Trintignant’s record remains impressive to this day. The first Frenchman to win a Formula One race, he has two Monaco Grand Prix to his name: 1955 (Ferrari) and 1958 (Cooper).

He raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans no less than fifteen times, driving for all the major constructors at that time. He began in 1953 with the Simca prepared by Frenchman Amédée Gordini, also known as “the wizard”, coming sixth with Harry Schell.

In 1954, he joined Ferrari and claimed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 375 he shared with José Froilan Gonzalez. Trintignant took third place at Le Mans in 1956 and remained with Ferrari until 1957. In 1959, he was a member of Aston Martin’s successful team, finishing in the second half of the one-two finish with Paul Frère, behind the winners Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby.

Between 1960 and 1964, Trintignant competed at Le Mans with Porsche, Ferrari and Maserati but retired each time. For his last Le Mans 24 Hours, he took the wheel of a Ford GT40, therefore playing a part in the American manufacturer’s quest to beat Ferrari! Trintignant partnered several fellow Le Mans winners over the years, namely Olivier Gendebien, Paul Frère, Hans Herrmann and Lucien Bianchi.

The Trintignant family’s ties with Le Mans did not end when Maurice retired from racing. His nephew, actor Jean-Louis Trintignant, played a racing driver in Claude Lelouch’s film “A Man and a Woman”, which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Foreign Film. Apparently at home on the track, he took part in the race for real in 1980, driving a Porsche 935.

Photo: Maurice Trintignant, sporting his usual distinctive hat, celebrating his Le Mans victory in 1954.