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Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Report and Photos

1957 Porsche 550 A 1500 RS
1957 Porsche 550 A 1500 RS

The 2014 Le Mans Classic was held 4-6 July at the famed Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France. The Plateau Three race for sports racing cars that competed at Le Mans from 1957 to 1961 saw an interesting and varied field of 75 entrants, including a selection from Jaguar, Ferrari, Lotus, Aston Martin, Maserati, Porsche, Alfa Romeo and Austin-Healey, among others.

Abarth Simcas, AC Ace Bristols, Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZTs, Aston Martin DB4 GTs, Austin-Healey 3000s, Chevrolet Corvette C1s, Deutsch-Bonnets, Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinettas, D and E-Type Jaguars, Lister Jaguars, a host of Lotus XIs, XVs, Elites, Maserati 250 Ss, MG As, Morgan +4s, Oscas, Porsche 356 A, B and 550s A 1500 Ss and Tojieros and Triumph TR3s made up the bulk of grid 3.

Spectators were able to see an Austin-Healey 3000 “DD300” a model entered by the works at Le Mans in 1960, 1961 and 1962, a D-Type Jaguar that won the 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours driven by Englishmen Mike Hawthorn and Ivor Bueb, the unique flat-iron Lister, a rare Peerless GT winner of its class in 1958, plus a 1959 Triumph TR3S, one of three cars built by the factory and the only survivor in its original configuration.

As was the case in the late 1950s, Jaguar and Ferrari went at it hammer and tongs at the 2014 Le Mans Classic race for 1957 to 1961 competition cars.The English marque won the first round of the battle thanks to the Jaguar D-Type of Pearson-Harris, while its Italian rival triumphed in round two after a brilliant display by Vincent Gaye from Belgium in his Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta. The latter, though, was beaten on Sunday afternoon in the clincher, giving the overall crown to the D-Type Jaguar. In the Index of Performance the little Lotus Elites powered by a 1500cc 4-cylinder engine dominated their rivals and filled the first three places.

Similar to 2010 and 2012, Senior Photographer Tim Scott also documented the 2014 Le Mans Classic with the following images that expertly capture the Grid / Plateau Three race for 1957 to 1961 Le Mans entrants. We split up Tim’s 208 pictures into two galleries. The first gallery starting below features our favorite images, all displayed in the full-width view of Sports Car Digest, while the second gallery and race results can be found on the last page of the article and gives a comprehensive view of all the photographs. To see more from Tim, visit fluidimages.co.uk.

Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Featured Photo Gallery

 

1956 Jaguar D-Type
1956 Jaguar D-Type
1958 DB HBR5
1958 DB HBR5
1959 Lotus 17
1959 Lotus 17
1955 Jaguar D-Type
1955 Jaguar D-Type

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1959 Lotus 15
1959 Lotus 15
1955 Jaguar D-Type
1955 Jaguar D-Type
1959 OSCA 1500 Spider
1959 OSCA 1500 Spider
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT

 

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Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Featured Photo Gallery Page Two

 

1961 Austin-Healey Sprite
1961 Austin-Healey Sprite
1958 Lister Jaguar Knobbly
1958 Lister Jaguar Knobbly
1963 CD Panhard
1963 CD Panhard
1959 Costin Lister Jaguar
1959 Costin Lister Jaguar

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1957 AC Ace Bristol
1957 AC Ace Bristol
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
1959 OSCA 1500 Spider
1959 OSCA 1500 Spider
1957 Porsche 550 A 1500 RS
1957 Porsche 550 A 1500 RS

 

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Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Featured Photo Gallery Page Three

 

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
1957 Maserati 300S
1957 Maserati 300S
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT

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1960 Chevrolet Corvette
1960 Chevrolet Corvette
1965 Austin-Healey 3000 MkII
1965 Austin-Healey 3000 MkII
1959 Lotus 15
1959 Lotus 15
1955 Jaguar D-Type
1955 Jaguar D-Type

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Featured Photo Gallery Page Four

 

