3

24 Heures du Mans 1969

Porsche return with one of the greatest race cars ever built, the 917.

2 factory cars are entered driven by Elford/Attwood No 12 and Lins/Kauhsen No 22, a third privateer 917 was entered by gentleman driver John Woolfe.

Both the Factory 917's retired from the race with clutch problems, it was left to the 908 driven by Herrmann/Larrousse No 64 to fly the Porsche Flag.

They didn't disappoint, it was a dramatic finish to the race with the 908 and GT40 of Jacky Ickx repeatedly overtaking each other. The GT40 eventually won by 100 meters due to the 908's brake problems.

The class win and second overall was once again overshadowed by a fatal accident. The 917 of John Woolfe crashed on the first lap at Maison Blanche and he was killed, it was possibly due to the fact that he had not bothered to use his safety belt.

At the start of the race the drivers were required to run across the track, climb in and get it started as quickly as possible to pull away form the grid. Woolfe probably didn't bother with the belt to gain a better start.

This was the last year of the traditional start, in future it would be the rolling start that we know today.