Mirage (race car)
Encyclopedia
The Mirage race cars were built by J.W. Automotive (JWA) at Slough in England to compete in international sports car races in the colours of the Gulf Oil
Corporation.
For the 1967 season, JWA built and raced the M1, a Sports prototype
based on the Ford GT40
. The M1 used the standard Ford GT40 V8 engine in various capacities up to 5.7 litres. The highlight of the M1's short racing career was without doubt the victory by Jacky Ickx
and Dick Thompson in chassis M.1003 in the 1967 Spa-Francorchamps 1000 km.
The M2 was built in 1968 for the new 3 Litre Group 6
Prototype class, but the BRM V12 powered cars were rarely raced and met with no success. The revised M3 of 1969 was powered by the Ford Cosworth DFV V8 but again this model saw little use, JWA having largely concentrated on racing Ford GT40s during these two years. After competing with Porsche 917
s during the 1970
& 1971
seasons, JWA developed the new Ford Cosworth powered M6 model to race as a Group 5
Sports Car in the new World Championship for Makes from 1972. Again the only victory was at Spa, in the 1973 Spa-Francorchamps 1000 km.
Gulf Oil sponsorship, which had continued each year from 1967 took a new turn in 1974 when the new GR7 model was badged as a Gulf Mirage GR7.
In 1975
the team obtained its last victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
with the GR8 driven by Jacky Ickx
and Derek Bell
. The other car finished third with Vern Schuppan
and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
.
The race was excluded from the World Championship for Makes by the CSI because of the rules introduced in that race regarding fuel consumption in the wake of the oil crisis
.
Upon Gulf Oil’s sponsorship withdrawal from international sports car racing in late 1975, American entrepreneur and former racing driver Harley Cluxton III purchased the Mirage team and all associated manufacturing rights from John Wyer and the Gulf Research Racing Company. As a Group 6 Prototype entrant, and later a Group C Prototype entrant, Cluxton continued successfully contesting the Mirages at Le Mans as a two car team. With primary sponsorship from JCB Excavators, Elf Lubricants, and Renault Sport, and under the continued management of John Horsman and counsel of John Wyer, the Mirages finished second overall in both 1976 and 1977, behind Porsche’s factory Martini 936s. In all, from 1974 to 1978, the Mirages never finished outside of the top-ten positions at Le Mans, posting a first, two seconds, a third, a fourth, a fifth,
and a tenth.
Mirage race cars were the first to wear the legendary powder blue and marigold livery of Gulf Oil, the first to post race wins for Gulf Oil, and the last to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall for Gulf Oil. As well Mirage is one of only two independently constructed racing car marques to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall since the post-World War II return of the Grand Prix d’Endurance in 1949.
Gulf Oil
Gulf Oil was a major global oil company from the 1900s to the 1980s. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth-largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the so-called Seven Sisters oil companies...
Corporation.
For the 1967 season, JWA built and raced the M1, a Sports prototype
Sports prototype
A sports prototype, also referred to as simply a prototype, is a form of racing car that is used as a top category in sports car racing. These purpose-built racing cars differ from street-legal and production-based racing cars that also compete in sports car racing.Prototype racing cars have...
based on the Ford GT40
Ford GT40
The Ford GT40 was a high performance sports car and winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans four times in a row, from 1966 to 1969...
. The M1 used the standard Ford GT40 V8 engine in various capacities up to 5.7 litres. The highlight of the M1's short racing career was without doubt the victory by Jacky Ickx
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :...
and Dick Thompson in chassis M.1003 in the 1967 Spa-Francorchamps 1000 km.
The M2 was built in 1968 for the new 3 Litre Group 6
Group 6 (racing)
Group 6 was the official designation applied by the FIA to two motor racing classifications, the Prototype-Sports Car category from 1966 to 1971 and the Two-Seater Racing Cars class from 1976 to 1982.-Group 6 Prototype-Sports Cars :...
