24 Hours
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24 Hours
A celebration of the centenary of the world's most famous motor race, the Le Mans 24 Hours
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! DescriptionAward-winning writer Richard Williams tells the remarkable story of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the world's most iconic motorsports events, which celebrates its centenary in 2023.
The event was created by a group of Frenchmen in 1923 and remains uniquely compelling to spectators, to the major motor manufacturers who continue to see it as an opportunity for priceless publicity, as well as to drivers hoping to add their names to its distinguished roll of honour. Between the wars, those manufacturers included Bugatti, Bentley, and Alfa Romeo. Subsequently, Ferrari, Jaguar, Mercedes, Aston Martin, Ford, Porsche, Audi, and Toyota have all been serial winners, guaranteeing the continuation of ferocious inter-marque rivalry.
Over the decades, the race acquired a rich folklore, including stories of leaking petrol tanks being sealed with chewing gum, one competitor making his last pit-stop for a fill-up and a glass of champagne, or the woman who drove her MG through the night wearing a fur coat. Competitors have included princes, debutantes, drug smugglers, and a Nazi spy.
Leading Hollywood film-makers lured to the romance of the race include Steve McQueen, who conceived and starred in Le Mans in 1971, and James Mangold, who made Le Mans '66 in 2019. But in 1955 it had also been the scene of the greatest tragedy ever to befall motor racing, when 82 people were killed by a competing car, an accident that for a while threatened the sport’s entire future.
From the Bentley Boys of the 1920s, through record-breaking multiple winners Jacky Ickx and Tom Kristensen, to modern stars such as Allan McNish, 24 Hours celebrates the skill, courage, and technical brilliance of the men and women who gave the race its worldwide renown.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781398517257
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 23 May 2024
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Simon & Schuster Ltd
Illustration: 2x8pp colour
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 31.0mm
Width: 130.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 512
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About the Author
Richard Williams was the chief sportswriter of the Guardian from 1995 to 2012, having previously worked for The Times and the Independent. He was the original presenter of BBC2's The Old Grey Whistle Test and was the artistic director of the Berlin Jazz Festival from 2015-17. Among his previous books are The Death of Ayrton Senna (1995), Racers (1997), Enzo Ferrari: A Life (2002) and The Last Road Race (2004). A Race with Love and Death is his most recent publication (Simon & Schuster, 2020).
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