History Auto racing 1894-1942

Hello, Dadof!​

Thank you for the wonderful photos and PDFs about the early years of automobile racing.
Mostly, it is covered attractive and popular periods of vintage racing, or post-vintage duels between Auto-Union and Mercedes-Benz, with small interruption of Alfa-Romeo (Bugatti tried hard but without big success). Period of a few years before The Great War (named later the First World War ) was interesting and popular...
About the automobile racing in mentioned periods there is a lot of photos and stories, in magazines and books, now on the internet.
--- ---
However, I was more interested in the early years - from the first races up to infamous Paris-Madrid, race that was stopped at Bordeaux. In a few next years, racing became serious sport and business, still attractive and glamorous, but I prefer beginnings...

Shown photos are of excellent quality and I could just imagine how magnificent they would be if could be found original glass-plates with negatives. Sometimes, such reprinted photographs are published and there is a nice difference (for a price!)...

Nice to see well designed and constructed motorised coaches, with serious people as drivers and passengers, a lot of interesting public, too. As I know, races were very well organised and a lot of automobiles performed well and finished them, without big problems or accidents.

Great work you have done and I shall put all that in my computer archive, in the special folder for ancient automobile racing. I collected a lot of photos, but now I would have much more. Small, a personal encyclopaedia?
--- ---
So, there is not any danger that we should jump too soon at modern GP legends - we are still in the XIX century and "Belle Époque" just started (shall not last long)...

Being born in the year 1950, for me, the XIX century is still "the previous century" because the XX century is "my century" and the XXI century is just time in which I still live...

My very best regards,
Zoran​

P.S.: My knowledge, experience and interest are mostly based on European history of automobiles and racing, but I like to see the American scene, too. Just my curiosity: for this great sub-forum - why the year 1942 is chosen as the last year of pre-War racing? The World was in the War for more than 3 years and in that year there was no automobile racing, not even in America... In a few War-years, there were only some races in Italy and its colonies, or maybe in Germany? In France or the UK? I am not sure. Maybe in Spain? But the era of the great international, national and regional racing was over.

 

Périgueux-Bergerac-Périgueux (FRA), 1May 1898

General impressions:


Classement: 2-4 seats
G. Leys (#17), 1st, on Panhard-Levassor 6 CV:


Lévelley (#5), 2nd, on Panhard-Levassor 8 CV:


Laffitte (#19), 5th, on Panhard-Levassor 4 CV:


First fatal accident in the history of organized motor racing:
de Montaignac (#31), fat.acc., and
de Montariol (#28), DNF, on Landry et Beyroux 5 CV:


Article: La Vie au grand air, 1898-05-15, p.46

 

Hello Zoran,
Your very welcome and thank you for your warm words. I am dedicated to those early years myself and looking forward to present some more pioneer and early machine pictures.
Cheers!

 

Welcome to the H.A.M.B DadofPul! The early material from the 1890's is fascinating, so thanks for posting the wonderful images.

I seem to recall that Emile' Levassor had a bad accident in the 1896 Paris to Marseille to Paris event after he struck a dog on the 3rd segment of the race. He was badly hurt, and never fully recovered. He succumbed to his injuries several months later.

The Paris to Marseille to Paris event has always interested me. It traveled through the town of Beaune just south of Lyon. Beaune is where the Chevrolet family lived, and Louis Chevrolet was tinkering around with bicycles at this time. I have an article from the local paper where members of the VPM bicycle club served as scouts along the race course, helping the drivers navigate their way through the area. This may have been the first automobile race witnessed by Louis Chevrolet, and even if it wasn't, it would have made quite an impression on him.

 

Paris (Versailles)-Bordeaux (FRA), 11May 1898

Classement +400 kg:
René de Knyff (#1), 1st, and
Fernand Charron (#2), 2nd, on Panhard-Levassor 8 CV:


Georges Richard (#19), 4th, on Georges Richard 3.5 CV:


Émile Mors (#7), DNF, on Mors 6 HP:


Classement -200 kg (Motocycles):


Jean-Marie Corre (#9), 1st, and
V. Oury (#28), DNF, on De Dion-Bouton Tricycle 1.75 CV:

• Article: La Vie au grand air, 1898-05-15, p.52

 

Thank you ZigZagZ. The information about É. Levassor's accident in 1896 was new to me. Seems to me, it was not such a headline in the contemporary magazines as de Montaignac's death in Périgueux was. Anyway, one should always be careful when using superlatives.
Cheers!

