As the 2025 chapters in the history of Le Mans have now been written, here’s another anniversary this year that we missed!
This is the 1.1 litre Chenard et Walcker Z1 ‘Tank’ and it raced at Le Mans in 1925, a hundred years ago.
And this little car, which now resides in the Le Mans Museum is very important in Sportscar history.
It was the first ever purpose-built prototype to race in the 24 hours of Le Mans.
Two examples started the race just 3 years into Le Mans history with the pace of development such that the cars were already developing from effectively road cars to cars that were specifically designed to race.
There is therefore a direct line of succession from this car to the 2025 race-winning Ferrari 499P.
Despite just an 1100cc engine, these cars proved reliable enough and finished 10th and 13th out of only 16 finishers back in 1925. No bad in a year when there we’re something like 30 non-finishers in the race.
So, this amazing thing is pretty much the beginnings of everything we see today. The first prototype car to race at Le Mans with attention paid even then to aero and weight saving.
The materials and technology may have improved, but the mindset hasn’t changed.
(With thanks to ‘Dangerous’ Dave Smith)
