1985 Le Mans 24hr

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1985 Le Mans 24hr
Review added by
David Beckett

15-16 June 1985 Review
Certificate: E
Running Time: 61
Retail Price: £12.99
Release Date: 14/07/2008
Content Type: TV Series

Synopsis:
The greatest endurance race in the world is the ultimate mix of high-speed action, drama and skill and the 1985 running of the Le Mans 24 hours race was no exception.

The Rothmans Porsches were back after missing the '84 race, but the trio of works 962Cs would not only be racing each other for victory. The Jaguar XJR-5s, factory Lancias and a strong field of privately-entered Porches would be chasing hard for the win.

The superb action footage captured in this fast-paced review brings you the full story of more than 3,000 miles of racing, and reveals how reliability and fuel consumption would play a major role in the outcome of the 1985 Le Mans 24 Hours race.

With the Rothmans Porsche team conserving fuel in the early stages, the Ferrari-powered Lancia LC2 of Bob Wollek and Alessandro Nannini would lead the early laps before making way for the Porsches of Joest, Richard Lloyd Racing and Kremer.

As the sun set, the first signs of the mechanical gremlins which would neutralise the works Porsche strategy appeared, with the 962C of Le Mans legend Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass making the first of many stops for repairs. Both its sister cars would suffer their own problems, shattering any hopes of challenging for the win.

As the dramatic film on this review records, nothing could prevent the Joest-entered Porsche of Klaus Ludwig, Paolo Barillia and John Winter romping to victory, ahead of the Lloyd Racing machine of British heroes Jonathan Palmer, James Weaver and Richard Lloyd.

Special Features:
None