# The 24 Heures du Mans: A Century of Endurance and the Scale Models That Document It

**By Giuliano Ragazzi** · 2026-06-09

The 24 Heures du Mans is the world's oldest active sports car race. It has been held annually on the Circuit de la Sarthe since 1923. This weekend, the race enters its 2026 edition. This competition has defined endurance motorsport for over a century. It produced a historically layered collector catalogue, especially for Le Mans models. No circuit has concentrated as many defining results across technical eras. From the 1966 Ferrari versus Ford battle to current Hypercar regulations. Le Mans has always been the benchmark. It measures endurance cars and scale model collecting.

## Why Is Le Mans the Central Subject of Endurance Collecting?

Le Mans concentrates collector demand for three unique reasons. No other endurance event replicates these reasons. First, the race's duration and attrition rate. Every classified result carries weight proportional to mechanical adversity. A Le Mans finish documents twenty-four hours of sustained engineering performance. A sprint race podium cannot replicate this. Second, the circuit's permanence is crucial. The Circuit de la Sarthe reconfigured over decades. But the race's fundamental character remains recognizable. The Mulsanne, Ford Chicanes, Porsche Curves, and 24-hour format are constants. Third, the manufacturer narrative is compelling. Ferrari, Ford, Porsche, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, all defined Le Mans chapters. A collector can build a display that is a race archive. It also serves as a manufacturer timeline spanning six decades.

## 1966: The Most Contested Result in Le Mans History

The 1966 24 Heures du Mans is the best-documented single edition. Ford spent three years on the GT40 programme. It aimed to defeat Ferrari at Le Mans. This followed Enzo Ferrari's withdrawal from sale talks in 1963. The GT40 MkII, with its 7.0-liter V8, dominated in 1966. The Shelby American entry, No. 1, led the race. Ken Miles and Denny Hulme drove it in its final stages.

Ford's management orchestrated a three-car formation finish. This decision awarded victory to the No. 2 car. Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon drove the winning car. This was based on its starting grid position. Miles and Hulme covered a marginally greater distance. Ken Miles had won Daytona and Sebring in 1966. He was classified second in this race. Miles died in a testing accident three months later. The result has never been undisputed.

The [Ford GT40 MkII 7.0L V8 Team Shelby American No. 1 — 2nd (but really Winner) 24h Le Mans 1966, Ken Miles and Denny Hulme](https://vroomimodels.com/products/ford-usa-gt40-mkii-70l-v8-team-shelby-ame-cmr12035) is produced by CMR Classic Model Repar. It is a 1/18 model made of resin. CMR's designation "2nd (but really Winner)" reflects historical consensus. Miles and Hulme covered the greatest race distance. This collector release documents the car and its result. It also captures the controversy that defined it.

Ferrari arrived at Le Mans 1966 with the 330 P3. This was a development of the 330 P2. It featured a revised tubular chassis and new bodywork. It also had a redesigned 4.0-liter V12 with Lucas fuel injection. The works SEFAC team entered three cars, but none finished. Car No. 20, driven by Scarfiotti and Parkes, retired. The result was a Ford 1-2-3 finish. Ferrari could not match the GT40 MkII's reliability. This defeat was significant for Ferrari. They did not return to Le Mans as a factory prototype team until 2023.

The Ferrari 330 P3 4.0L V12 Coupé ch.0848 Team Ferrari SEFAC No. 20 — 24h Le Mans 1966, Ludovico Scarfiotti and Mike Parkes is produced by Mitica at 1/18. Mitica is an Italian specialist. It focuses on pre-1970 Italian road and competition cars. Their models feature hand-assembled resin construction. Engine bay and interior details target the top of the collector market. The CMR Ford GT40 MkII and Mitica Ferrari 330 P3 can be placed side by side. At 1/18, they document both sides of the 1966 Le Mans narrative. They show the most contested result in race history from both perspectives.

## 1971: Porsche Completes Back-to-Back Victories

Porsche's 917K won Le Mans in 1970. Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood drove the Salzburg No. 23. Porsche returned in 1971 with the Martini Racing program. The 917K No. 22 won the 1971 race. Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep drove it. They set a distance record of 5,335.313 km. This record stood until 2010. Van Lennep and Marko covered more distance than any previous winner. The Martini Racing white livery was Porsche's primary identity in 1971. It is a highly collected endurance livery. It stands distinct from Gulf blue/orange and Salzburg red/white. These frame the 917's visual identity.

The [Porsche 917K 4.9L Team Martini Racing No. 22 — Winner 24h Le Mans 1971, Helmut Marko and Gijs van Lennep](https://vroomimodels.com/products/porsche-917k-49l-team-martini-racing-n-22-w-187588) is produced by Norev. It is a 1/18 die-cast model. Norev's 917K Martini winner offers the 1971 Le Mans result. It is a die-cast construction at an accessible price, €70.90. This makes it the most accessible 1/18 Le Mans winner. It is currently available in the Vroomi collection. It is a natural starting point for a sequential Porsche 917 Le Mans grid.

## 2024: Ferrari Confirms the Hypercar Era — Looksmart Le Mans models at 1/12

Ferrari won Le Mans in 2023 with the 499P No. 51. This was Ferrari's first overall victory since 1965. In 2024, the No. 50 repeated this result. Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, and Nicklas Nielsen drove it. This confirmed the 499P program as dominant at La Sarthe. It dominated in successive Hypercar seasons. For collectors, these are back-to-back victories. The same manufacturer and car platform won consecutively. This is a grid-building opportunity for the Hypercar era. It's the first time since Audi's LMP1 dominance in the 2000s.

The [Ferrari 499P 3.0L Turbo V6 Team Ferrari AF Corse No. 50 — Winner 24h Le Mans 2024, Antonio Fuoco, Miguel Molina, Nicklas Nielsen](https://vroomimodels.com/products/ferrari-499p-3-0l-turbo-v6-team-ferrari-af-corse-n-50-winner-24h-le-mans-2024-antonio-fuoco-miguel-molina-nicklas-nielsen-181117) is produced by Looksmart at 1/12. This is the largest scale for collector-grade endurance replicas. The Ferrari 499P's Hypercar aerodynamic surfaces can be replicated. Its hybrid system cooling ducts and AF Corse livery are also detailed. This resolution cannot be matched by any 1/18 release. Looksmart's 1/12 production uses the same standard. It applies resin and tampo-print from their F1 catalogue. This is applied to a contemporary Le Mans winner. The scale makes every aerodynamic detail legible. At €852.90, this is a high-investment Le Mans release. It is currently in the Vroomi collection. It is positioned for collectors. The 2024 Ferrari victory is the centerpiece of their endurance grid.

## What Makes a Le Mans Collection Complete?

The four releases span 1966 to 2024. They cover three distinct regulatory eras. These are GT prototype, Group 5 flat-twelve, and Hypercar hybrid. Four manufacturers are represented: Ford, Ferrari, Porsche, and Ferrari again. They are produced by CMR, Mitica, Norev, and Looksmart. Production types include 1/18 resin, 1/18 die-cast, and 1/12 resin. These three philosophies illustrate the full range of Le Mans collecting. This applies to 1/18 and above models. A collection built around these four documents important events. It shows the most significant Ferrari versus Ford confrontation. It also highlights the Porsche 917's distance record. Finally, it includes Ferrari's Hypercar return. This narrative covers six decades of Le Mans history with four models.

**Tags:** Endurance, Le Mans & Endurance Collection

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> Source: [Vroomi](https://vroomimodels.com/blogs/history-icons-legendary-motorsport-in-scale/le-mans-models)