The Mini Marcos Mk.I of Claude Ballot-Léna and Jean-Louis Marnat finished the race in 15th and last place but was the only British car to qualify as a finisher in 1966. The engine was a Monte-Carlo Rally spec. 1275 Mini Cooper 'S' unit ordered off the shelf from the BMC Competitions Department who had no idea what it was going to be used for!

The pictures showing the car without headlamp covers were taken on the Sunday of the race as the covers were removed during the night to improve illumination. Photo 2 was probably taken during qualification or testing - note the fewer air holes at the top of the radiator box. 28 was noted as 'Avril 1966' so was also during qualification.

Picture 35 shows how the kit got to France, piggy-backing on Billy Dulles’s Mini Pick-up.

Photos 3 to 7 © Washington Photo, 194 bis rue Nationale, F-72000 Le Mans.
Photos 8 to 12 kindly scanned for us by Gérard Boulin.
Photos 13 to 15 © Sport Auto 1966
Photos 19 and 20 © Michel Bollée
Photo 24 by Paul Parker, Sportscar racing in Camera © Ferret Fotographic
Photo 25 © British Pathé 1966 (frame grab) (Watch video here)
Photos 32, 33 and 35 source pilotos-muertos.com (Spanish)
Photo 34 © l'Automobile 1966
Photos 36, 37 via Maximum Mini

Thanks to Tom Wiggers for finding a number of these photos, and the Billy Dulles for the Spanish link.

View all photos as Slide Show