Motorsport disciplines come in all shapes and sizes, and precise components and gears need to be designed and engineered with the exact needs of each car in mind.
This is true even within motorsport divisions where cars tend to be created to a precise set of technical specifications such as in Formula One, but is even more so the case in races which have more open entry criteria.
This is how during the prestigious Mille Miglia race in 1954 what can only be described as a fridge on three wheels made the starting line.
The Isetta car is one of the most unusual cars ever made, but before it helped to save BMW from the brink in 1955, it was an Italian car made by the small manufacturer Iso that was notable for being very striking in its look, having a front door and being desperately slow.
All of this worked in its favour as a stylish and affordable city car in the same mould as the later Fiat 500 and the Japanese Kei cars. However, what it was not was fast, making its appearance in a motor race alongside Ferraris and Lancias somewhat strange, to say the least.
The 21st running of the Mille Miglia was a 1000-mile endurance race from Brescia to Rome and back again and operated as a time trial race where slower cars would start first and whoever scored the fastest time would win.
Naturally, the little Isetta driven by Domenico Stragliotto and Adolfo Montorio would start first in the T750 economy class, managing an incredible average speed of 43mph, slower than the speed limits on many Italian roads at the time.
Naturally, it would quickly be overtaken by literally every other car and finish dead last not only in terms of its time but also literally; its finishing time of 22 hours 10 minutes was nearly twice the time of winner Alberto Ascari, and over seven hours slower than the class-winning Renault 4CV.
However, it did finish the race, which was itself a notable achievement and the attention it gained helped the company get bought by BMW, who helped keep the cult car alive for over a decade after this result.