Motor Sport Magazine Specials

The authoritative voice of motor racing since 1924 covers the entire motor racing scene. In these Special Editions, the team digs into the archives to give exclusive insight, rare photographic footage, detailed race reports, and a unique take on the subject matter; from world-class drivers through to iconic car marques, and also how some of these real-life stories have been adapted for the big screen.

WELCOME TO 24 HOUR LEGENDS

Motor Sport Magazine Specials

THE MEN • From tales of derring-do to under-appreciated talents, Le Mans history is full of colourful characters. Here, we delve into some of the personalities that helped to make the world’s greatest endurance race what it is today

HEROES OF LE MANS • The Le Mans 24 Hours attracts the world’s best drivers, bent on risking it all to stamp their names into history. But who is the greatest? We rank our (subjective) choice of the top 50 of all time

WOOLF BARNATO • Playboy or professional? Investigating the track record of Woolf Barnato, high priest of the famous Bentley Boys

JAGUAR’S FORGOTTEN LE MANS HERO • At times faster than Moss, and secure enough for Stirling to favour him as his Jaguar co-driver, Peter Walker set the Coventry marque’s Le Mans ball rolling and deserves a better press

DEREK BELL • He’s the English gentleman who’s scored more sports car wins than even he can remember, although no one will ever forget his record at Le Mans and Daytona

ANTHONY DAVIDSON • “You don’t win Le Mans, Le Mans chooses who wins,” is a phrase this racer grew to accept. Now retired, he looks back at his La Sarthe bad fortune, his F1 pride and his sports car glory days

Subscribe now… • …and join the world’s most informed community of motor racing fans

THE MACHINES • For over 100 years, Le Mans has represented the MACHINES ultimate test for manufacturers. Few single results can ever compare to the kudos gained for a win at the 24 Hours. These are some of the ultimate racers developed to take on the challenge

“THEY MUST HAVE BEEN CRAZY” • That’s what Aston Martin works driver David Brabham thinks of the men who won the 1959 Le Mans 24 Hours. Now ‘Brabs’ gets the chance to jump in and sample the victorious DBR1

JAGUAR D-TYPE • It wasn’t simply one of the greatest racing cars of the 1950s, it’s in with a shout of being the greatest racing car of all-time. Fusing aerospace technology with track know-how, Jaguar created a legend that whitewashed its rivals at Le Mans and moved the sport forwards

Under the skin of the D-type • Jaguar mainstay Norman Dewis walks us round one of racing’s greats

THE D-TYPE CAST • Jaguar’s sportscar successes put Britain on the map. In the early 1950s the D-type scored a Le Mans hat trick before Vanwall ended Britain’s championship F1 wait at Aintree in 1957. Paul Parker speaks to several key players in the D-type’s incredible story

WILDEST DREAMS • The 956 on the left was the works team’s first Group C winner at Le Mans, while the 962 on the right was its last. Andrew Frankel, in the ultimate pinch-yourself track session, tests both before taking part in a Goodwood Members’ Meeting cavalcade of raw power

PORSCHE’S CLASS ACT • As Le Mans success stories go, the 956/962’s is unusually long, stretching for 12 years. With input from designer Norbert Singer, Gary Watkins looks back at the moments that made the legend

ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE • With almost 100 chassis built, Porsche’s 956 and 962 models were prolific in the hands of both customers and the factory. That opened the door for some inventive liveries that live long in the memory

BEAST FROM THE EAST • It looked the part but Nissan’s thirsty, big-budget R89C, which was campaigned in the World Sportscar Championship and Le Mans in 1989 and ’90, was...