He walked to his car as others sprinted. Then he won Le Mans
On the eve of the Australian F1 Grand Prix, we talk to Jacky Ickx, who struck a blow for safety in motorsport’s most dangerous era – and became the only person ever to win a Formula One grand prix, Le Mans and the Bathurst 1000.
Ferrari’s 499P Hypercar in action at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023.
People still talk about a “Le Mans start”. For more than four decades, a line of drivers would sprint across the famous track in northwestern France, jump in their cars and roar away for the 24-hour endurance race.
But there hasn’t been such a start at Le Mans since the 1960s, and the man who helped end it, in the most theatrical way possible, is now sitting opposite AFR Weekend.
