1969 Le Mans Ford GT40 0001-4553

This official archive photograph captures the number 6 Ford GT40 of JW Automotive Engineering during the 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours, run on 14 and 15 June. Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver won the race outright in this car by roughly 120 metres. The car being passed is number 28, the Alpine A220/69 of Jean Vinatier and Andre de Cortanze.

What Happened at Le Mans in 1969?

Ickx and Oliver covered 372 laps and beat the Porsche 908 long-tail of Hans Herrmann and Gerard Larrousse by about 120 metres, the two cars trading the lead through the final hour. Ickx had begun the race by refusing to sprint across the track in the traditional running start. He walked to his car, fastened his belts properly and left last, in protest at the crash that caught Willy Mairesse the year before while he was still pulling his door shut. The running start was abandoned after this race.

Why Does This Particular GT40 Matter?

The chassis is P/1075, which had already won Le Mans in 1968 with Pedro Rodriguez and Lucien Bianchi. Winning again in 1969 made it the only car to take Le Mans twice in succession at that point. By then the GT40 was an old design racing against purpose-built prototypes, kept competitive by John Wyer's team and Gulf Oil's money after Ford's works programme closed in 1967.

The car here is streaked and stained from hours of running, wipers standing off the screen: a working racing car late in a long race.

What the Photograph Records

• The number 6 on the nose and door, and the Gulf disc low on the rear flank
• Number 28, the Alpine A220/69, which retired after twelve hours with a failed oil pipe
• The TOTAL hoarding and GENERAL board running along the barrier
• Period Armco barrier and a timing post at the circuit edge
• Front wheels turned in, the car close to the grass

Photograph Details

• Event: 24 Hours of Le Mans
• Date: 14 and 15 June 1969
• Location: Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France
• Car: Ford GT40 Mk I, chassis P/1075
• Entrant: JW Automotive Engineering, Gulf Oil livery
• Car number: 6
• Drivers: Jacky Ickx and Jackie Oliver
• Result: First overall, 372 laps
• Archive reference: 0001-4553

This archival photograph is made available through Fordimages.com, the official Ford archive imagery licensee operated by Richard Weedn LLC. Each image is digitally restored before printing and handcrafted to order.

Available as:

• Framed Print — museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, hanging hardware included
• Stretched Canvas — hand-stretched over 1.25-inch pine bars, heavy cotton poly matte finish
• ChromaLuxe Metal Print — image infused directly onto sheets of alloy metal for maximum vibrancy and durability
• Giclée Art Print — 260gsm satin finish paper, finest archival inks, white border

Made in the USA or Europe depending on your location.

About the Artwork

Artwork in this collection comes from the Ford Motor Company Archives, The Henry Ford Museum, the Carroll Shelby Archives, and the collections of acclaimed photographers and painters from around the world. Reproduction rights are reserved by the respective copyright owners.

Our framed prints feature a black, hand-stained solid wood frame with a white mat, museum-quality paper, archival inks, Acrylite glazing, and hanging hardware. The frame features a slim 0.8-inch face and projects 1.3 inches from the wall, creating a clean, contemporary shadow-box effect. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our stretched canvas prints are produced on acid-free, pH-neutral, and fade-resistant canvas. Each canvas is hand-glued to solid wood stretcher bars and stretched over 1.25-inch-thick pine bars. Mounting brackets are included. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

Our Giclée prints are produced using premium 200gsm semi-gloss paper and high-quality archival inks. Each print includes a white border around the perimeter.

For the 40 x 60 size, we use 250gsm museum-quality archival paper with an off-white, uncoated finish.

The listed size refers to the overall paper dimensions. The image is printed proportionally within the selected paper size. Made in the USA or Europe, depending on your location.

ChromaLuxe prints use a state-of-the-art coating process that infuses the image directly onto sheets of alloy metal. The result is photography with an exceptional combination of vibrancy, clarity, and durability.

Each print arrives ready to hang. An alloy subframe on the back allows the artwork to float away from the wall for a sleek, modern appearance. This is the finest-quality print we offer. Made in the USA.

All images are digitally restored before printing. Production location varies by product and destination. Shipping is calculated at checkout.

Ideal for Ford collectors, Mustang and GT40 enthusiasts, motorsport historians, restoration shops, offices, garages and dealership showrooms. As vintage Ford wall art, Ford racing wall art, or part of a Ford wall decor programme, each image suits a home office, study, living space, museum display or commercial interior. Choose framed print, stretched canvas, ChromaLuxe metal or Giclee art print formats.