1939 24 Hours of Le Mans

1939 24 Hours of Le Mans
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Index: Races | Winners
Le Mans in 1939

The 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: 24 Heures du Mans 1939) was the 16th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place at Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, on 17 and 18 June 1939. The 1939 programme cover depicted the raising of six nations' flags: France, Italy, Great Britain (its civil Red Ensign), Belgium, Germany, and the United States.[1]

By June 1939, the outbreak of World War II was less than three months away. The following year's 24 Hours of Le Mans was originally planned for June 1940, but due to the invasion of France in May the race was called off. Endurance racing would not return to Le Mans until 1949, four years after V-E day ended World War II in Europe.

Official results

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Class winners are denoted with bold.

Pos Class No. Team Drivers Chassis Engine Tyre Laps Distance/Retired
1 8.0 1 France Jean-Pierre Wimille France Jean-Pierre Wimille
France Pierre Veyron
Bugatti Type 57C Tank Bugatti 3.3L Supercharged I8 D 249 3,346.106 km (2,079.174 mi)
2 3.0 21 United Kingdom Ecurie Walter Watney France Louis Gérard
France Georges Monneret
Delage D6-3L Delage 3.0L I6 245 +4 laps
3 5.0 5 United Kingdom Lagonda Ltd. United Kingdom Arthur Dobson
United Kingdom Charles Brackenbury
Lagonda V12 Lagonda 4.5L V12 239 +10 laps
4 5.0 6 United Kingdom Lord Selsdon United Kingdom Lord Selsdon
United Kingdom Lord William Waleran
Lagonda V12 Lagonda 4.5L V12 239 +10 laps
5 2.0 26 Germany BMW Germany Max zu Schaumburg-Lippe
Germany Fritz Hans Wenscher
BMW 328 Touring Coupe BMW 2.0L I6 236 +13 laps
6 5.0 12 France Louis Villeneuve France Louis Villeneuve
France René Biolay
Delahaye 135CS Delahaye 3.6L I6 235 +14 laps
7 2.0 27 Germany BMW Germany Ralph Röese
Germany Paul Heinemann
BMW 328 BMW 2.0L I6 230 +19 laps
8 5.0 20 United Kingdom Count Heyden United Kingdom R.R.C. Rob Walker
United Kingdom Ian Connell
Delahaye 135CS Delahaye 3.6L I6 224 +25 laps
9 2.0 28 Germany BMW Germany Willi Breim
Germany Rudolf Scholtz
BMW 328 BMW 2.0L I6 220 +29 laps
10 1.1 39 France Gordini France Amédée Gordini
France José Scaron
Simca Huit Fiat 1.1L I4 213 +36 laps
11 5.0 14 France Joseph Chotard France Joseph Chotard
France Jacques Seylair
Delahaye 135CS Delahaye 3.6L I6 202 +47 laps
12 2.0 29 United Kingdom Robert Peverell Hichens United Kingdom Robert P. Hichens
United Kingdom Mortimer Morris-Goodall
Aston Martin Speed Model Aston Martin 2.0L I4 199 +50 laps
13 1.1 41 France Gordini France Guy Lapchin
France Charles Plantivaux
Simca Huit Fiat 1.1L I4 195 +54 laps
14 1.5 32 United Kingdom Ecurie Lapin Blanc United Kingdom Peter Clark
United Kingdom Marcus Chambers
HRG 1500 Singer 1.5L I4 192 +57 laps
15 1.1 37 United Kingdom Mrs. Majorie Fawcett United Kingdom Geoffrey White
United Kingdom C.M. Anthony
Morgan 4/4 Coventry Climax 1.1L I4 184 +65 laps
16 1.5 34 France Just-Emile Vernet France Just-Emile Vernet
France Carl de Bodard
Riley Sprite TT Pourtout Riley 1.5L I4 180 +69 laps
70% of winner's race distance: 175 laps
17 1.1 38 France Victor Camerano France Victor Camerano
France Henri Louveau
Simca Huit Fiat 1.1L I4 163
18 1.1 45 United Kingdom Arthur W. Jones United Kingdom Arthur W. Jones
United Kingdom Gordon Wilkins
Singer Le Mans Replica Singer 1.0L I4 154
19 750 48 France Gordini France Adrien Alin
France Albert Alin
Simca Cinq Fiat 0.6L I4 148
20 750 49 France Gordini France Maurice Aimé
France Albert Leduc
