 956, ahead of the 956 GTi driven by Jonathan Palmer , James Weaver and Richard Lloyd . For Jacky Ickx , his last race at Le Mans ended in tenth place overall.

Results

Pilots by nationality

37 French	35 British	12 Italians	11 Germans	11 Americans
9 Belgians	7 Japanese	6 Swiss	3 Australians	3 Irish
3 South Africans	2 danes	2 Austrians	1 Argentine	1 Canadian
1 Colombian	1 Moroccan	1 New Zealander	1 Spaniard	1 Swede

Final ranking

Item	class	No.	team	driver	chassis	engine	tires	Round
1	C1	7th	New-Man Joest Racing	Klaus Ludwig Paolo Barilla Louis Krages	Porsche 956B	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	D.	374
2	C1	14th	Richard Lloyd Racing	Jonathan Palmer James Weaver Richard Lloyd	Porsche 956 GTi	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	G	371
3	C1	2	Rothmans Porsche	Derek Bell Hans-Joachim Stuck	Porsche 962C	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	D.	367
4th	C1	33	John Fitzpatrick Racing	Jo Gartner David Hobbs Guy Edwards	Porsche 956B	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	Y	366
5	C1	10	Porsche Kremer Racing	Mario Hytten George Fouché Sarel van der Merwe	Porsche 956B	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	G	361
6th	C1	4th	Martini Racing	Bob Wollek Alessandro Nannini Lucio Cesario	Lancia LC2	Ferrari 308C 3.0L Turbo V8	M.	360
7th	C1	5	Martini Racing	Henri Pescarolo Mauro Baldi	Lancia LC3	Ferrari 308C 3.0L Turbo V8	M.	358
8th	C1	26th	Obermaier Racing Team	Jürgen Lässig Jesús Pareja Hervé Regout	Porsche 956	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	G	357
9	C1	11	Porsche Kremer Racing	Jean-Pierre Jarier Mike Thackwell Franz Konrad	Porsche 962C	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	G	356
10	C1	1	Rothmans Porsche	Jacky Ickx Jochen Mass	Porsche 962C	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	D.	348
11	C1	66	EMKA Productions Ltd.	Tiff Needell Steve O'Rourke Nick Faure	EMKA C84 / 1	Aston Martin -Tickford 5.3L V8	D.	338
12	C1	36	Tom's team	Satoru Nakajima Masanori Sekiya Kaoru Hoshino	Toyota 85C-L	Toyota 4T-GT 2.1L Turbo I4	B.	330
13	GTP	44	Jaguar Group 44	Bob Tullius Chip Robinson Claude Ballot-Léna	Jaguar XJR-5	Jaguar 6.0L V12	G	324
14th	C1	70	Spice engineering	Gordon Spice Ray Bellm Mark Galvin	Spice-Tiga GC85	Cosworth DFL 3.3 L V8	A.	312
15th	B.	151	Helmut Gall	Edgar Dören Martin Birrane Jean-Paul Libert	BMW M1	BMW M88 3.5L I6	A.	307
16	C2	75	ADA engineering	Ian Harrower Steve Earle John Sheldon	Gebhardt JC843	Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8	A.	299
17th	C1	42	World Cup Peugeot	Michel Pignard Jean-Daniel Raulet Jean Rondeau	WM P83B	Peugeot PRV 2.6L Turbo V6	M.	299
18th	C1	39	Bussi Racing	Bruno Sotty Jean-Claude Justice Patrick Oudet	Rondeau M382	Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8	D.	291
19th	C2	86	Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.	Dave Kennedy Philippe Martin Jean-Michel Martin	Mazda 737C	Mazda 13B 1.3L 2- Wankel	D.	283
20th	C1	13	Primagaz	Yves Courage Alain de Cadenet Jean-François Yvon	Cougar C12	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	M.	279
21st	C2	99	Roy Baker Promotions	Paul Smith Will Hoy Nick Nicholson	Tiga GC285	Cosworth BDT 1.7L Turbo I4	A.	274
22nd	C1	34	Kreepy Krauly Racing	Graham Duxbury Christian Danner Almo Coppelli	March 85G	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	Y	270
23	C2	95	Roland Bassaler	Roland Bassaler Dominique Lacaud Yvon Tapy	Clean SHS C6	BMW M88 3.5L I6	A.	268
24	C2	85	Mazdaspeed Co. Ltd.	Yoshimi Katayama Yōjirō Terada Takashi Yorino	Mazda 737C	Mazda 13B 1.3L 2-Wankel	D.	264
Not classified
25th	C2	77	Spice engineering	Tim Lee-Davey Neil Crang Tony Lanfranchi	Tiga GC84	Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	D.	226
