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

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.

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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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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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]