 

1898-01-30 Nice-Cannes-Nice
Garin (#2), 1st and
Gasté (#8), 2nd, on De Dion-Bouton Tricycle 1.75 CV:

• Article: 1898-02-12 Le Sport universel illustré, p.110

Critérium des Motocycles, Étampes-Chartres, 28Apr 1898
"Wilfrid" (#21), 2nd, on Léon Bollée Tricycle 3 CV:

• Article: La Vie au grand air, 1898-05-15, p.48

Berlin-Leipzig-Berlin, 25-26May 1898
Friedrich Greiner (#8), 1st, on Daimler Riemenwagen 8 PS:



Bordeaux-Langon-Agen, 29May 1898
Petit de Montbéliard (#19), Peugeot Type 18 - 8 CV:



Bruxelles-Chateau d'Ardenne-Spa, 25-26Jun 1898
Pierre de Crawhez (#11), 1st, on Panhard-Levassor 6 CV:

 

Paris-Amsterdam-Paris (FRA-NL), 5Jul 1898

General impressions:


Entries:


Classement: Tourism, 2-3 seats
Noirel (#115), 2nd, on De Dietrich 6 HP and
Adrien de Turckheim (#114), DNF, on De Dietrich 9 HP:


André Michelin (#120), 5th, on Panhard-Levassor 6 CV:


Ricard (#124), DNF, on Peugeot Type 25 - 6 CV:


Classement: Tourism, 4-5 seats
Lapanne (#125), 2nd, and
Delizy (#103), DNF, on Panhard-Levassor 6 CV:


Classement: Tourism, +6 seats
Prigost (#101), DNF, on Panhard-Levassor Omnibus 12 CV:


Classement: Racing, 2-3 seats
Charron (#1), 1st,
Girardot (#3), 2nd,
de Knyff (#6), 4th,
Edouard Adam (#4), 6th,
Gilles Hourgières (#2), 12th, on Panhard-Levassor 8 CV:


G. Leys (#5), DNF, on Panhard-Levassor 6 CV:


Giraud (#11), 3rd, and
G. Vinet (#10), DNF, on Amédée Bollée 8 CV:


Koechlin (#20), DNF, and
Bousquet (#22), DNF, on Peugeot Type 18 - 8 CV:


Classement: 1 seat
Marcellin (#69), 1st,
Riguelle (#107), Laurent (#110), Degrais (#111), de Périgord (#112),
de Meaulne #27, #39, #40, #44,
on De Dion-Bouton Tricycle 1.75 CV:

 

Articles:

• Le Sport universel illustré, 1898-07-30, p.497 (pictorial)
  
• La Vie au grand air, 1898-08-01, p.107 (pictorial)
  
• La locomotion automobile, 1898-08, p.507
  
• The Automotor Journal v.2, 1898-08-15, p.429

 

Dolomits race Trafoi-Mendelpass (ITA), 27-29Aug 1898

Bauer (#15), 1st, and
Werner + Suchanek (#14), 2nd, on Daimler Riemenwagen 8 PS;
von Liebig (#16), DNF, on Benz Victoria

 

Course de côte de Chanteloup-les-Vignes (FRA), 27Nov 1898

Classement: +400 kg (voitures)
Jenatzy, 1st, on CGA Dogcart èlectrique:


Giraud, 2nd, on Amédée Bollée 8 CV:


Charron, 3rd, on Panhard-Levassor 8 CV:


Kapferer, 26th, on Prétot 6 CV Phaeton:


unidentified:


Classement: -400 kg (voiturettes, motocycles)
Jamin, 1st, on Léon Bollée Tricycle 3 CV:


Henri Farman, 3rd, on Noé Boyer Phébus Tricycle 3 CV:


Articles:

• La Vie au grand air, 1898-12-15, p.211
  
• Le Sport universel illustré, 1898-12-10, p.801
  
• La locomotion automobile, 1898-12, p.759

 

Rallye Papiers, Suresnes-St. Germain-des-Près (FRA), 11Dec 1898

Entries:


Results:


Start:


Classement: 2-3 seats
René de Knyff (#7), 1st and
Léonce Girardot (#12), 2nd, on Panhard-Levassor 8 CV:


Classement: 1 seat
'Marcellin' (#82), 1st, on Noé Boyer Phébus Tricycle 3 CV:


Baudot (#67), 2nd,
Bardin (#56), 3rd, and
Cormier (#51), DNF, on De Dion-Bouton Tricycle 1.75 CV:


Public transport: De Dion-Bouton Omnibus à vapeur (Steamer):


Articles:

• La Vie au grand air, 1899-01-01, p.219 [pictorial]
  
