1977 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 1977 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 45th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 11 and 12 June 1977.

1977 24 Hours of Le Mans
Previous: 1976	Next: 1978
Index: Races | Winners

Race

#4 Porsche 936/77-001, Le Mans winner 1977

The Porsche 936 won again in 1977 against the Renault and Mirage Renault, with extraordinary driving efforts by Jacky Ickx. His #3 car, the chassis 002 that had won in the previous year, broke down in the early running, so Ickx joined Hurley Haywood and Jürgen Barth in the team's #4 sister chassis 001 which had its woes, too. Ickx pushed hard and took the lead again, taking advantage of the fragile Renault challenge, to score his 4th victory. But Porsche were lucky too; a broken engine nearly halted the Porsche 936/77 in the last hour. The mechanics removed the ignition and injection of the failed cylinder, and the smoking car limped around the track to finish after 24 hours while running, as required.

The biggest rule change was the cancellation of restrictions for consumption: Up to now was not required to travel at least twenty laps between two refueling, but the maximum capacity of the tanks was limited to 160 liters and the number of Octane was elevated to 100, like in Formula 1 (and after the protest of Renault).[1] He was also granted the greatest freedom in repairs: the only things that could not be replaced were the engine block, chassis and body.[1]

Before moving on to Formula 1, Renault was decided to win the race and for 1977 had spent all their energy to achieve that goal. 4 cars of the Renault Alpine A442 type were entered for Jabouille / Bell, Depailler / Laffite, Jaussaud / Tambay and Pironi / Arnoux / Fréquelin crew. Long practice sessions were held by the French team at Circuit Paul Ricard at Le Castellet during the months of January, February and April.[1]

After its thorough preparation, the official Renault team was considered a pre-race favourite.

Porsche entered two 936, driven by Ickx / Pescarolo (they had already won 6 editions) and Barth / Haywood, the latter having recently achieved his third victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona after driving his Porsche Carrera RSR all night long.[2]

For this edition the Mirage GR8 left the usual Ford Cosworth DFV V8 3 liters, to adopt the Renault V6 Turbo engine, the same of the Alpine. Drivers were Schuppan/Jarier and Posey/Leclère, with Jarier called at last minute to replace Jean-Louis Lafosse, who will quote in court the team .[1] After long tests at Indianapolis where no failure happened, the Mirage linked on their reliability as slower and heavier than official cars Renault.

The participants in Group 6 "3 liters", with the Ford Cosworth DFV, were the de Cadenet-Lola, with the British team-owner sharing the car with Chris Craft, the French Inaltera with its second participation at Le Mans with two cars for Beltoise/Holbert and "Christine"/Lombardi, and another car in the GTP category and the Lola T286 driven by Perrier/Lapeyre.

In Group 5 ("Silhouette"), only Porsche was present with the 935, the works car of "Martini Racing" for Stommelen/Schurti, and customer cars for Ballot-Léna/Gregg, Schenken/Hezemans/Hayer/Ludwig (Gelo Racing Team) and Edwards/Faure (Kremer Racing. There was also a Ferrari 365 BB fielded by NART and Aston Martin DBS V8 of a small privateer team.

