Lindsay LMP675 was built to take part in the 2002 Le Mans 24 Hours
The sports-prototype remained unraced after its entry was turned down
Recently restored car made last-minute appearance at Le Mans Classic
Full race programme planned with French-based WG British Racing team
An all-British sports-prototype made an emotional appearance at this year’s Le Mans Classic (5-6 July), more than 20 years after the Automobile Club de l’Ouest turned down its entry for the famous 24 Hours at La Sarthe.
The Lindsay LMP675 was built by Lester Ray of Harrier Cars for an ambitious privateer team led by Valentine Lindsay, who had raced Harrier GT2 and GT1 cars during the late 1990s. The LMP675 featured an aluminium honeycomb chassis and a normally aspirated, 3.3-litre Ford V8 engine, which was developed by Nicholson McLaren from the turbocharged, 2.65-litre Cosworth XB engine used in IndyCar racing. Legendary Brabham and Ralt designer Ron Tauranac also came on board as a consultant, and the aerodynamics were refined in the MIRA wind tunnel.
It passed all of its crash tests and was tested at Bruntingthorpe, Donington Park and Snetterton, and an entry was made for the 2002 Le Mans 24 Hours. Valentine Lindsay was due to be joined in the driver line-up by Peter Hannen – a renowned historics racer who was also Lindsay’s partner in the project – and driver coach Rob Wilson, but that year’s 24 Hours was oversubscribed and the entry was turned down.
The car was then mothballed and remained with Valentine Lindsay until being sold at auction in 2018. It was subsequently restored and recommissioned, before being acquired by French-based historic-racing specialist WG British Racing. It was tested at Barcelona in early 2025 before gaining a last-minute entry to this year’s Le Mans Classic.
The Lindsay LMP675 took to the track during Friday practice for the Endurance Racing Legends support race in the hands of Guillaume Gagnard and Pierre-Olivier Calendini, but they made the decision not to start the race after encountering bump-steer problems. After carrying out more testing and development, they hope that it will make its full race debut later this year.
Valentine Lindsay there to see his old car finally make an appearance at Le Mans, and was full of praise for everyone in the WG British Racing team who had worked so hard to make it happen.
‘The car looked and sounded fantastic out on the circuit,’ he said, ‘and it gave me a terrific sense of closure after starting the project 25 years ago. The development programme really starts now and it will have a fun future.’
