Cars
Le Mans Yesterday and Today: Bugatti
Bugatti's journey at Le Mans began in 1923, peaking with victories in 1937 and 1939. Despite technical challenges in later years, its legacy persists, highlighted by the symbolic return of the Bolide in 2023.
Just outside the Top 10 of the most successful constructors at Le Mans, in 11th place, sits a brand that needs no introduction: Bugatti. In the first 24 Hours race in 1923, Bugatti entered two small Brescia 16S cars, renowned for their lightness and reliability, in an era when many race cars were large and unwieldy. Despite a challenging race due to almost continuous rain, drivers de Pourtalès and de La Rochefoucauld managed a 10th place finish—a promising start hinting at the potential Bugatti could bring to endurance racing.
After a break until 1930, Bugatti returned to the Circuit de la Sarthe with a Type 40, privately entered by Odette Siko and co-driven by Marguerite Mareuse—a female team that finished in 7th place, making a sensation as Bugatti was already a status symbol back then.
