Three Ferrari 250 Testa Rossas exit from Mulsanne Corner early in the Le Mans 24 Hours on June 25-26, 1960. These were all three works entered or supported entries. Leadings this group is a Scuderia Ferrari 250TR60 being driven by Wolfgang von Trips who is to share his car with Phil Hill. Following closely is a Scuderia 250TRI/60 here driven by Willy Mairesse along with co-driver Richie Ginther. At the back of the trio is a 250TR59 entered by Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team for Ricardo Rodriguez, driving here, along with Belgian André Pilette.
Here is the same group entering Tertre Rouge corner at the head of the Mulsanne Straight. The outcome of their race would get off to a weak start when the Trips/Hill Testa Rossa ran out of fuel due to a consumption miscalculation. The problem may have been the increased drag from the newly-required high windshields, seen above. This unfortunate failure would also be the early fate of another of Ferrari’s entries, a 250TRI/60 driven by Ludovico Scarfiotti whose co-driver Pedro Rodriguez, like Phil Hill, would not get a chance to drive.
The Ferrari of Mairesse/Ginther would soldier on, running mostly second or third for much of the race until its gearbox would fail on Sunday morning.
The NART entry of Rodriguez/Pilette would get to the finish after taking over second place, albeit four laps behind the winning Ferrari Testa Rossa of Paul Frère and Olivier Gendebien which had led the race most of the way.
Photos by Yves Debraine and Louis Klemantaski ©The Klemantaski Collection – http://www.klemcoll.com
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