1958 DB Prototype HBR
1958 DB Prototype HBR
1956 Jaguar D-Type
1956 Jaguar D-Type
1958 Lotus 11 Le Mans
1958 Lotus 11 Le Mans
1959 MG A Twin Cam Le Mans
1959 MG A Twin Cam Le Mans

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1959 Triumph TR3 S
1959 Triumph TR3 S
1957 Porsche 550 A 1500 RS
1957 Porsche 550 A 1500 RS
1957 Maserati 300S and 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
1957 Maserati 300S and 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
1958 Lister Flat Iron
1958 Lister Flat Iron

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Featured Photo Gallery Page Five

 

1958 Lotus Eleven 1500
1958 Lotus Eleven 1500
1959 Triumph TR3 S
1959 Triumph TR3 S
1962 Lotus Elite
1962 Lotus Elite
1957 Maserati 250S
1957 Maserati 250S

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1961 Austin-Healey 3000 and 1957 Porsche 356 A
1961 Austin-Healey 3000 and 1957 Porsche 356 A
1957 AC Ace Bristol and 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
1957 AC Ace Bristol and 1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
1956 Jaguar D-Type
1956 Jaguar D-Type
1955 Jaguar D-Type
1955 Jaguar D-Type

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Featured Photo Gallery Page Six

 

1955 Jaguar D-Type
1955 Jaguar D-Type
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT and 1957 OSCA 750S
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT and 1957 OSCA 750S
1955 Jaguar D-Type and 1958 DB Prototype HBR
1955 Jaguar D-Type and 1958 DB Prototype HBR
1962 Lotus Elite
1962 Lotus Elite

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1959 MG A Twin Cam Le Mans
1959 MG A Twin Cam Le Mans
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT
1961 Jaguar E-Type and 1959 Porsche 356 A Speedster
1961 Jaguar E-Type and 1959 Porsche 356 A Speedster
1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Featured Photo Gallery Page Seven

 

1959 Lotus Elite
1959 Lotus Elite
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT
1960 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL
1960 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL
1958 Lister Flat Iron
1958 Lister Flat Iron

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1959 Lotus 15
1959 Lotus 15
1959 MG A
1959 MG A
1958 Lister Jaguar Knobbly
1958 Lister Jaguar Knobbly
1956 Jaguar D-Type
1956 Jaguar D-Type

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Featured Photo Gallery Page Eight

 

1959 OSCA 1500 Spider and 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT
1959 OSCA 1500 Spider and 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT
1963 CD Panhard and 1964 CD Panhard
1963 CD Panhard and 1964 CD Panhard
1958 DB Prototype HBR
1958 DB Prototype HBR
1964 Jaguar E-Type
1964 Jaguar E-Type

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1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
1958 Chevrolet Corvette and 1960 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL
1958 Chevrolet Corvette and 1960 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL
1962 Porsche 356 B
1962 Porsche 356 B
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Featured Photo Gallery Page Nine

 

1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
1958 Porsche 356 A 1600 Speedster
1958 Porsche 356 A 1600 Speedster
1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZT
1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZT
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT
1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT

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1959 Porsche 356 A and 1959 MG A
1959 Porsche 356 A and 1959 MG A
1957 Porsche 356 A and 1960 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL
1957 Porsche 356 A and 1960 Porsche Carrera Abarth GTL
1958 Lotus 11
1958 Lotus 11
1958 Lister Jaguar Knobbly
1958 Lister Jaguar Knobbly

 

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

 

Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Main Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture and description)

Le Mans Classic 2014 – 1957 to 1961 Race Results

1. 1955 Jaguar D-Type, Pearson / Harris
2. 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, Gaye
3. 1960 Austin-Healey 3000 ‘DD300’, Le Blanc
4. 1959 Costin Lister Jaguar, Cazalieres
5. 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT, Dalgish / Twyman

The unauthorized use and/or duplication of any editorial or photographic content from sportscardigest.com without express and written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to sportscardigest.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

[Source: Peter Auto; photos: Tim Scott / Fluid Images]