1975 Le Mans #35 Moynet LM75 Replica
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The Moynet LM75 is an interesting car. Built from the body of Andre Moynet's previous ventures at Le Mans, with an engine from Simca, a Porsche gearbox, all sitting on a chassis sourced from a Simca prototype. Bolt a spoiler and a splitter on there and you've got a car that by 1975 standards was outdated at best.
None of that really mattered however, as the car was sponsored by Esso, and the entire endeavour was largely a publicity stunt for the oil concern. Back then one of the awards given out was something called the Index of Thermal Efficiency, a prize given to most fuel efficient car to finish the race. With the world still feeling the effects of 73' oil crisis at the time you can guess why a oil company might want to win this.
Furthering the bid for good will, the car would be driven by a trio of ladies, as 1975 had been declared International Woman's Year by the UN. Marianne Hoepfner and Christine Dacremont were pulled from the Esso sponsored Team Aseptogyl, an all female rally team, and Michele Mouton was brought in to complete the team. The idea wasn't to be a unique one as it turned out, with rival company Elf fielding a similarly female team in the same class, albeit in a much faster Alpine-Renault A441C. A point brought home by qualifying, as the Moynet only managed a 46th on the grid, 8th out of 9 in it's class, compared to the Alpine's 8th grid slot.
Class victory thus seemingly impossible, the team was resigned to running in the back of the field. (Mis)fortune would soon strike however, as their direct competition in the Alpine would suffer fuel problems on lap 20, ending it's race. Not that the Moynet would sparred its own set of issues though. Problems with faulty starter motors would sideline the car twice, and a snapped cable would leave the car without a rev counter. Yet the car running, and by the next team's choice of drivers would pay off. Pouring rain would arrive at the circuit, leaving the rally drivers in their element as they started moving up the grid. With about two hours to go the ladies had taken the class lead, and they'd hold till the end, eventually finishing in 21th overall and winning the S2.0 class. This not only made them the second all female team to ever score a class win at Le Mans, but also the only one to have done so since.
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