Jo Siffert vs Jacky Ickx
The 1969 Le Mans: Ickx's protest and victory in a Ford GT40.
Jacky Ickx and Jo Siffert were both drivers in the 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ickx won the race driving a Ford GT40 Mk.I, while Siffert did not win that year.
Quick Facts
- Nationality
- Swiss (Siffert) vs Belgian (Ickx)
- Active era
- Late 1960s to Early 1970s
- Key manufacturer
- Porsche (Endurance Racing)
- Final status
- Siffert Deceased 1971, Ickx Retired Legend
Lore & Background
The 1969 24 Hours of Le Mans was held on 14 and 15 June at the Circuit de la Sarthe. It was the 37th Grand Prix of Endurance and the eighth round of the 1969 International Championship for Makes. The race was open to Group 6 Prototype Sports Cars, Group 4 Sports Cars, and Group 3 Grand Touring Cars. Jacky Ickx, driving a Ford GT40 Mk.I (chassis #1075), won the race alongside Jackie Oliver, finishing just 120 metres ahead of the Porsche 908 of Hans Herrmann and Gérard Larrousse.
Reader's Guide
It notes that Ickx staged a protest at the start by walking to his car and doing up his belts, while privateer John Woolfe was killed on the first lap in a Porsche 917.
Did You Know?
- Jacky Ickx won the 1969 Le Mans driving the same Ford GT40 Mk.I chassis #1075 that had won the previous year.
- The 1969 race was the last with the traditional Le Mans-style start, where drivers ran across the track to their cars.
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