1949 24 Hours of Le Mans

1949 24 Hours of Le Mans

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The 1949 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 17th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 25 and 26 June 1949.

This was the first race held following the end of World War II. The war (and specifically the invasion of France) had caused racing at Le Mans to be stopped following the 1939 event and later elsewhere in the world.

Even though the war had ended four years prior, major reconstruction throughout France meant that the return of the race was of secondary concern, and thus was not run until after France had established itself again.

Luigi Chinetti won the race in the first Ferrari barchetta by driving 23.5 hours. This race also saw the death of French driver Pierre Marechal when his Aston Martin DB2 was involved in an accident at Arnage late in the race.

Official results

Le Mans in 1949

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
1	S 2.0	22	Peter Mitchell-Thomson	Peter Mitchell-Thomson Luigi Chinetti	Ferrari 166 MM	Ferrari 2.0L V12	235
2	S 3.0	15	Henri Louveau	Henri Louveau Juan Jover	Delage D6S-3L	Delage 3.0L i6	234
3	S 2.0	26	Mrs. P. Trevelyan	Harold John Aldington Norman Culpan	Frazer Nash High Speed Le Mans Replica	Bristol 2.0L I6	224
4	S 3.0	14	W.S. Watney	Louis Gérard Paco Godia	Delage D6S-3L	Delage 3.0L I6	212
5	S 5.0	11	Pierre Meyrat	Pierre Meyrat Robert Brunet	Delahaye 135CS	Delahaye 4.0L I6	210
6	S 5.0	6	H.S.F. Hay	H.S.F. Hay Tommy Wisdom	Embiricos Bentley Paulin	Bentley 4.3L I6	210
7	S 2.0	27	Arthur Jones	Arthur Jones Nick Haines	Aston Martin DB2	Aston Martin 2.0L I4	207
8	S 1.5	35	Ecurie Lapin Blanc	Eric Thompson Jack Fairman	HRG 1500 Lightweight Le Mans	Singer 1.5L I4	202
9	S 5.0	12	René Bouchard	René Bouchard Pierre Larrue	Delahaye 135MS	Delahaye 3.6L I6	?
10	S 5.0	9	Henry Leblanc	Henry Leblanc Jean Brault	Delahaye 135CS	Delahaye 3.6L I6	?
11	S 2.0	29	Robert Lawrie	Robert Lawrie Richard W. Parker	Aston Martin 2-Litre Sports (DB1)	Aston Martin 2.0L I4	?
12	S 1.1	44	Monopole-Poissy	Jean de Montrémy Eugène Dussous	Monopole Sport	Simca 1.1L I4	?
13	S 3.0	20	Jack Bartlett	Jack Bartlett Nigel Mann	Healey Elliott	Riley 2.4L I4	?
14	S 1.1	47	N.J. Mahé / R. Crovetto	Norbert Jean Mahé Roger Crovetto	Simca Huit	Gordini 1.1L I4	?
15	S 750	58	Let-Aviation	František Sutnar Otto Krattner	Aero Minor Sport 750	Aero 0.7L Flat-2 (2-Stroke)	?
16	S 1.5	41	Auguste Lachaize	Auguste Lachaize Albert Debille	DB Tank	Citroën 1.5L I4	?
17	S 1.1	52	André Guillard	André Guillard Théodore Martin	Simca Huit	Gordini 1.1L I4	?
18	S 750	60	Ecurie Verte	Emmanuel Baboin Pierre Gay	Simca Six	Simca 0.6L I4	?
19	S 750	59	Jacques Poch	Ivan Hodač Jacques Poch	Aero Minor Sport 750	Aero 0.7L Flat-2 (2-Stroke)	?

