But the true technical innovation came from McQueen’s team. They entered a Porsche 908 equipped with front- and rear-mounted cameras into the race to film alongside the competitors. The car not only finished 8th but captured more than 70,000 feet of footage, offering viewers unprecedented views and perspectives of the race. The Heart of the Story: McQueen’s Pursuit of Authenticity To ensure complete authenticity, McQueen enlisted a team of 221, including top drivers and 45 cameramen. After the race, Andrew Ferguson, a British racing team manager, set up a specialized racing department to organize filming, hiring 56 professional drivers and sourcing 25 of the world’s fastest cars, including four Porsche 917s, Ferrari 512s and more. This commitment to realism defined “Le Mans.” McQueen himself performed stunt driving in 917-022, a car specially outfitted for production. For these sequences, crews attached camera brackets to the car’s framework, enabling intense in-car shots of McQueen and his co-drivers at speed. Remarkably, those mounting points remain intact today, a lasting testament to the car’s role in capturing some of the film’s most thrilling moments. In “Le Mans,” McQueen begins the race in 917-022, bearing the famous Gulf Oil No. 20 livery. Although his character crashes out of the race, the real car survived. Cleverly, the filmmakers used Lola T70 chassis disguised with Porsche bodywork for crash scenes, preserving 917-022 for later use. Some claim the car was repainted as No. 21 in certain scenes, but there’s no doubt about its starring role on screen. Opposite McQueen’s Porsche 917, German actor Siegfried Rauch played Delaney’s Ferrari-driving rival, while Elga Anderson provided strong support. However, “Le Mans” wasn’t a typical Hollywood film. Critics noted its documentary-like feel, praising its raw, unfiltered focus on actual wheel-to-wheel racing—giving the movie a visceral realism that remains impactful today. Special effects were overseen by Sass Bedig, famous for orchestrating the iconic chase scene in “Bullitt” involving McQueen behind the wheel of a 1968 Mustang, outrunning henchmen in a sinister black Dodge Charger. As in “Bullitt,” where McQueen did his own stunts, his dedication to authenticity in “Le Mans” solidified his place as both a serious actor and a true gearhead. Success on the Circuit: Racing History Post-Le Mans After filming for “Le Mans” wrapped, Porsche 917-022 embarked on its own storied journey, transitioning from movie star to full-fledged race car once again. In 1971, it was purchased by Reinhold Joest, an accomplished driver and future racing legend who got his start winning hillclimb races in the German mountains. Joest, who would later win the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 6 Hours of Nürburgring (twice) and guide his team, Joest Racing, to an astounding 15 victories at Le Mans, campaigned 917-022 with Team Auto Usdau Racing. Alongside Porsche factory driver Willi Kauhsen, Angel Monguzzi and Jo Siffert, Joest enjoyed great success during the 1971 World Manufacturers Championship season, further cementing the legacy of 917-022 on the track. In January 1975, Porsche 917-022 was acquired by Porsche factory driver, seasoned endurance competitor and race Hall of Famer Brian Redman. Notably, Redman had raced in the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Porsche 917K that bore the same blue-and-orange Gulf Oil No. 20 livery as the 917-022 seen in McQueen’s film. Three years later, Redman passed 917-022 along to his friend and fellow Porsche driver and World Championship Grands Prix veteran, Richard Attwood. Attwood, who had piloted a Porsche 917K to victory in the 1970 Le Mans race, campaigned 917-022 in various European historic racing events. At one point during his ownership, Attwood chose to refinish the car in a striking red-and-white livery, echoing the Salzburg 917K he and Hans Herrmann drove to Porsche’s first overall win at Le Mans in 1970. Attwood held onto 917-022 for over two decades before deciding to part with it in 1999. Prior to the sale, he had the car restored to its iconic blue-and-orange Gulf Oil livery, paying tribute to its starring role in “Le Mans.” The car was purchased
