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Jaguar Renews Le Mans Love Affair

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Footman James
Classic vehicle specialist, read more

2 minutes

Written: February 23, 2016

Jaguar Renews Le Mans Love Affair

Few marques have enjoyed a greater love affair with Le Mans than Jaguar.

So it’s fitting that Jag has just named the Le Mans Classic as part of its new-look Jaguar Classic Challenge race calendar this year.

It means that classic connoisseurs can watch vintage Jags battle it out on the iconic French track from July 8-10.

This comes 65 years after the brand first won the endurance race there.

Le Mans will form one of the highlights of the Challenge’s second season, which kicks off at Donington in April.

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How you can enter
Got a Classic Jag? Then you can get in on the action yourself. Your machine simply needs to have been built any time before 1966. Eligible cars include:

  • Mk11 and Mk1 saloons
  • the XK series
  • E-types
  • C and D-types

If you do decide to take part in the Challenge, you will automatically be allowed to enter international historic car races elsewhere.

Check out the Jaguar web page for more information on how you can join in the fun.

The 2016 Jaguar Classic Challenge

This is the full line-up:

  • April 30-May 2: Donington Historic Festival
  • May 21-22: Silverstone International Trophy
  • July 8-10: Le Mans Classic
  • August 12-14: Nurburgring Oldtimer Grand Prix
  • August 27-29: Oulton Park

The Jag Le Mans love affair

  • 1951: The two persevering Peters, Whitehead and Walker, pilot Jaguar to its first victory in the XKC 003, or C-type
  • 1953: Duncan Hamilton and Tony Rolt repeat the triumph in the same model
  • 1955-57: Jag makes it three wins on the spin, this time in its D-type
  • 1988: Jag clocks up victory number six in its XJR-9LM
  • 1990: The XJR-12 propels Jag to the top spot of the victory podium

Keeping to historic motor racing’s true spirit

This year the Challenge is taking on board the FIA’s new technical requirements for worldwide historic racing contests.

They look to keep races within the sport’s true spirit. In particular, the rules apply to a machine’s period specification.

Expert view

Jaguar Land Rover Classic director Tim Hannig says the prospect of viewing pre-1966 Jags at Le Mans is unmissable.

Mr Hannig says that some of the vehicles may have even competed there originally over 50 years ago.

He says it has been fantastic to see the camaraderie and racing across the Challenge’s first season.