The Race F1 Podcast And Colossally That's History: 20+ hours at the wheel - 6 crazy Le Mans drives
Dec 12, 2025
Dive into the extraordinary history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans! Discover the incredible feats of drivers like Raymond Sommer, who famously fixed his car with chewing gum, and Luigi Kinetti, who helped put Ferrari on the map with his marathon stints. Learn about Louis Rosier's near-solo victory and Eddie Hall's remarkable solo finish. Explore the unique challenges and innovations driven by endurance racing, and how safety rules evolved from these epic performances. Get ready for wild tales from the world of endurance racing!
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Rules Born From Excessive Stints
- The ACO introduced limits after repeated marathon stints, capping continuous and total driving time.
- Modern rules now restrict drivers to much shorter maximum stints for safety.
Raw Early Le Mans Conditions
- Early Le Mans ran on public roads with gravel, earth and tar, making night and wet conditions brutal for drivers.
- Rules forced cars to carry spares and drivers to do repairs themselves, increasing endurance demands.
Sommer's Solo Night Charge
- Raymond Sommer drove roughly 18 hours to win Le Mans 1932 after his co-driver fell ill.
- He personally led through the night and covered about 1,600 miles himself to take victory.
