When Bentley showed manufacturers that Le Mans was more than merely the French marques’ showcase and that there were headlines to be won, Alfa Romeo swooped – in force.
And while representing the powerhouse on the Scramble Le Mans Lawn is a model that is perhaps better known for the events on the rest of the sports car calendar, the 6C-1750 has Le Mans pedigree of its own.
Vittorio Jano-designed six-cylinder engine, Zagato-formed body, the 6C-1750 in Gran Sport and Super Sport guise (as here) dominated sports car racing. Pre-war greats Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi won the Mille Miglia in 1929, Tazio Nuvolari retained Alfa’s trophy a year later and added the RAC Tourist Trophy. Robert Benoist shared with Attilio Marinoni for the Spa 24 Hours victory, too.
Less suited to the punishing long straights of Le Mans, where capacity ruled, a 6C-1750 still took two top six finishes – and with fourth place in 1932, Odette Siko scored the best result for a female racer. The Frenchwoman’s record stands to this day.
If you time it right, you might just see Andrew Hunter arrive to park up on the Le Mans Lawn on the morning of 19 June. It is thought Ramponi raced this very car at Brooklands, and it is a joy in every detail.
Photo: Bonhams