• La locomotion automobile, 1898-12, p.787

 

Concours de Vitesse, Achères (FRA), 18Dec 1898

Results:


1 kilometre land speed record:

Classement: Electric vehicles
Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat, 1st, 39.24 mph (63.15 km/h) on Jeantaud Duc électrique:


Classement: petrol vehicles
Loysel, 2nd on Amédée Bollée 8 CV:


Time check:

 

1899 ‒ Motor racing in Germany and Austria

Exelberg hillclimb (Neuwaldegg, AUT), 21May 1899
Arnold Spitz, 1st IC, on Spitz Tricycle 1.75 PS:

• Article: Wiener Montags-Journal, 22May 1899, S.5
  

Fernfahrt Frankfurt-Köln (Cologne, GER), 2Jul 1899
Held + Thum, 1st IC, on Benz 8 PS Dos-à-Dos:

• Article: La locomotion automobile, 1899-07, p.404
  

Mainz-Koblenz-Mainz (GER), 14Jul 1899
de Dietrich #10, 1st, on De Dietrich 16 HP:



Innsbruck (AUT)-Munich (GER), 23Jul 1899
Ehrhardt, DNF, on Wartburg Modell 1:


Articles [German]:

• Salzburger Fremden-Zeitung, 29Jul 1899, S.6
• Innsbrucker Nachrichten, 25Jul 1899 S.2
  

Semmering hillclimb, Schottwien-Semmering (AUT), 27Aug 1899
Results:


Jellinek, 1st, on Daimler Phönix 16 PS:


Articles:

• Allgemeine Sportzeitung, 1899-09-03, S.1088
  
• Deutsches Volksblatt, 1899-08-28, S.7

 

Wettfahrt Vienna-Krieau (AUT), 22Oct 1899

Results:


Start:


von Liebig, 1st, on Nesselsdorf Präsident-Nachfolger 9 PS:


von Fischer, on Nesselsdorf Präsident-Nachfolger 6 PS:


Articles:

• The Automobile Magazine Vol. 1, 1899, p.171 [English]
• Allgemeine Automobil-Zeitung, 1900-02-04, S.1 [German]
  
• Österreichische Illustrierte Zeitung, 1899-10-29, S.3 [German]
• La locomotion automobile, 1899-10, p.706 [French]

 

1899 ‒ Motor racing in France and Belgium


Record trials (concours de vitesse), Achères (FRA):
17Jan 1899

de Chasseloup-Laubat on Jantaud Duc électrique: 43.7 mph (70.3 km/h):


Camille Jenatzy on CGA Dogcart électrique: 41.4 mph (66.7 km/h):



4Mar 1899

Camille Jenatzy on Jantaud Duc Profilée électrique : 57.6 mph (92.8 km/h):

• Article: Le sport universel illustré, 1899-04-29, p.266

29Apr 1899 ‒ Jenatzy overruns the 100 km/h threshold

Camille Jenatzy on Jenatzy 'La Jamais Contente' électrique (French: 'Never Satisfied'): 65.8 mph (105.9 km/h)

• Article: La Vie au grand air, 1899-05-14, p.422
  

 

These pictures are great and bare witness to the human need for competition. If two people show up they will either compete or have sex, maybe both, probably several times.

 

Semaine de Nice - Nice racing week, 21-24Mar 1899

Nice- Magagnosc-Nice (Tourism), 21Mar 1899

Results:


Before the start:


Classement: 4 seats
Bauer (#106), 1st,
H. de Rothschild (#103), 3rd, and
de Vos (#102), 4th, on Daimler Phönix 12 PS:


Classement: Motocycles
Géo, 1st, Tricycle



Nice-Castellane-Nice (vitesse/Racing), 21Mar 1899

Classement: +400 kg
A. Lemaître, (#20), 1st, on Peugeot 8 CV:


Lèonce Girardot (#7), 2nd, on Panhard-Levassor 6 CV:


Fernand Charron (#8), 7th, on Panhard-Levassor 8 CV:


Isaac Koechlin (#10), 3rd, and
'Georges' (#11), 6th, on Peugeot Type 18 - 8 CV:



Course du mille - mile race, 23Mar 1899

Results:


Start:



Nice-La Turbie hillclimb, 24Mar 1899

Results:


On the way up:


Articles:

• La locomotion automobile, 1899-03-30, p.202
• Le Sport universel illustré, 1899-04-01, p.206 [pictorial]
• La Vie au grand air, 1899-04-01, p.339 [pictorial]

 

Numbers 7 & 8 are the Panhard et Levassors of Léonce Girardot and Fernand Charron again, while numbers 10 & 11 are the older Peugeots of Isaac Koechlin and "Georges".

