Ecurie Ecosse

Ecurie Ecosse /ek-yoo-ree ek-oss/ proper noun

Ecurie Ecosse was a small, Edinburgh-based privateer motor racing team, most famous for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in both 1956 and 1957 with their Jaguar D-Type sports cars. This was the ultimate giant-killing team, a plucky band of Scottish enthusiasts who took on and beat the might of the world's greatest factory efforts. Operating out of a humble mews garage in Edinburgh with a level of charming amateurism that belied their ferocious professionalism on the track, they were a magnificent flash of Saltire blue against the Goliaths of Ferrari and Maserati. Their story is a romantic throwback to an era when a small, well-run team could achieve motorsport's highest honour.

The Full Story of Ecurie Ecosse

In 1951, an Edinburgh-based accountant and amateur racing driver named David Murray founded Ecurie Ecosse (French for "Team Scotland"). His ambition was simple: to fly the flag for Scottish motorsport on the international stage. With financial backing from local businessman Major Eoin Thomson and the legendary mechanic "Wilkie" Wilkinson wielding the spanners, the team set up shop in a tiny, cobbled mews garage in Merchiston. It was a shoestring operation.

Initially campaigning Jaguar sports cars with modest success, the team's destiny was forged when Jaguar decided to wind down its official works racing team after 1955. This allowed Murray to acquire the now legendary, disc-braked Jaguar D-Type. In the hands of the small Scottish outfit, the car would achieve its greatest glories.

At the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans, after the works Jaguar team faltered, the Ecurie Ecosse D-Type driven by Ron Flockhart and Ninian Sanderson drove a clever, consistent race to take a stunning victory. It was a classic underdog triumph. The following year, 1957, was an even greater achievement. As the factory teams from Aston Martin, Ferrari, and Maserati all retired with mechanical failures, the meticulously prepared Ecurie Ecosse Jaguars ran like clockwork. They finished first and second, a result that cemented their place in motorsport legend.

Almost as famous as the cars was the team's transporter. A unique, double-decker vehicle built on a Commer chassis, it was painted in the same Flag Blue Metallic as the cars and became an iconic sight in the paddocks of Europe, a symbol of this stylish and brilliantly effective little team.

After their Le Mans triumphs, the team's fortunes faded as sports car technology moved on. They struggled through the 1960s and the original team was disbanded. The name has been revived on several occasions since, but the legend of Ecurie Ecosse will forever be tied to that small Edinburgh garage and the two glorious years when a private band of Scotsmen ruled the world of endurance racing.

For The Record

What does "Ecurie Ecosse" mean?

It is French for "Team Scotland." Many privateer racing teams of the era adopted French names to sound more sophisticated and international, a trend started by the pre-war Ecurie Bleue.

Were they a factory Jaguar team?

No, and this is the crucial point. They were a privateer team, meaning they were independent and not run by the manufacturer. They bought their cars from Jaguar, but prepared and raced them entirely on their own, which makes their Le Mans victories all the more remarkable.

Why were their cars painted that colour?

The distinctive Flag Blue Metallic was Scotland's national racing colour. The cars also featured the St. Andrew's Cross (the Saltire) on their front wings, proudly displaying their Scottish identity on the world stage.

How did a private team beat the big factories at Le Mans?

In 1956 and 1957, the Jaguar D-Type was still arguably the best and most proven car for the job. Ecurie Ecosse's cars were meticulously prepared by Wilkie Wilkinson, and their drivers were top-tier. Crucially, particularly in the 1957 race, the factory teams' more complex cars all broke, and the reliable, well-driven Ecosse Jaguars were there to pick up the pieces.

What happened to the famous Ecurie Ecosse transporter?

After the original team folded, the transporter went through several owners and fell into disrepair. It was eventually discovered in a sorry state and painstakingly restored to its former glory by Ecurie Ecosse enthusiast Dick Skipworth. It is now a star attraction at historic racing events like the Goodwood Revival.