LE MANS miniatures Mirage GR8 n°11 Winner 24 Heures du Mans 1975

In 1975 Gulf became the favorites in front of Ligier and Porsche. John Wyer came back to Le Mans with two new cars : the wheelbase has been lengthened and the lower-drag bodywork is new.
Only prepared to contest Le Mans, because of Gulf's budget restriction in this period of crisis, and with regard to the ACO new regulations, the design allowed to change fast and easily the main mechanical components and the power of the V8 Ford engine has been reduced to 380 ch to fit the new requirements.
During practices it was mounted a previous year big air intake on the rear bonnet of the car number 10. This bonnet has been used afterward for the race on the car number 11 without the air intake.
When the start was given the Gulf of Schuppan and Bell took the lead. Ickx-Bell on Gulf n°11 digged all the more the distance as Jaussaud-Schuppan on car number 10 was delayed during the 6th hour : some ignition problems relegated them to the fifth position, 6 laps behind. Placed in fourth after six hour racing, Pescarolo-Migault were delayed when they collided with the rear hood of the de Cadenet car, that blew away.
The Ligier car number 5 was third at 10 pm and it was the winner of the duel with the Mirage of Jaussaud-Schuppan at early morning. At mid-race Jaussaud was finally again in second place in front of Lafosse-Chasseuil.
In the course of the morning, Ickx-Bell were 8 laps in front of the last Ligier that was in front of the second Mirage-Gulf, that was delayed by a tired transmission.
It must be said that the Cosworth vibrations treated badly the exhaust pipes fixations. The leaders faced with the same troubles but only slowed down. John Wyer did not want to alert his competitors. A shower came to the rescue of Ligier because it provoked igntion problems on car #10, definitively placed in second position. As far as Ickx-Bell they crossed the finish line with a broken chassis and a dying gear system. They only had one lap advance.

Specification :

• Scale : 1/32
• Manufacturer name : Mirage
• Manufacturer model : GR8
• Competition : yes
• Race : 24 Heures du Mans
• Year : 1975
• Position : Winner
• Drivers : Derek Bell & Jacky Ickx
• Engine : side-winder
• Rims : turned aluminum rims with M2 screws
• Weight : 97 g
• Body : polyurethan resin
• Chassis : Injected chassis & pickup
• Rubber injected tires : 30 ShoreA
• Axles : 3/32”
• Slot.it crown : ref. GO-23BZ