Did Not Finish

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
20	S 5.0	1	André Chambas / Écurie Verte	André Chambas André Morel	Talbot-Lago Grand Sport Coupé	Talbot-Lago 4.5L I6	222
21	S 3.0	18	Auguste Veuillet	Auguste Veuillet Edmond Mouche	Delage D6-3L	Delage 3.0L I6	208
22	S 2.0	28	Mrs. R.P. Hichens	Pierre Marechal Donald Mathieson	Aston Martin DB2	Aston Martin 2.0L i4	192
23	S 5.0	4	Charles Pozzi	Pierre Flahaut André Simon	Delahaye 175S	Delahaye 4.5L I6	179
24	S 1.5	42	René Bonnet	René Bonnet Charles Deutsch	DB 5	Citroën 1.5L I4	175
25	S 1.5	43	G.E. Phillips	George Phillips R.M. Dryden	MG TC Special Body	MG 1.3L I4	134
26	S 5.0	8	Louis Villeneuve	Marius Chanal Yves Giraud-Cabantous	Delahaye 135CS	Delahaye 3.6L I6	128
27	S 5.0	10	R.R.C. Walker Racing Team	Tony Rolt Guy Jason-Henry	Delahaye 135CS	Delahaye 3.6L I6	126
28	S 5.0	5	Ets. Delettrez	Jean Delettrez Jacques Delettrez	Delettrez Diesel	Delettrez 4.4L I6 (Diesel)	123
29	S 1.1	45	Monopole-Poissy	Jean Hémard Raymond Leinard	Monopole	Simca 1.1L I4	120
30	S 1.1	48	Just-Emile Vernet	Just-Emile Vernet Claude Batault	Simca Huit	Simca 1.1L I4	118
31	S 1.1	56	Jacques Savoye	Jacques Savoye Marcel Renault	Singer 9	Singer 1.0L I4	97
32	S 5.0	2	Écurie France	Paul Vallée Guy Mairesse	Talbot-Lago Monoplace Décalée	Talbot-Lago 4.5L I6	95
33	S 1.1	54	Mme Vivianne Elder	Vivianne Elder René Camerano	Simca Huit	Simca 1.1L I4	95
34	S 1.1	46	Robert Redge	Félix Lecerf Robert Redge	Simca Dého	Simca 1.1L I4	89
35	S 1.1	50	Amédée Gordini	Pierre Veyron José Scaron	Simca-Gordini T8	Simca 1.1L I4	88
36	S 1.5	34	Ecurie Lapin Blanche	Jack Scott-Douglas Neville Gee	HRG 1500 Lightweight Le Mans	Singer 1.5L I4	83
37	S 3.0	16	Marc Versini	Marc Versini Gaston Serraud	Delage D6-3L	Delage 3.0L I6	58
38	S 2.0	23	J.A. Plisson	Jean Lucas Pierre-Louis Dreyfus ("Ferret")	Ferrari 166MM	Ferrari 2.0L V12	53
39	S 5.0	3	Charles Pozzi	Eugène Chaboud Charles Pozzi	Delahaye 175S	Delahaye 4.5L I6	52
40	S 2.0	30	Peter Monkhouse	Peter Monkhouse Ernest Stapleton	Aston Martin Speed Model	Aston Martin 2.0L I4	45
41	S 1.1	51	Robert Tocheport	Robert Tocheport Roget Carron	Simca Huit	Simca 1.1L I4	45
42	S 1.5	36	Just-Emile Vernet	Georges Trouis Roger Eckerlein	Riley RMA	Riley 1.5L I4	40
43	S 2.0	31	Dudley C. Folland	Anthony Heal Dudley Folland	Aston Martin Speed Model	Aston Martin 2.0L I4	26
44	S 5.0	7	Ecurie Rosier	Louis Rosier Jean-Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago Spéciale	Talbot-Lago 4.1L I6	21
45	S 1.1	57	Camille Hardy	Camille Hardy Maurice Roger	Renault 4CV	Renault 0.8L I4	21
46	S 1.5	33	Ecurie Lapin Blanche	Peter Clark Mortimer Morris-Goodall	HRG 1500 Lightweight Le Mans	Singer 1.5L I4	11
47	S 3.0	19	Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd.	Leslie Johnson Charles Brackenbury	Aston Martin DB2	Lagonda 2.6L I6	6
48	S 2.0	32	Louis Eggen	Louis Eggen Egon Kraft de la Saulx	Alvis TA 14	Alvis 1.9L I4	6
49	S 1.1	49	Amédée Gordini	Jean Trévoux Marcel Lesurque	Simca-Gordini TMM	Simca 1.1L I4	5

Statistics

• Fastest Lap – #4 Charles Pozzi – 5:12.5
• Distance – 3178.299 km
• Average Speed – 132.420 km/h

Trophy Winners

• 15th Rudge-Whitworth Biennial Cup – #22 Peter Mitchell-Thomson
• Index of Performance – #22 Peter Mitchell-Thomson