1924 24 Hours of Le Mans

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David Green

(@david-green)

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Topic starter 30/08/2025 11:53 am

1924 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 1924 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 2nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 14 and 15 June 1924. It was the second part of three consecutive annual races for the Rudge-Whitworth Triennial Cup, as well simultaneously being the first race in the new 1924-25 Rudge-Whitworth Biennial Cup.

With hot weather, the cars had to be pushed harder and this year only 12 of the 41 starters completed the 24 hours.

The 4-litre Chenard-Walcker of the 1923 winners René Léonard and André Lagache had the early lead, for the first three hours, until it caught fire on the Mulsanne Straight.

Thereafter it was a battle between the three-car Lorraine-Dietrich team and the British Bentley.One Lorraine suffered two punctures then a blown engine trying to make up the lost time.

Although the remaining two Lorraines pushed hard they fell just one lap short. The Bentley victory brought international acclaim and cemented the popularity of the race as a significant European event.

The Winning Bentley 3 litre Number 8 driven by John Duff and Frank Clement for Bentley Motors Limited covered 120 laps.

You will note with my 1/43 models of the winning #8 Bentley that its top is up/A new rule in 1924 required all racers to stop after five laps and raise their hoods (convertible tops). They had to keep them up for a minimum of two laps.

The Bentley took only 41 seconds to get the hood up in this first stop.

Also of note, the models vary in detail in body colour and hood colour. Photographs from this period were black and white and any cars from the time still surviving have been repainted many times. Exact colours are unknown today.

Here is the MCM, REF.06, made in France white metal, 1/43 Scale LM1924 - Bentley 3L #8 Winner Le Mans for 1924