You were there: At the heart of the action in 1966
Press guest with extra privileges: Being Ford’s guest at Le Mans in 1966 is already pretty lucky, but Robert Ames also became a film extra while Grand Prix was being shot at Monaco the same year — and got paid too.
Jochen Rindt pats his Cooper’s Maserati V12 motor – which would fail him in the race
Moss being charming as ever at Monaco
Veteran driver Piero Taruffi demonstrates the surviving Lancia D50 car before the race
Film lead James Garner buys ice cream for his co-stars Bandini and Ginther. Robert remembers they got talking when Garner noticed they wore the same Heuer watch
Phil Hill crouches to talk with Jackie Stewart sitting in his V8 BRM during practice
After the race some drivers stayed on for filming, and Robert was taken on as an extra. This shows Garner’s ‘Pete Aron’ with co-stars and mocked-up ‘F1’ cars – actually F3 machines from Jim Russell
Monaco proved a hollow triumph for BRM who finished 1-3-4, split by Bandini’s Ferrari – but only those four finished. Hill, above and below, came third
Graham Hill’s Alan Mann Ford MkII is well away before the rest of the factory cars as the 24 hours begin