26th	C2	74	Team Labatt	Frank Jelinski John Graham Nick Adams	Gebhardt JC853	Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	A.	224
27	C2	98	Roy Baker Promotions	François Duret David Andrews Duncan Bain	Tiga GC284	Cosworth BDT 1.7L Turbo I4	A.	150
28	C2	93	Automobiles Louis Descartes	Louis Descartes Jacques Heuclin Daniel Hubert	ALD 01	BMW M88 3.5L I6	A.	141
Disqualified
29	C1	41	World Cup Peugeot	Patrick Gaillard Pascal Pessiot Dominique Fornage	WM P83B	Peugeot PRV 2.6L Turbo V6	M.	267
Failed
30th	C1	18th	Brun Motorsport	Massimo Sigala Oscar Larrauri Gabriele Tarquini	Porsche 956	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	D.	323
31	C1	19th	Brun Motorsport	Walter Brun Joël Gouhier Didier Theys	Porsche 962C	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	D.	304
32	C1	3	Rothmans Porsche	Al Holbert Vern Schuppan John Watson	Porsche 962C	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	D.	299
33	C1	31	Primagaz	Pierre Yver Pierre-François Rousselot François Sérvanin	Rondeau M382	Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	D.	286
34	C1	8th	New-Man Joest Racing	Paul Belmondo Mauricio de Narváez Kenper Miller	Porsche 956	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	D.	277
35	C2	80	Carma FF	Martino Finotto Aldo Bertuzzi Guido Daccò	Alba AR6	Carma FF 1.9L Turbo I4	A.	228
36	GTP	40	Jaguar Group 44	Brian Redman Hurley Haywood Jim Adams	Jaguar XJR-5	Jaguar 6.0L V12	G	151
37	C1	67	Jean-Philippe Grand	Patrick Gonin Pascal Witmeur Pierre de Thoisy	Rondeau M482	Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8	M.	143
38	C1	38	Dome team	Eje Elgh Geoff Lee's Toshio Suzuki	Dome 85C-L	Toyota 4T-GT 2.1L Turbo I4	D.	141
39	C2	90	Jens Winther Denmark	Jens Winther David Mercer Margie Smith-Haas	URD C83	BMW M88 3.5L I6	A.	141
40	B.	157	Angelo Pallavicini	Enzo Calderari Angelo Pallavicini Marco Vanoli	BMW M1	BMW M88 3.5L I6	A.	116
41	B.	156	Raymond Touroul team	Raymond Touroul Thierry Perrier Philippe Dermagne	Porsche 911SC	Porsche 3.0L Flat-6	P	107
42	C1	43	World Cup Peugeot	Claude Haldi Roger Dorchy Jean-Claude Andruet	WM P83B	Peugeot PRV 2.8L Turbo V6	M.	73
43	C2	104	Ecurie Blanchet Locatop	Michel Dubois Hubert Striebig Noël del Bello	Rondeau M379	Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	A.	65
44	C1	24	Cheetah Automobiles Switzerland	Bernard de Dryver Claude Bourgoignie John Cooper	Cheetah G604	Aston Martin-Tickford 5.3L V8	D.	53
45	C2	79	Ecurie Ecosse	Mike Wilds Ray Mallock David Leslie	Ecosse C285	Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	A.	45
46	C1	46	Bussi Racing	Christian Bussi Jack Griffin Marion L. Speer	Rondeau M482	Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8	M.	36
47	B.	152	Vogelsang	Harald Grohs Altfrid Heger Kurt König	BMW M1	BMW M88 3.5L I6	A.	32
48	C2	100	Bartlett Chevron Racing	Richard Jones Robin Smith Max Cohen-Olivar	Chevron B62	Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8	A.	19th
49	C2	82	Grifo Autoracing	Paolo Giangrossi Pasquale Barberio Mario Radicella	Alba AR3	Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8	D.	5
Not started
50	C1	61	Clean racing	John Nielsen Dieter Quester Max Welti	Clean C8	Mercedes-Benz M117 5.0L Turbo V8	D.	1
51	C2	81	Carma FF	Loris Kessel Ruggero Melgrati Aldo Bertuzzi Jean-Pierre Frey	Alba AR2	Carma FF 1.9L Turbo I.	A.	2
52	C2	97	Strandell Porsche	Stanley Dickens Torgjer Kleppe Martin Schanche	Strandell 85	Porsche Type-934 3.3L Turbo Flat-6	A.	3
Not qualified
53	C2	106	Bruno Sotty	Martin Wagenstätter Kurt Hild	Lotec C302	Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8	D.	4th
54	C1	55	John Fitzpatrick Racing	Kenny Acheson Dudley Wood Jean-Louis Schlesser	Porsche 962C	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6	Y	5