Prototype class, but the BRM V12 powered cars were rarely raced and met with no success. The revised M3 of 1969 was powered by the Ford Cosworth DFV V8 but again this model saw little use, JWA having largely concentrated on racing Ford GT40s during these two years. After competing with Porsche 917
Porsche 917
The Porsche 917 is a racecar that gave Porsche its first overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Powered by the Type 912 flat-12 engine of 4.5, 4.9, or 5 litres, the 917/30 variant was capable of a 0- time of 2.3 seconds, 0– in 5.3 seconds, and a top speed of over .There are 6...
s during the 1970
1970 World Sportscar Championship season
The 1970 World Sportscar Championship season was the 18th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship motor racing. It featured the 1970 International Championship for Makes and the 1970 International Cup for GT Cars, which were contested concurrently from 31 January to 11 October over a ten race...
& 1971
1971 World Sportscar Championship season
The 1971 International Championship for Makes and International Grand Touring Trophy seasons were the 19th season of the FIA World Sportscar Championship. It was a series for Sportscars and Grand Touring, with Sportscars being divided into Sports and Prototype classes, while Grand Touring cars...
seasons, JWA developed the new Ford Cosworth powered M6 model to race as a Group 5
Group 5 (racing)
Group 5 was an FIA motor racing classification which was applied to four distinct categories during the years 1966 to 1982. Initially Group 5 regulations defined a Special Touring Car category and from 1970 to 1971 the classification was applied to limited production Sports Cars restricted to 5...
Sports Car in the new World Championship for Makes from 1972. Again the only victory was at Spa, in the 1973 Spa-Francorchamps 1000 km.
Gulf Oil sponsorship, which had continued each year from 1967 took a new turn in 1974 when the new GR7 model was badged as a Gulf Mirage GR7.
In 1975
1975 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 43rd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 14 and 15 1975.-Pre-race:In the wake of the oil crisis, Le Mans introduced rules in 1975 regarding fuel consumption. In response, the CSI excluded the 24 Hours from the World Championship for Makes...
the team obtained its last victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
with the GR8 driven by Jacky Ickx
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :...
and Derek Bell
Derek Bell (auto racer)
Derek Reginald Bell MBE is a former racing driver from England who was extremely successful in sportscar racing, winning five times at Le Mans. He also raced in Formula One for the Ferrari, McLaren, Surtees and Tecno teams...
. The other car finished third with Vern Schuppan
Vern Schuppan
Vernon "Vern" Schuppan is a racing driver from Whyalla, South Australia. Schuppan drove in various categories, participating in Formula One, the Indianapolis 500 and most successfully in sports car racing.-Formula One:...
and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
Jean-Pierre Jaussaud is a French former racing driver, more famous for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1978 and 1980....
.
The race was excluded from the World Championship for Makes by the CSI because of the rules introduced in that race regarding fuel consumption in the wake of the oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
.
Upon Gulf Oil’s sponsorship withdrawal from international sports car racing in late 1975, American entrepreneur and former racing driver Harley Cluxton III purchased the Mirage team and all associated manufacturing rights from John Wyer and the Gulf Research Racing Company. As a Group 6 Prototype entrant, and later a Group C Prototype entrant, Cluxton continued successfully contesting the Mirages at Le Mans as a two car team. With primary sponsorship from JCB Excavators, Elf Lubricants, and Renault Sport, and under the continued management of John Horsman and counsel of John Wyer, the Mirages finished second overall in both 1976 and 1977, behind Porsche’s factory Martini 936s. In all, from 1974 to 1978, the Mirages never finished outside of the top-ten positions at Le Mans, posting a first, two seconds, a third, a fourth, a fifth,
and a tenth.
Mirage race cars were the first to wear the legendary powder blue and marigold livery of Gulf Oil, the first to post race wins for Gulf Oil, and the last to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall for Gulf Oil. As well Mirage is one of only two independently constructed racing car marques to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall since the post-World War II return of the Grand Prix d’Endurance in 1949.
