As with the sensationally successful Le Mans Legend 2001, the 2003 event was held on the Saturday morning, just a few
hours before the start of the main 24 Hours race. This time, however, the eligible years were 1959 to 1971, providing a spectacular battle between some of the greatest sports-racers of all time. The era spanned the last great front-engined classics, the mid-engined revolution and the emergence of the dramatic Group 4 and Group 6 racers.
In front of the vast Le Mans crowd, and basking in the unrivalled atmosphere of the greatest endurance race in the world, legendary Le Mans battles were fought again on the full 8.5-mile circuit. This was a serious race – not a parade – with classes based on engine size and age of car.
Average lap speeds of the leading cars topped 185km/h with lap-times to match some of the drivers in the modern 24 Hours. Yet all the cars in the Le Mans Legend were at least 32 years old.
There was hard-fought action right through the field. At the front of the grid, the Ligier JS3 of Willie Green battled with the Ferrari 512S of Mark Hales, until the Ferrari suffered a puncture, leaving the Ligier to storm home to victory. In hot pursuit was the Chevron B16 of Quiniou and Hitchins, followed by the Jones/Amey Lola T70 MkIII.
The race was characterized by an immense variety of Le Mans cars from the 1959-1971 period. Class wins included Lotus 15, Aston Martin DBR1, AC Cobra, Alpine A210 and Ford GT40. Race organizer Duncan Wiltshire said, “The race was a phenomenal success. The eligible years for the next Le Mans Legend – to be held in 2005 – have yet to be decided, but depend partly on the feedback from the 2003 race.”
View the 2003 Entry List (PDF file 53kb)
View the Overall Results List (PDF file 56kb)
View the Class Results List (PDF file 59kb)
View the 2001 Results and Pictures
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