¹ Accident ² Accident ³ Engine damage ⁴ Accident ⁵ Not qualified

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
55	C2	46	Roland Bassaler		Clean SHS C6	BMW M88 3.5L I6
56	C1	6th	Martini Lancia		Lancia LC2-83 / 85	Ferrari 308C 3.0L Turbo V8	M.
57	C1	16	Richard Lloyd Racing	Jonathan Palmer Jan Lammers	Porsche 956	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6
58	C1	23	Cheetah Automobiles Switzerland		Cheetah G604	Aston Martin-Tickford 5.3L V8	D.
59	C1	32	Dorset Racing Associates	Martin Birrane Tony Birchenhough	Dome RC83	Cosworth DFL 3.3L V8
60	C1	51	TWR Jaguar	Hans Heyer Thierry Tassin	Jaguar XJR-6	Jaguar 6.2L V12
61	C1	52	TWR Jaguar	David Hobbs Jean-Louis Schlesser	Jaguar XJR-6	Jaguar 6.2L V12
62	C1	53	TWR Jaguar		Jaguar XJR-6	Jaguar 6.2L V12
63	C1	54	Clean racing		Clean C8	Mercedes-Benz M117 5.0L Turbo V8
64	C2	55	Gebhardt Motorsport	Jan Thoelke	Gebhardt JC853	Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
65	C2	56	Lyncar Motorsport	Emilio de Villota Costas Los Mikael Nabrink	Lyncar MS83	Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
66	C2	57	Lanx engineering	Glenn Loxton David Sears Dudley Wood	Argo JM16	Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
67	C2	58	Harrier		Harrier RX83C	Chevrolet
68	B.	152	Claude Haldi	Claude Haldi	Porsche 930	Porsche Type-934 3.3L Turbo Flat-6
69	GTO	170	Road Circuit Technology	Tommy Riggins Les Delano	Pontiac Firebird	Pontiac 5.9L V8
70	GTO	171	Road Circuit Technology	Patty Moise Andy Petery	Pontiac Firebird	Pontiac 5.9L V8
71	GTO	172	Jack Roush	Doc Bundy Wally Dallenbach John Jones	Ford Mustang
72	C1		Joest Racing		Porsche 956	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6
73	C1		Porsche Kremer Racing	Mike Thackwell	Porsche 956	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6
74	GTX		North American Racing Team		Ferrari 512 BB	Ferrari 4.9L F12
75	C2		AK Donit Olimpia	Francy Jerancic Drogo Bozic	Lola T600	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6
76	GTX		Angelo Pallavicini	Angelo Pallavicini Vittorio Coggiola Gianni Giudici	Porsche 935	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6
77	C1		Richard Lloyd Racing		Porsche 956	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6
78	C1		Rothmans Porsche		Porsche 956	Porsche Type-935 2.6L Turbo Flat-6

Class winner

class	driver	driver	driver	vehicle	Placement in the overall ranking
Group C1	Paolo Barilla	Klaus Ludwig	Louis Krages	Porsche 956B	Overall victory
Group C2	Ian Harrower	Steve Earle	John Sheldon	Gebhardt JC843	Rank 16
Group B	Edgar Dören	Martin Birrane	Jean-Paul Libert	BMW M1	Rank 15
GTP	Bob Tullius	Chip Robinson	Claude Ballot-Léna	Jaguar XJR-5	Rank 13

Racing data

• Registered: 78
• Started: 49
• Valued: 24
• Race classes: 4
• Spectators: 150,000
• Honorary starter of the race: Alain Calmat , former world champion in figure skating and French sports minister
• Race weekend weather: warm and sunny
• Route length: 13.626 km
• Driving time of the winning team: 24: 00: 00,000 hours
• Total laps of the winning team: 374
• Distance of the winning team: 5088.507 km
• Winner's average: 212.021 km / h
• Pole position: Hans-Joachim Stuck - Porsche 962C (# 2) - 3: 14.800 = 251.815 km / h
• Fastest race lap: Jacky Ickx - Porsche 962C (# 1) - 3: 25.100 = 239.169 km / h
• Racing series: 4th round of the 1985 Sports Car World Championship

literature

• 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 1985  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Previous race Silverstone 1000km race 1985

Sports car world championship

Successor 1000 km race at Hockenheim 1985