No one can forget the tragedy of Le Mans 1955, but those that died did not do so in vain. The 1955 Le Mans endurance race was a watershed for motor sport safety with many changes enforced soon afterwards. Back on the track it was a battle of Britain with Mike Hawthorn's D-Type Jaguar defeating Peter Collins' Aston Martin DB3 S, with a second Jaguar D-Type ensuring the Porsches were relegated to the minor positions.So we produce this 1955 Le Mans T-shirt with respect to those that died and in honour of those that used the tragedy to advance the sport for us all.
No one can forget the tragedy of Le Mans 1955, but those that died did not do so in vain. The 1955 Le Mans endurance race was a watershed for motor sport safety with many changes enforced soon afterwards. Back on the track it was a battle of Britain with Mike Hawthorn's D-Type Jaguar defeating Peter Collins' Aston Martin DB3 S, with a second Jaguar D-Type ensuring the Porsches were relegated to the minor positions.So we produce this 1955 Le Mans T-shirt with respect to those that died and in honour of those that used the tragedy to advance the sport for us all.
This legendary road race is littered with great stories and tales of immense skill and bravery, but it is the 1955 Mille Miglia that stands head and shoulders above all others. With the names of Nuvolari, Villoresi and Ascari previously inscribed on the trophy and the likes of Fangio, Von Trips and Collins only able to secure podiums, the fact that the Mille Miglia is still best remembered for the victory of Stirling Moss and his navigator Denis Jenkinson stands as testament to just how great their performance was.
The 1961 Monaco Grand Prix must surely be up there amongst Sterling Moss' greatest achievements, if not those in British motor sport history. His Lotus Climax was so massively underpowered compared to the squadron of Sharknose Ferrari 156 cars, but on the streets of Monte Carlo driver skill proved to be more important than horsepower. For those that know, the lack of a world title on the CV of Sterling Moss is a mere anomaly, as it is a certainty that had he chosen more competitive cars over patriotism, even in the true golden age of motor racing, he would have been world champion
The Battle of the Titans, the 1970 was when Le Mans went truly global. Of course there were others involved but it was the Ferrari 512 vs Porsche 917 battle that caught the imagination and provided the backdrop for the Steve McQueen classic cult movie Le Mans. While the Ferrari was no doubt a great work of engineering, it was the flat-12 Porsche 917 that transcended motor racing to become an icon of the age
The race that made me fall in love with Formula 1. Gilles Villeneuve in his Ferrari & Rene Arnoux in a Renault banging wheels & swapping paint in one of the most thrilling races in motor sport history. If this was the racing that turbos were going to provide, then why did they ever scrap them? After the race there were no stewards enquiries or points penalties, just the embrace of two great competitors. Many years later after Villeneuve's tragic death, Arnoux still remembered the event fondly describing it as "my best memory of Grand Prix racing". But do you remember which of them emerged victorious? Who cares that it was neither of them?
The greatest 500cc race of them all? Well, for just about any British motorbike fan it was. So hard fought and entertianing that like the French F1 car duel better Villeneuve & Arnoux the same year, it barely matters who prevailed. This was motorsport as pure entertainment - and all topped off with Murrey Walker's immortal commentary "Sheene takes his gloved hand off the handlebar and waves at Kenny Roberts". Barry Sheene was everything that was great about 1970s British motorsport - which is why we honour his with this Barry Sheen T-shirt