▁non - class ified ▁finish ▁at ▁Le ▁Mans ▁after ▁mechanical ▁troubles . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁years ▁would ▁show ▁that ▁even ▁that ▁uns atisf actory ▁result ▁was ▁be ating ▁the ▁odd s . ▁ ▁The ▁D F V ▁came ▁into ▁wider ▁use ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁when ▁all ▁purpose - built ▁rac ers ▁fell ▁under ▁the ▁ 3 ▁lit re ▁engine ▁limit . ▁ ▁Th ir teen ▁starts ▁of ▁D F V - power ed ▁vehicles ▁at ▁the ▁Le ▁Mans ▁ 2 4 ▁H ours ▁during ▁ 1 9 7 2 - 7 4 ▁yield ed ▁three ▁finish es , ▁two ▁of ▁which ▁failed ▁to ▁complete ▁ 3 0 0 ▁la ps . ▁ ▁The ▁best ▁result ▁for ▁D F V - power ed ▁vehicles ▁at ▁Le ▁Mans ▁was ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁when ▁fuel ▁consumption ▁rules ▁had ▁the ▁field ▁using ▁low ▁power ▁tun ing ▁and ▁slower ▁engine ▁spe eds ▁which ▁slow ed ▁the ▁track ▁pace ▁and ▁mit ig ated ▁the ▁D F V ' s ▁v ibration ▁problem . ▁ ▁The ▁top ▁three ▁finish ers ▁were ▁power ed ▁by ▁D F V s , ▁with ▁the ▁G ulf - sp ons ored ▁Mira ge ▁driven ▁by ▁Jack y ▁I ck x ▁and ▁D erek ▁Bell ▁finishing ▁first . ▁▁▁▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁saw ▁a ▁slightly ▁faster ▁pace ▁for ▁the ▁Mira ge ▁and ▁the ▁D F V - power ed ▁De ▁C aden et ▁L ola , ▁but ▁they ▁were ▁e cli ps ed ▁by ▁the ▁new