it had shown reliability. Heppenstall drove one with race-veteran Dick Thompson while Bob Tullius/Hugh Dibley had the other. For two years Autodelta, the racing division of Alfa Romeo, had had a difficult time developing a new sports prototype. Both Jean Rolland and Leo Cella had been killed in testing accidents. The Tipo 33/2 was the new evolution and its 2-litre V8 engine put out 260 bhp. Autodelta had four cars entered including works drivers Nino Vaccarella/Giancarlo Baghetti and ‘Nanni’ Galli/Ignazio Giunti. It also supported two cars entered by the Belgian VDS customer team. Practice This year, for an unknown reason, the April test weekend coincided with the British round of the International Championship. Jacky Ickx set the benchmark for JWA, with a 3:35.4 lap, then promptly left for Brands Hatch to win the endurance race. It was also the first appearance of the new Porsche 908, in the hands of Rolf Stommelen. It was found to need major aerodynamic refinement, but Stommelen eventually got a time of 3:44.1. On race-week, Jo Siffert matched Ickx's test time exactly with his Porsche 908 to take pole position. The next day Stommelen and Elford claimed the next places, ahead of Rodriguez's Ford and Servoz-Gavin's Matra. The best Alpine was Bianchi's 3:43.2 in 8th, Vaccarella got his Alfa in 14th while the Howmet clocked 20th with 3:56.0. The best Ferrari was Müller's down in 27th (4:01.8). The Belgian Ford lost its oil through a faulty connection but was able to get a replacement engine from the JWA team. During the April test many drivers had complained about the layout of the new chicane, being too tight. By September it had been redesigned to greater satisfaction. Race Start This year the start time was moved forward to 3pm for the spectators’ sake due to the earlier onset of darkness. The honorary starter was Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli . Race-day was showery and most of the cars started on wet tyres with a heavy shower just ten minutes before the start. Siffert, among a few others, started on pole with slicks however. In his rush to get away, Willy Mairesse did not shut his door properly. At the end of the Mulsanne Straight at a speed of over 150 mph (241 km/h), it flew open. Trying to close it he lost control and the Ford careered off the track into the trees. Mairesse suffered broken bones