A green helmet in a Ferrari?

An apple-green helmet in a Ferrari 512M Coda Lunga entered by Scuderia Filipinetti? Yes, it is indeed Henri Pescarolo, future four-time winner, who shares this 512M with Englishman Mike Parkes at the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans. Surprising, but true.

This crew will do their best amidst the formidable Porsche-Ferrari battle, but will be forced to retire due to suspension failure after the English driver spun. Pescarolo will have his revenge a year later when, alongside Graham Hill, he wins Le Mans for the first time, at the wheel of his Matra MS670.

In 1971, victory went to the Martini Racing Porsche 917K, driven by Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep. This crew set a new record for distance covered, 5335 km and 397 laps, at a breathtaking average speed of 222.305 km/h!

Photo below: The Ferrari 512M Coda Lunga entered by Scuderia Filipinetti for Mike Parkes and Henri Pescarolo, in its pits at the 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans.