1976 Inaltera-DFV LM76 001 GTP

Henri Pescarolo, Inaltera-DFV, Le Mans Classic 2016

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Rondeau, Le Mans, France.   Jean Rondeau was a racing driver and constructor who eventually won the Le Mans 24 hours in a car he constructed, the first to do this.  His first Le Mans car was this one sponsored by the French wallpaper manufacturer, Inaltera.  It was powered by the Cosworth DFV 3 litre engine that had powered the winner in the 1975 24 hour race.  Running in the GTP class and starting 12th on the grid, it finished eighth and won its class driven by Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Henri Pescarolo.  The other Inaltera was third in class and 21st overall.  The car pictured, chassis 001, also entered the Daytona 24 hours in 1977, qualified third but did not finish. The cars was a fully enclosed mid-engined sports car designed specifically for the Le Mans 24 hours and thus had aerodynamics that made it very quick on the Mulsanne straight.  In 1977 the team returned to Le Mans and again won the GTP class and finished fourth overall driven by Jean Rondeau himself and Jean Ragnotti. After 1977, Inaltera withdrew their support following changes in their management, but Rondeau continued to enter Le Mans but under his own name.  The Inaltera team was managed by famous racing driver Vic Elford.

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1982 Rondeau M382-Cosworth Group C

Mr John of B, Rondeau M382, Le Mans Classic 2016.

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Rondeau, Le Mans, France.  After winning at Le Mans in 1980, Rondeau produced a new design for the new Group C formula.  However the M482 was not ready in the first year so they used the existing chassis with a modified body and new suspension in 1982.  This was the M382.  Rondeau even sold some customer cars and thus some were raced at Daytona that year where they were classified 31st and 34th but later in the year came 3rd at Sears Point.  The works cars were more successful in Europe.  In round 1 of the World Endurance championship at Monza, Henri Pescarolo and Giorgio Francia won in the new Rondeau. They also finished second in the Nurburgring 1000km but were the first Group C car home and fifth at Silverstone where they were the third group C car home. This gave them the championship lead going into Le Mans. Unfortunately, the reliability of the Cosworth engine proved not to be sufficient for the 24 hours and the two OTIS works cars retired, and a private entry could only finish 15th.  A fifth place at Spa meant that they only finish second to Porsche in the Championship.  But what a great effort for this small manufacturer.  Otis were disappointed that they lost only because Porsche could score with a non-Group C car at the Nurburgring.

1978 Rondeau M378-DFV

Marc Devis & Martin O'Connell, 1978 Rondeau M378 - Cosworth,  Le Mans Classic 2016.

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Rondeau, Le Mans, France.  This was the first of the cars to bear Jean Rondeau's name, although previously he had built the Inaltera cars that had borne the name of the wallpaper manufacturer.  This car was built just to race at Le Mans and was powered by an endurance version of the Cosworth DFV engine.   It was similar to the Inaltera but it had a longer tail and partly cover rear wheels. The aerodynamic body was designed by Bureau de Design Ovale.  As with the Inalteras it was entered in the GTP class rather than Group 6 that Porsche dominated.  With Jean Rondeau, Bernard Darniche and Jacky Haran driving it finished ninth in the 1978 Le Mans 24 hours and won its class.   In 1980 Jean Rondeau would go on to win Le Mans in a car bearing his name, the only man to have done so.  Sadly, he was killed near Le Mans on a level crossing when his car was hit by a train.