Remembering Lucien Bianchi, versatile racer and Le Mans winner

Lucien Bianchi, born on this day in 1934, built a notable motorsport career across several disciplines. The Italian-born Belgian competed in Formula 1 and earned a podium at the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix, and was also a rally driver and an endurance racer.

His most celebrated result came at the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans, where he won outright alongside Pedro Rodríguez in a John Wyer Ford GT40. Bianchi died during Le Mans testing in 1969, ending his career early.

He was also the great-uncle of Jules Bianchi, the Formula 1 driver who died in 2015, linking two generations of the family to the sport.