Simca Cinq Fiat 0.6L I4 147
DNF 3.0 25 France Raymond Sommer France Raymond Sommer
Thailand Prince Bira
Alfa Romeo 6C 2500SS Alfa Romeo 2.4L I6 173 Engine
DNF 5.0 18 France Ecuria Francia France Marcel Contet
France Robert Brunet
Delahaye 135CS Delahaye 3.6L I6 171 Suspension
DNF 1.5 31 France Victor Polledry France Victor Polledry
France R. Robert
Aston Martin 1½ Ulster Aston Martin 1.5L I4 155
DNF 5.0 3 Italy Luigi Chinetti Italy Luigi Chinetti
United Kingdom Donald Mathieson
Talbot T26 Talbot 4.5L I6 154 Contact
DNF 3.0 22 United Kingdom Ecurie Walter Watney Switzerland Armand Hug
France Roger Loyer
Delage D6-3L Delage 3.0L I6 152 Contact
DNF 5.0 15 France Robert Mazaud France Robert Mazaud
France Marcel Mongin
Delahaye 135CS Delahaye 3.6L I6 115 Fire
DNF 1.1 44 United Kingdom Archie Scott United Kingdom Archie Scott
United Kingdom Tommy Wisdom
Singer Nine Le Mans Replica Singer 1.0L I4 105 Dirty fuel
DNF 5.0 9 Italy Luigi Chinetti France René Le Begue
France Pierre Levegh
Talbot-Lago SS Talbot 4.0L I6 102 Ignition
DNF 5.0 19 France Ecurie Francia France Eugène Chaboud
France Yves Giraud-Cabantous
Delahaye 135CS Delahaye 3.6L I6 99
DNF 5.0 8 United Kingdom T.A.S.O. Mathieson France Philippe de Massa
France Norbert Jean Mahé
Talbot 150SS Figoni Talbot 4.0L I6 88
DNF 5.0 7 Italy Luigi Chinetti France André Morel
United Kingdom Jim Bradley
Talbot T26 Talbot 4.5L I6 88
DNF 5.0 10 France Jean Trémoulet France Jean Trémoulet
France Raoul Forestier
Talbot-Lago SS Talbot 4.0L i6 68
DNF 1.1 36 United States Miles Collier United States Miles Collier
United Kingdom Lewis Welch
MG PA Midget MG 0.8L I4 63
DNF 5.0 16 France Ecurie Francia France Joseph Paul
France Jean Trévoux
Delahaye 135CS Delahaye 3.6L I6 62
DNF 5.0 11 France André Bellecroix France André Bellecroix
France Gaston Serraud
Delahaye 135CS Delahaye 3.6L I6 50 Contact
DNF 1.1 43 France Just-Emile Vernet France Robert Cayeux
France Gaston Tramar
Simca Huit Fiat 1.1L I4 50
DNF 5.0 4 Italy Luigi Chinetti France Pierre Louis-Dreyfus
France Antoine Schumann
Talbot T26 Talbot 4.5L I6 45
DNF 1.1 47 France Claude Bonneau France Claude Bonneau
France Max Mathieu
MG PB Midget MG 1.0L I4 40 Carbuerator
DNF 1.1 40 France Gordini France Jean Breillet
France Albert Debille
Simca Huit Fiat 1.1L I4 29 Contact
DNF 1.1 42 France Mme Anne-Cécile Rose-Itier France Anne-Cécile Rose-Itier
France Suzanne Largeot
Simca Huit Fiat 1.1L I4 26 Contact
DNF 1.5 30 Germany Adler Germany Otto Löhr
Germany Paul von Guilleaume
Adler Trumpf Adler 1.5L I4 6 Piston
DNF 1.1 46 France Jacques Savoye France Jacques Savoye
France Pierre Savoye
Singer Nine Le Mans Replica
"Savoye Special"
Singer 1.0L I4 4
DNS 1.5 Germany Adler Germany Fritz Huschke von Hanstein
Germany Karkmann
Adler Trumpf Adler 1.5L I4 - -
Sources:[2][3]

Statistics

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  • Fastest Lap: #15 Robert Mazaud – 5:12.1 (average speed 155.6 km/h (96.7 mph)
  • Distance: 3,346.106 km (2,079.174 mi)[3]
  • Average Speed: 139.781 km/h (86.856 mph)

Trophy winners

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  • 14th Rudge-Whitworth Biennial Cup – #39 Gordini
  • Index of Performance – #39 Gordini

References

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  1. ^ "1939 Le Mans Programme Cover". Pinterest. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Le Mans 24 Hours 1939 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b Press Association Foreign Special (11 June 1939). "Le Mans 24-Hour Motor Race: French Team Wins". The Guardian. p. 11. Retrieved 10 February 2018 – via Newspapers.com.