Ferrari 512 BB LM (1978)

Displayed here is the third example of nine early 512 BB LM Group 5 racers prepared by the factory for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and endurance racing in general. The car debutted at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1979 and ran as high as 7th place until it was retired due to high tyre wear. The car then went on to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, again driven by Claude Ballot-Léna and Michel Leclère where it set the fastest lap in qualifying of the four 512 BB LMs entered.

Leclère clawed his way into the top 10 after an impressive drive through the night, agonisingly retired at eight o’clock in the morning after a sudden downpour and subsequent contretemps with a slower car.

The car returned to Le Mans in 1980, but once again bad luck plagued this Ferrari and an accident forced retirement in the seventh hour.