Legendary ‘1075’

Is this the best race car ever made ? Always raced in Gulf’s iconic blue and orange colors, this Ford GT40, known by it’s chassis number ‘1075’ and raced by John Wyer’s team, won the Le Mans 24 Hours not just once but twice, in 1968 and 1969, and the second victory came after the closest fight ever seen at the finish of this great endurance race.

During these two seasons, ‘1075’ kept on winning, here are the highlights of it’s racing career:

Early 1968, Jacky Ickx and Brian Redman beat Porsche in the six-hour BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch.

At the 1968 Spa 1000km in Belgium, torrential rain allowed a fantastic Ickx to demonstrate his wet-weather mastery on his home circuit and win, supported by the capable Redman.

Back in the USA, with Ickx now partnered by fellow Belgian Lucien Bianchi, Watkins Glen brought a third win for ‘1075’.

With Ickx sidelined by injury, Mexican ace Pedro Rodriguez was drafted in to join Bianchi at Le Mans – and they won comfortably after the Porsche works challenge collapsed.

The 1969 Sebring 12 Hours saw an unexpected victory for Ickx (again) and Jackie Oliver, against a formidable opposition composed of Porsche, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari.

And the Le Mans 1969, with the historic win of Ickx and Oliver defeating the Larrousse-Herrmann Porsche 908 by the slightest of margins (120m).

‘1075’ a legendary number indeed.