Must win

The 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans were held on 25 and 26 June. It was the fifth and final round of the World Sports Car Championship. The prospect of a duel between the 3-litre Ferraris versus the 2-litre Porsche championship leaders was enough to draw large crowds to the 24 Hours race and some 200,000 spectators had gathered around the 13.5 km course.

Picture above: Belgian Paul Frère on his way to victory with the works Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans on the Circuit de la Sarthe.

Faced with a must-win result to take the World Championship, Ferrari came well-prepared and with 13 entries, from works and privateer teams. The race was barely three hours old when torrential rain hit the circuit causing a number of accidents and issues as water got into the engines.

Belgian Olivier Gendebien got his second victory, this time with his countryman, sport journalist/racing driver, Paul Frère in the works car. Through fast, but reliable driving, they were never seriously threatened, finishing four laps and over 50 km ahead of the second-placed Ferrari of André Pilette (another Belgian) and young Mexican Ricardo Rodriguez.