2023-06-10 16:30:20
1 Patrick Dempsey
Known worldwide for having played Doctor Derek Shepherd in the medical series “Grey’s Anatomy”, the American actor Patrick Dempsey (57) is a great fan of motorsport, so much so that he has his own team, Dempsey Racing, since 2002. He has taken part in what he considers to be “the greatest motor race in the world” four times (2009, 2013, 2014, 2015), each time reaching the finish.
His best result, the actor signed in 2015, driving a Porsche 911, with a 2nd place in the LM GTE Am category and a 22nd overall.
In 2018, Patrick Dempsey will even take the top step of the podium as team boss with the victory of his Porsche 911 RSR driven by Australian Matt Campbell, German Christian Reid and Frenchman Julien Andlauer.
2 Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt has never participated in the 24 hours of Le Mans but, in 2016, he made a remarkable passage in Sarthe. That year, the American actor gave the start of the legendary endurance race with a short and now legendary phrase, in French: “Pilots, free the engines”.
This 2016 edition also had a very Hollywood accent since several stars were present at Le Mans: Patrick Dempsey (see above), Keanu Reeves, Jackie Chan or even Jason Statham.
A few hours before the start, Brad Pitt had completed a lap of the circuit aboard a Pescarolo prototype with the Austrian driver Alexander Wurz, double winner of the 24 hours, to the delight of the thousands of fans who might follow the scene on the giant screens thanks to an on-board camera.
3 Jean-Louis Trintignant
His uncle, Maurice Trintignant took part in no less than fifteen editions of the most famous endurance race in the world, and even won there in 1954. Jean-Louis Trintignant joined this family tradition by taking part in the ordeal in 1980, but the actor, who died in 2022, will not have very good memories of it. Engaged in a yellow Porsche 935 with Anny-Charlotte Verney and Xavier Lapeyre, he was forced to retire following an accident at very high speed on the mythical Mulsanne Straight. “During those few seconds, I really thought I was going to die,” he explained to Maine Libre in 2012.
4 Paul Newman
Paul Newman took part in only one edition of the 24 Hours, in 1979, but he almost won at the canonical age of 54! At the height of his glory, the interpreter of “The Infernal Tower” and “The Scam” finished second in the general classification and winner of his category at the wheel of a Porsche 935.
Paul Newman, who discovered motorsport in 1968 during the filming of the film “Virages” where he portrayed a driver of the Indianapolis 500 Miles, did not go unnoticed in the Sarthe: his photo in red overalls and sunglasses went around the world.
In 1978, the American created his own team and joined forces with entrepreneur Carl Haas to found Newman/Haas Racing in 1983, which would achieve many successes, including eight ChampCar titles, including four consecutive titles with Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais. between 2004 and 2007.
In 1995, at age 70, Paul Newman won the 24 Hours of Daytona in the GTS-1 category at the wheel of a Ford Mustang.
5 Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen had a profound impact on the 1970 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans… without having been able to take part in it. The actor, famous for his roles in “The Great Escape”, “Bullitt” or “Papillon”, had come to France to shoot sequences for a film called “Le Mans” and directed by Lee H. Katzin.
Steve McQueen also hoped to compete in the event at the wheel of a Porsche 917 shared in particular with the Briton Jackie Stewart, reigning Formula 1 world champion, which his insurance companies categorically refuse.
A good part of the film was shot in June 1970, during the 38th edition, thanks in particular to three cameras on board a Porsche 908 taking part in the event. That year, Steve McQueen multiplied his visits to Sarthe: he took his place in the Brabham F2 of Briton Derek Bell in July and met, in October, the five-time Argentinian F1 world champion, Juan Manuel Fangio.
1686424197
#Brad #Pitt #Patrick #Dempsey #Paul #Newman #stars #marked #Hours #Mans #People #News #Live #info #stars #news #people #news
