Congratulations Mr Ickx for your 80th birthday

Group CDrivers

Jan 1

Happy Birthday Mr Ickx. Thank you for sharing your passion and experienced analysis of endurance racing.

Jacky Ickx was sharing the # 304 Cortina Lotus with Teddy Pilette. — 📷 © Eric De La Faille, a courtesy of Tribute to Jacky Ickx: # 304 Cortina Lotus with Ickx - Pilette at 24 Hours of Francorchamps 1964..

I was lucky to meet you at the beginning of your car racing career as your Cortina Lotus was assembled in our family garage (close to Spa-Francorchamps) for your first 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (1964). As the Cortina was a right hand drive, I was in the passenger seat to help the test driver with overtaking on the open circuit at that time. You also visited us in Trois-Ponts during the motor-show organised in our family garage for autograph sessions or when the Ford Falcon (winner 1969 Coupes de Spa) or the Ford Mustang (24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps 1967 with Hubert Hahne) were being prepared in the workshop.

The elders remember

your 1966 24 Hours of Francorchamps win with Hubert Hahne in a BMW 2000 Ti, one year after your brother Pascal won it in a BMW 1800 TISA with Gérard Langlois.

May 1st 1967 when you drove the MIRAGE M1 FORD for the 1000 Km of Francorchamps. The rain was pouring at the start and we saw you ending the first lap alone as we were hearing your followers from very far. In one lap you made a gap of 40 seconds and became a legend in wet conditions before being a legend in so many car racing disciplines.

Sixth and final Le Mans victory

1982 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ickx wins his sixth 24 Hours of Le Mans. — *📷 ©* Luc Warnotte at **1982 24 Hours of Le Mans**. Ickx wins his sixth 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In 1982, the FIA World Sportscar Championship launched new regulations Introducing Group C sportscars. Together with Derek Bell, Jacky Ickx won the 50th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans 1982 with the new Porsche 956. That was your sixth victory (1969, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1981 and 1982) at Le Mans and two P2 after 14 participations (with two cars in 1977). You assisted Porsche in the development of the Porsche 956 which won the French 24 Hours race four times in a row (1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985).

1982 24 Hours of Le Mans. triple for the Porsche 956 — *📷 ©* Luc Warnotte at **1982 24 Hours of Le Mans**. Triple for the Porsche 956.

That same edition was a tremendous success for the Porsche 956 as the 3 factory cars did the triple with #2 second, driven by Jochen Mass - Vern Schuppan (3 laps behind) and #3, third, driven by Al Holbert - Hurley Haywood - Jürgen Barth (19 laps behind).

*📷 ©* Luc Warnotte at **1982 24 Hours of Le Mans**. Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell with the 50th anniversary of the 24 hours french race.

Among those 6 victories, the 1977 victory is considered one of the most incredible races in Jacky Ickx’s career as #3 Porsche 936 driven by Ickx and Henri Pescarolo suffered an engine failure after three hours, forcing them to retire from the race. Ickx was then assigned as a replacement driver for Jürgen Barth and Hurley Haywood in the #4 Porsche 936. Due to technical issues, the team was trailing by several laps. Ickx took to the wheel. He caught up, recovered the lost laps and drove to the limit – ultimately leading Porsche to the overall victory. Source: Porsche

1000 km of Spa-Francorchamps 1982

1982 saw the return of the 1000 km of Spa but on the new track that Jacky Ickx helped design. Started in 1966 on the old 14,120 km track over public road, due to safety issues, the race was discontinued between 1976 and 1981. The track was shortened to 6,9 km in 1979 to alleviate safety concerns, allowing the 1000 km race to return in 1982.

After an epic battle with Michele Alboreto and Pier Carlo Ghinzani (Lancia LC1 #51), Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass won the 1.000 km of Spa with their Porsche 956. It was Ickx's second win of the season after the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

With the win of the 6 Hours of Fuji and the 1.000 km of Brands Hatch, Jacky Ickx clinched the 1982 FIA World Endurance Championship for drivers.

The last 24 Hours of Le Mans for Ickx

For his last race at Le Mans, Jacky Ickx was part of the works squad driving the new Porsche 962 C. Customers were still using the the old 956 chassis ending first and second ahead of Rothmans Porsche 962 #2. Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass faced a series of issues – firstly replacing the Motronics box, then the gearbox, a few laps later an oil pipe, then replacing spark plugs ending 10th overall, 26 laps behind the winners.

1985 24 Hours of Le Mans. #1 Porsche 962C — *📷 ©* Luc Warnotte at 1985 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ickx - Mass- Bell with #1 Porsche 962C

Jacky Ickx and Jochen Mass faced a series of issues – firstly replacing the Motronics box, then the gearbox, a few laps later an oil pipe, then replacing spark plugs ending 10th overall, 26 laps behind the winners.