Official results

Le Mans in 1977

Pos	Class	No	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Laps
					Engine
1	S +2.0	4	Martini Racing Porsche System	Jürgen Barth Hurley Haywood Jacky Ickx	Porsche 936/77	342
					Porsche Type-935 2.1L Turbo Flat-6
2	S +2.0	10	Grand Touring Cars Inc. Mirage Renault	Vern Schuppan Jean-Pierre Jarier	Mirage GR8	331
					Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
3	Gr. 5	40	JMS Racing / ASA Cachia	Claude Ballot-Léna Peter Gregg	Porsche 935	315
					Porsche Type-935 2.9L Turbo Flat-6
4	GTP	88	Inaltera	Jean Ragnotti Jean Rondeau	Inaltera LM77	315
					Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
5	S +2.0	5	Alain de Cadenet	Alain de Cadenet Chris Craft	De Cadenet-Lola LM	315
					Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
6	S 2.0	20	Racing Organisation Course	Michel Pignard Albert Dufréne Jacques Henry	Chevron B36	303
					ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
7	GT	58	Porsche Kremer Racing	Bob Wollek "Steve" (Jean-Pierre Wielemans) Philippe Gurdjian	Porsche 934	298
					Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
8	IMSA	71	Luigi Racing	Jean Xhenceval Pierre Dieudonné Spartaco Dini	BMW 3.0 CSL	291
					BMW M30 3.2L I6
9	IMSA	50	Hervé Poulain	Hervé Poulain Marcel Mignot	BMW 320i	287
					BMW M12 2.0L I4
10	IMSA	61	Christian Gouttepifre	Christian Gouttepifre Philippe Malbran Alain Leroux	Porsche 911 Carrera RS	281
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
11	S +2.0	2	Inaltera	Lella Lombardi Christine Beckers	Inaltera LM77	279
					Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
12	IMSA	70	JMS Racing / ASA Cachia	Simon De Lautour Jean-Pierre Delaunay Jacques Guérin	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	275
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
13	S +2.0	1	Inaltera	Jean-Pierre Beltoise Al Holbert	Inaltera LM77	275
					Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
14	IMSA	79	Ravenel Frères	Jean-Louis Ravenel Jean Ravenel Jean-Marie Détrin	Porsche 911 Carrera RS	274
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
15	GTP	86	WM A.E.R.E.M.	Max Mamers Jean-Daniel Raulet Xavier Mathiot	WM P76	274
					Peugeot PRV 2.7L V6
16	IMSA	75	North American Racing Team	François Migault Lucien Guitteny	Ferrari 365 GT4/BB	268
					Ferrari 4.4L Flat-12
17	GTP	83	Robin Hamilton	Robin Hamilton David Preece Mike Salmon	Aston Martin DBS V8	260
					Aston Martin 5.3L V8
18	Gr. 5	47	Anne-Charlotte Verney / BP	Anne-Charlotte Verney René Metge Dany Snobeck Hubert Striebig	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	254
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
19	GT	56	JMS Racing / ASA Cachia	Jean-Louis Bousquet Cyril Grandet Philippe Dagoreau	Porsche 934	253
					Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
20	IMSA	77	Wynn's International Kirby-Hitchcock Racing	Dennis Aase Bob Kirby John Hotchkis	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	246
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
NC	S 2.0	31	Dorset Racing Associates	Ian Harrower Martin Birrane Ernst Berg Richard Down	Lola T294S	212
					Ford Cosworth BDA 2.0L I4
DNF	S +2.0	8	Équipe Renault Elf	Patrick Depailler Jacques Laffite	Renault Alpine A442	289
					Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
DNF	Gr. 5	39	Gelo Racing Team	Toine Hezemans Tim Schenken Hans Heyer	Porsche 935	269
					Porsche Type-935 2.9L Turbo Flat-6
DNF	S +2.0	9	Équipe Renault Elf	Jean-Pierre Jabouille Derek Bell	Renault Alpine A442	257
					Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
DNF	GTX	96	GVEA Porsche Club Romand	André Savary Jean-Robert Corthay Antoine Salamin	Porsche 911 Carrera RS	211
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
DNF	IMSA	78	Charles Ivey Racing	John Rulon-Miller John Cooper Peter Lovett	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR	198
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
DNF	IMSA	80	Bernard Béguin	Bernard Béguin René Boubet Jean-Claude Briavoine	Porsche 911 Carrera RS	191
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
DNF	S 2.0	25	Racing Organisation Course	Max Cohen-Olivar Alain Flotard Michel Dubois	Chevron B36	176
					ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
DNF	S 2.0	21	P.P. Sauber AG / Francy Racing	Eugen Strähl Peter Bernhard	Sauber C5	161
					BMW M12 2.0L I4
DNF	GT	59	Schiller Racing Team	François Sérvanin Laurent Ferrier Franz Hummel	Porsche 934	160
					Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
DNF	S +2.0	7	Équipe Renault Elf	Patrick Tambay Jean-Pierre Jaussaud	Renault Alpine A442	158
					Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
