This week's desktop download had to be Le Mans related, right? And so we take a trip back 60 years to 1956 to enjoy the sight of the Jaguar D-Type of Ninian Sanderson and Ron Flockhart taking the chequered flag ahead of the Aston Martin of Stirling Moss and Peter Collins and the Ferrari of Olivier Gendebien and Maurice Trintignant. Jaguar, Aston Martin and Ferrari sharing a podium at Le Mans? No wonder we consider the 50s the golden era of sports car racing. For a flavour of Le Mans 60 years ago check out this great onboard video of Mike Hawthorn narrating a
practice lap in his D-Type
the same year, dodging traffic, pedestrians, cyclists and horses as he does so!
Classic racing has its darker overtones too and, of course, 1956 was the first Le Mans after the infamous tragedy of the previous year. The role of Mike Hawthorn's D-Type in that remains hotly debated and, for those who know their history, the sight of a Jaguar taking the flag just yards from where so many died underlines how death and glory were so closely entwined back in the day. In isolation a cool pic. With an understanding of the context one with deeper meaning too.