What happened to Steve McQueen at Le Mans?
The result, Le Mans, was a box-office flop. McQueen, who did many of his own motorcycle and car driving stunts, drove a Porsche with a broken left foot to finish second at 12 Hours of Sebring.
How much is Steve McQueen’s Le Mans Porsche 917K worth?
And now, RM Sotheby’s has been entrusted to send it to the auction block in August 2021, and this Steve McQueen Le Mans Porsche 917K is expected to fetch anywhere between $16-19 million. And why not, 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the 1971 cult classic, Le Mans. Sources: Hagerty, CollierAutomedia, RMSothebys
How many feet of film was shot in Steve McQueen's Le Mans?
It was rumoured that more than a million feet of film was shot during production of Le Mans. Members of the production crew, including McQueen's son Chad, claimed the material had been incinerated and nobody knew where it was. This footage was therefore nicknamed 'the holy grail' during pre-production of Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans .
What car did Steve McQueen drive in the movie Le Mans?
And in 1971, he starred in the movie Le Mans that did not do well for its time, but it is widely regarded as a cult classic today, with the 917K as the hero car. The movie was Steve McQueen’s obsession, so much so that he even gave up his salary and share in profits to help finance it.
Did Steve McQueen ever win a race?
In the 1970 12 Hours of Sebring race, Peter Revson and McQueen (driving with a cast on his left foot from a motorcycle accident two weeks earlier) won with a Porsche 908/02 in the three-litre class and missed winning overall by 21.1 seconds to Mario Andretti/Ignazio Giunti/Nino Vaccarella in a five-litre Ferrari 512S.
Who won Le Mans 1971?
Porsche 917Today it is the Porsche 917 that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1971. The 917 is undoubtedly one of the most legendary race cars in the history of Porsche and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After a difficult start in 1969, it finally scored a victory in La Sarthe for the Stuttgart manufacturer 1970.
What car won the Le Mans?
Winners of 24 Hours of Le Mansyearcardrivers2016Porsche 919 HybridRomain Dumas, Neel Jani, Marc Lieb2017Porsche 919 HybridEarl Bamber, Timo Bernhard, Brendon Hartley2018Toyota TS050 HybridFernando Alonso, Sébastien Buemi, Nakajima Kazuki2019Toyota TS050 HybridFernando Alonso, Sébastien Buemi, Nakajima Kazuki88 more rows•Apr 28, 2022
Who won 1972 Lemans?
Henri Pescarolo and Graham Hill were the winners, with a healthy 11-lap margin over teammates François Cevert and Howden Ganley.
How fast is a Porsche 917?
The 917 was given an unusual 4.5-litre, flat 12-cylinder engine, good for about 520bhp, 0-60 in around 2.5 seconds and a top speed approaching 250mph.
What is the fastest Le Mans car ever?
"The fastest top speed recorded at Le Mans is 405 kmh. This was in 1988 by Roger Dorchy in a WM Peugeot P88. The record was set on the Hunaudieres straight on the section after the Nissan chicane. " (The chicanes were built in 1990.) 240 mph McLaren F1 Road Car Shatters Top Speed Record.
Is Ford vs Ferrari a true story?
Ford vs Ferrari is based on a true story and has been directed by James Mangold. The film is about a 24-hour long endurance race which took place in the Le Mans race in the year 1966.
Why did Ford quit Le Mans?
In 1954, he began racing for the Aston Martin team, eventually claiming victory at Le Mans for the British carmaker with co-driver Roy Salvadori. Heart troubles eventually forced Shelby to quit competitive racing.
McQueen Battles His Inner Demons
A variation of the underdog tale runs rampant in sports films; racing films often feature drivers dealing with some sort of inner demon, be that getting old like Lightning McQueen in Cars 3 or the Hunt and Lauda rivalry depicted in Rush.
It Features Real Racing
McQueen is perhaps the first actor to become iconic in the hearts of gearheads, having shot to fame in the 1960s off the back of the Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape; he poured his earnings into cars and racing.
How many feet of footage was used in Le Mans?
McQueen did go on to feature in other films but, in his view, none of them could match 'Le Mans'. Over 100 million feet of film was used, many of the behind-the-scenes shots woven into the documentary as a perfect reminder of McQueen's unique dynamism and sense of movement, not to mention his passion for racing.
Who lost control of his Porsche 917?
Terrible proof would come when the British driver, David Piper, lost the lower part of his right leg when he lost control of his Porsche 917. McQueen himself would pay a personal price as his marriage failed during the making of the movie.
Was Le Mans 1971 a motor sport?
Viewing 'Le Mans' in 1971 seemed an enjoyable if lengthy experience generated solely for a motor sport audience. It was difficult to reach an alternative conclusion thanks to stunning on-board footage from a specially adapted camera car taking part in the 1970 24-hour classic.
What year was Le Mans?
