STORY OF THE DAY: Ferrari Defeats Jaguar in the Rain

José Froilán González and Maurice Trintignant won the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans in the number 4 Ferrari 375 Plus. They completed 302 laps and defeated the leading Jaguar D-Type after a race shaped by heavy rain, mechanical failures and a late Ferrari pit delay. The victory was Ferrari’s second at Le Mans and strengthened its successful 1954 World Sportscar Championship campaign.

González established the Ferrari among the leaders before handing it to Trintignant for the difficult night hours. By the closing stages the contest had narrowed to the Ferrari and the number 14 Jaguar. A problematic late stop reduced Ferrari’s advantage, but González returned to the circuit and protected the lead to the finish, combining aggression with careful management on a wet track.

The 375 Plus used a tubular chassis and a front-mounted Lampredi V12 enlarged to nearly five litres. Its abundant torque and roughly 330 horsepower suited the Mulsanne Straight, while Pinin Farina’s open body kept weight under control. A rear transaxle helped distribute mass, but drum brakes and the car’s great power still required discipline in rain and over twenty-four hours.

González was Argentine, a powerful and determined driver who had delivered Ferrari’s first Formula One championship victory at Silverstone in 1951. Trintignant was French, a pre-war competitor who rebuilt his career after a severe 1948 accident and later won two Monaco Grands Prix. Their complementary temperaments produced a landmark endurance victory against Jaguar’s technically advanced opposition.