STORY OF THE DAY: Ferrari’s Long-Tail Hope Crashes in the Rain

Jacky Ickx and Peter Schetty retired works Ferrari 512 S Coda Lunga number 5 from the rain-struck 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans. Their car was one of Ferrari’s strongest entries against Porsche, but an accident ended its challenge during a race of severe weather and heavy attrition.

Ickx had been advancing rapidly through the field when control was lost at the Ford Chicane in wet conditions. The crash also involved a marshal fatally, giving the retirement a tragic gravity far beyond Ferrari’s competitive disappointment and the eventual Porsche victory.

The 512 S used a five-litre, 60-degree V12 mounted behind the cockpit in a tubular and semi-monocoque chassis. Le Mans cars received extended Coda Lunga bodywork to reduce drag on the Mulsanne Straight, trading some agility for the high-speed efficiency demanded by the circuit.

Belgian Ickx was already a Formula One winner and emerging endurance master whose wet-weather speed was exceptional. Swiss Schetty combined hill-climb championship success with engineering intelligence and Ferrari management potential. Their pairing possessed abundant pace, but the treacherous conditions defined their race.