Being first is perhaps what matters most in all of motor racing. But some firsts are bigger than others. Richard Attwood achieved arguably one of the biggest in the history books when he successfully helped to pilot the number 23 Salzburg Porsche 917 to the end of its 343rd lap of the 1970 Le Mans 24 Hours, in doing so recording both the first Le Mans victory for what would become one of the all-time great racing cars, but also the first for Porsche.

While he may have endured a tough Formula 1 career, Attwood made his mark in endurance racing, first with Lola and Ford, and then Ferrari, before getting in on the ground floor with the 917 project. He played a major role in making the car the success it was and his 1970 win was followed by second place in 1971, before he retired from the sport.