McQueen loves the Ferrari too

Steve McQueen, who is filming his fabulous movie “Le Mans” and whom we are used to seeing in a Gulf-liveried Porsche 917, is pictured above posing next to the splendid factory Ferrari 512S “Coda Lunga”, driven in the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans by Jacky Ickx and Peter Schetty.

This Ferrari 512S, facing the armada of Porsche 917s, put on a heroic performance, and was the only Italian car to give the 917s a run for their money, even reaching second position, but was forced to retire in the 11th hour of the race, due to the Belgian driver’s going off the track, apparently with faulty brakes, an accident which unfortunately cost the life of a track marshal.

Steve McQueen’s film “Le Mans”, filmed during and just after the 1970 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will give pride of place to this formidable battle which pitted the Porsche 917s against the Ferrari 512s, and from which emerged victorious the Porsche 917K of Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood.