While today the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel use Formula 1 as a platform to highlight social injustices in the world, six decades ago Jacky Ickx held his own protest, for the safety of drivers, changing the face of the fabled Le Mans 24 Hours forever. In 1969 the Belgian ace – rising fast through the ranks of motor racing in an era when F1 drivers also competed in sports cars, with Le Mans the crown jewel of the genre – took on the establishment with his long walk to his car for the start, while others ran, a deliberate protest against the danger of standing starts in front of over 100,000 fans in the stands and the area overlooking the start. The so-called 'Le...
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