Porsche 356 SL bodies lined up in the Reutter workshop (Werk 2) in 1951. This facility was used as the Porsche race department in the early days
The date was 23 June 1951, and sixty race cars lined up at 16h00 for the start of the nineteenth running of the Le Mans 24 Hour race. This would be the first race for the Porsche 356 SL at Le Mans, in fact it was the Stuttgart company’s first foray into big time international motorsport, so a lot was riding on the 356’s performance.
Porsche 356 SL shortly before departure to the factory’s first race at Le Mans 1951. This car does not have the front air vent between the fog lamps, and so it is thought that this might have been one of the vehicles damaged prior to the race
It was customary for the cars to line up on the pit garage side of the track in order of decreasing engine cubic capacity, while the drivers positioned themselves opposite their car on the other side of the track. This system of starting was used between 1925 and 1962, and it was only from 1963 onwards that the cars were ordered in accordance with their times set in practice.
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