DNF	GTP	87	Bernard Decure	Bernard Decure Jean-Luc Thérier "Cochise" (Jacky Cauchy)	Alpine A310	137
					Renault PRV 2.7L V6
DNF	GT	60	Schiller Racing Team	Claude Haldi Florian Vetsch Angelo Pallavicino	Porsche 934	122
					Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
DNF	GT	57	Nicolas Koob	Nicolas Koob Willy Braillard Guillermo Ortega	Porsche 934	116
					Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
DNF	GT	55	Escuderia Montjuich	Juan Fernández Eugenio Baturone Raphael Tarradas	Porsche 934	115
					Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
DNF	S 2.0	14	Daniel Broudy	Patrick Perrier Xavier Lapeyre	Lola T286	103
					Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
DNF	S 2.0	29	Osella Squadra Corse	Alain Cudini Raymond Touroul Anna Cambiaghi	Osella PA5	100
					BMW M12 2.0L I4
DNF	GT	63	Joël Laplacette	Joël Laplacette Yves Courage "Ségolen" (André Gahinet)	Porsche 911 Carrera	99
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
DNF	S 2.0	32	André Chevalley Charles Graemiger	André Chevalley François Trisconi Wink Bancroft	Cheetah G501	93
					Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0L I4
DNF	GTP	85	WM A.E.R.E.M.	Marc Sourd Jean-Louis Lafosse Xavier Mathiot	WM P77	90
					Peugeot PRV 2.7L Turbo V6
DNF	Gr. 5	48	Thierry Perrier	Thierry Perrier Jean Belliard	Porsche 911 Carrera	90
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
DNF	Gr. 5	49	Hubert Striebig / BP	Guy Chasseuil Hubert Striebig Helmut Kirchoffer	Porsche 934	65
					Porsche 3.2L Flat-6
DNF	S +2.0	11	Grand Touring Cars Inc. Mirage Renault	Sam Posey Michel Leclère	Mirage GR8	58
					Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
DNF	Gr. 5	41	Martini Racing Porsche System	Rolf Stommelen Manfred Schurti	Porsche 935/77	52
					Porsche Type-935 2.9L Turbo Flat-6
DNF	GT	62	Georges Bourdillat	Georges Bourdillat Bruno Sotty Alain-Michel Bernhard	Porsche 911 Carrera	51
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
DNF	IMSA	72	Luigi Racing	Tom Walkinshaw Eddy Joosen Claude de Wael	BMW 3.0 CSL	45
					BMW M30 3.2L I6
DNF	S +2.0	3	Martini Racing Porsche System	Jacky Ickx Henri Pescarolo	Porsche 936/77	45
					Porsche Type-935 2.1L Turbo Flat-6
DNF	GTP	89	Team Esso Aseptogyl	Christine Dacremont Marianne Hoepfner	Lancia Stratos	37
					Ferrari Dino 2.4L Turbo V6
DNF	IMSA	76	Jean-Claude Giroix / Garage du Bac	"Dépnic" (Jean-Claude Depince) Jacques Coulon	BMW 3.0 CSL	28
					BMW M30 3.2L I6
DNF	S 2.0	28	Jean-Marie Lemerle	Jean-Marie Lemerle Alain Levié Pierre-François Rousselot	Lola T294	27
					ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
DNF	S 2.0	22	Chandler Ibec International / Team Lloyd's	Tony Charnell Ian Bracey John Hine	Chevron B31	21
					Ford Cosworth FVD 2.0L I4
DNF	S 2.0	30	GVEA	Georges Morand Christian Blanc Fréderic Alliot	Lola T296	19
					Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0L I4
DNF	Gr. 5	42	Porsche Kremer Racing	John Fitzpatrick Guy Edwards Nick Faure	Porsche 935 K2	15
					Porsche Type-935 2.8L Turbo Flat-6
DNF	Gr. 5	38	Gelo Racing Team	Tim Schenken Toine Hezemans Hans Heyer	Porsche 935	15
					Porsche Type-935 2.8L Turbo Flat-6
DNF	S +2.0	16	Jacky Haran / Hughes de Chaunac	Didier Pironi René Arnoux Guy Fréquelin	Renault Alpine A442	0
					Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
DNS	GTP	84	Jean-Louis Chateau	Jean-Louis Chateau	Porsche 935
					Porsche Type-935 2.9L Turbo Flat-6
DNQ	S +2.0	6	Alain de Cadenet	Richard Bond Tony Birchenhough Simon Phillips	De Cadenet-Lola T380
					Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
DNQ	S 2.0	27	Racing Organisation Course	Jean-Louis Bos Fred Stalder Jacky Haran	Chevron B36
					ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
DNQ	IMSA	73	Maurice Ouviére	Philippe Jaffrenou Philippe Streiff Roger Dorchy	Porsche 911 Carrera RS
					Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
DNQ	Gr. 5	43	Louis Meznarie	Thierry Sabine Jean Bélin	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR
					Porsche 3.2L Flat-6
DNQ	GT	66	Ségolen	Christian Bussi "Ségolen" (André Gahinet)	Porsche 911 Carrera RSR Turbo
					Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
DNQ	S 2.0	20	Daniel Brillat-Seymaz Racing	Daniel Brillat Eric Vuagnat Sandro Plastina	Cheetah G601
					BMW M12 2.0L I4

Statistics

• Pole Position - #9 Renault Sport (Jean-Pierre Jabouille) - 3:31.07
• Fastest Lap - #4 Martini Racing Porsche System (Jacky Ickx) - 3:36.50
• Distance - 4671.83 km
• Average Speed - 194.651 km/h

Trophy Winners

• Index of Thermal Efficiency - #26 Sté. Racing Organisation Course (ROC)

1. Thierry Chargé. "1977 Ickx Sauve Porsche". www.les24heures.fr. Retrieved May 9, 2012.
2. "1977 Le Mans". www.bigmoneyracing.com. Archived from the original on 2004-07-12.