This article is about the 1971 film. For the 2019 film, see Ford v Ferrari. Le Mans is a 1971 film depicting a fictional 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race starring Steve McQueen and directed by Lee H. Katzin. It features actual footage captured during the 1970 race held the previous June.
Where was Le Mans filmed?
Production. Le Mans was filmed on location on the Le Mans circuit between June and November 1970, including during that season's actual 24 Hours of Le Mans race in mid-June. McQueen had intended to race a Porsche 917 together with Jackie Stewart, but the #26 entry was not accepted.
What is the movie The Man and Le Mans about?
Documentary. Steve McQueen: The Man & Le Mans is a 2015 documentary film, detailing the actor's quest to make the 1971 film Le Mans .
Who is the guy who spins the Ferrari 512?
There is obvious tension between them, but also respect and a hint of mutual attraction. After 13 hours of racing, Erich Stahler ( Siegfried Rauch) spins his Ferrari 512 at Indianapolis Corner, causing teammate Claude Aurac ( Luc Merenda) to veer off the track in a major accident.
Who plays Lisa in Le Mans?
Top flight Le Mans racing driver Michael Delaney ( Steve McQueen) spots former rival Piero Belgetti's widow Lisa ( Elga Andersen) buying flowers in the days before the race; he then drives to the scene of the accident which killed her husband the previous year. He has a flashback of Belgetti losing control of his Ferrari, forcing him to crash as well.
Who drafted Wilson in the Porsche race?
Delaney drafts the German, then both move alongside Wilson. Delaney then takes actions that seem intended to guarantee a 1–2 Porsche win rather than going for first himself. Rather than try to pass Wilson, then possibly Stahler, Delaney switches to the right lane and drafts Wilson allowing both to pull up with Stahler.
Did McQueen cancel Le Mans?
But with Warner Bros selling the studio to Kinney National Services, Inc., McQueen's multi picture deal with the studio was cancelled. After securing a deal with Cinema Center Films and National General Pictures the project was reborn "Le Mans".
Did Steve McQueen attend Le Mans?
Fifty years ago today, Steve McQueen's Le Mans had its premiere. McQueen apparently didn't attend, as the production of the film devolved into chaos quickly, and the actor was forced to hand over creative control over what was conceived as a passion project.
Is Le Mans a totem?
Mainstream audiences ignored it, but in the 50 years since its premiere, Le Mans has become a totem for car enthusiasts. Just watch the racing sequences to see why. The film beautifully captures one of the most iconic, evocative eras in motorsports.
Who drove the 3rd hero car in Le Mans?
It completed 49 laps in the race, driven by David Hobbs and Mike Hailwood but on the 50th lap, it crashed and retired for the race.
What is the movie Le Mans based on?
The plot is based on the 24 Hours of Le Mans between fictional drivers as opposed to real-life characters. Of course, McQueen’s Michael Delaney wins and his Porsche whoops a Ferrari. It is said that the production team tried ...
When did Porsche give the 917K?
It all started in 1969 when Porsche gave an early model of the 917K to Jo Siffert to race the Ferrari 312P and the Ford GT40 at the Spa-Francorchamps 1000 Km race but Siffert found the car unstable and switched to a 908 for the win. Later, the Porsche 917K #024 set the fastest test time in 1970 and Siffert bought it.
When will the Porsche 917K be auctioned?
And now one of the Le Mans Porsche 917Ks from the movie is heading for auction in August 2021, and it's likely to be one big sale.
Who drove the Porsche 917K?
Actual Porsche 917Ks were bought for the movie, and later on, sold. The details of the exact number of cars are fudgy, but one of these cars, driven by McQueen, is now with Porschephile Jerry Seinfeld. In 1970, Porsche 917K bearing chassis number #022 was bought by the Le Mans' production company and later sold to a litany of hallowed racers.
How much was the Porsche 917K sold for?
Le Mans’ Porsche 917K #024 Sold For $14 Million. Another 1970 Gulf-liveried 917K that came to be part of McQueen’s cult classic was initially used as a test car for Le Mans. This is chassis #024 and was not a car that the production company bought, but leased, from legendary driver Jo Siffert.
How many times did Steve die in Le Mans?
One driver lost a leg during production, and Steve was nearly killed twice . After Le Mans was released in the US, Steve went bankrupt, his main Solar partners left the company, and Solar as a 'real' production company had folded. Also, his marriage to Neile was collapsing.
Where was the movie Le Mans filmed?
Unfortulately problems plagued the film from very early on in filming (in France). The director (John Sturges) wanted the film to be a love story, with the Le Mans race as the 'background', but Steve wanted it to be more 'race' focused.
Who is Steve's solar vice president?
Steve's Solar vice president (Robert Relyea) had a panic attack during filming in front of one of the financiers (Cinema Centre) employees, who rushed back to the USA and told his bosses that the production was in big trouble.
