1939 24 Hours of Le Mans

16th 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

Le Mans in 1939

The 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans (French: 24 Heures du Mans 1939) was the 16th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place at Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France, on 17 and 18 June 1939. The 1939 programme cover depicted the raising of six nations' flags: France, Italy, Great Britain (its civil Red Ensign), Belgium, Germany, and the United States.^[1]

By June 1939, the outbreak of World War II was less than three months away. The following year's 24 Hours of Le Mans was originally planned for June 1940, but due to the invasion of France in May the race was called off. Endurance racing would not return to Le Mans until 1949, four years after V-E day ended World War II in Europe.

Official results

Class winners are denoted with bold.

Statistics

• Fastest Lap: #15 Robert Mazaud – 5:12.1
• Distance: 3,346.106 km (2,079.174 mi)^[3]
• Average Speed: 139.781 km/h (86.856 mph)

Trophy winners

• 14th Rudge-Whitworth Biennial Cup – #39 Gordini
• Index of Performance – #39 Gordini

References

1. "1939 Le Mans Programme Cover". Pinterest. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
2. "Le Mans 24 Hours 1939 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
3. Press Association Foreign Special (11 June 1939). "Le Mans 24-Hour Motor Race: French Team Wins". The Guardian. p. 11. Retrieved 10 February 2018 – via Newspapers.com.