 

Bordeaux-Périgueux-Bordeaux, 22-24May 1899

Results:


Start:


Classement: Racing, +400 kg
Barbereau (#2), 1st, on Amédée Bollée:


Léveilley (#1), 2nd, on Panhard-Levassor 8 CV:


Articles:

• La Vie au grand air, 1899-06-04, p.448 [pictorial]
  
• Le Sport universel illustré, 1899-06-03, p.347 [pictorial]
  
• La locomotion automobile, 1899-05, p.323

 

Thank you, Michael! Post updated

 

Paris-Bordeaux, 24May 1899



Fernand Charron (#2), 1st, on Panhard-Levassor 12 CV:


René de Knyff (#5), 2nd, on Panhard-Levassor 12 CV:



Baehni (#31), 17th, on Henriod 6 CV:


Giraud (#1), DNF, on Amédée Bollée 8 CV:


Articles:

• Le Sport universel illustré, 1899-06-03, p.348 [pictorial]
• La Vie au grand air, 1899-06-04, p.448[pictorial]
• La locomotion automobile, 1899-05, p.338

 

Rallye Papiers, Fontainebleau, 4Jun 1899

Start:


René de Knyff, 1st, on Panhard-Levassor 16 CV:


Leys, 2nd, on Panhard-Levassor 12 CV:


Marcotte, 4th, on Panhard-Levassor 6 CV:


Riguelle, Tampier on De Dion-Bouton Tricycles 1.75 CV:


Audresset, NC, on Omnibus:


unidentified:

• Article: La Vie au grand air, 1899-06-18, p.476
  

 

Tour de France en Automobile, 16-23Jul 1899:
Paris - Nancy - Aix-les-Bains - Vichy - Pèrigeux - Nantes - Cabourg - Paris (2.200 km)

Results:


Drivers:


Classement +400 kg
René de Knyff (#9), 1st, on Panhard-Levassor 16 CV:


Léonce Girardot (#2), 2nd,
Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat (#19), 3rd,
"Pinson" (#3), 4th,
George Heath (#18), 6th, and
Adolphe Clément (#11), 7th, on Panhard-Levassor 12 CV:



A. Velghe "Levegh" (#14), 8th, and
Camille Jenatzy (#12), 9th, on Mors 12 HP


Fernand Charron (#1), DNF, on Panhard-Levassor 16 CV:


Etienne Giraud (#6), DNF, and
Avis (#7), DNF, on Amédée Bollée 20 CV:


Lefèbvre (#21), DNF on Lefèbvre Bolide 16 CV:


Classement -400 kg
Fernand Gabriel (#67), 1st, and
Boittier (#66), DNS, on Decauville 2.8 CV:

 

Classement: Motocycles
Teste (#35), 1st,
Tart (#38), 2nd, and
Gleize (#43), 7th, on De Dion-Bouton Tricycle 2.25 CV:


Béconnais (#47), 6th, on Noé Boyer Phébus Tricycle 3 CV:


Articles:

• La locomotion automobile, 1899-07, p.462
• Le Sport universel illustré, 1899-07-29, p.476 [pictorial]
• La Vie au grand air, 1899-07-30, p.543 [pictorial]
• La Vie au grand air, 1899-08-06, p.558 [pictorial]
  
• La locomotion automobile, 1899-08, p.481

 

Critérium des électriques, Paris-Suresnes, 29Jul 1899

Entries:


Results: OA (electric range) and by category


Start and arrival:


Classement A: -1200 kg
Mildé (#13), 2nd on Mildé de livraison (delivery):


Classement B: +1200 kg
Philippart (#2), 1st on Électromotion Columbia:


Garcin (#8), 2nd, and
Cuvelier 'Sphinx' (#9), 6th, on B.G.S. électrique:


Classement C: -800 kg
Hart-O'Berg (#1), 1st on Électromotion Columbia:


Cranchè (#12), 2nd, on Cranché électrique:


Articles:

• Le Sport unviersel illustré, 1899-07-29, p.479
• Le Sport unviersel illustré, 1899-08-05, p.492
• Le Sport unviersel illustré, 1899-08-12, p.512
• La Vie au grand air, 1899-08-13, p.572
• La locomotion automobile, 1899-08, p.487

 

Paris-Saint Malo, 30Jul 1899

Results:


Classement: +400 kg
'Antony' (#10), 1st,
C. Jenatzy (#12), 7th, and
Broc (#9), DNF; on Mors 12 HP:



Articles:

• La Vie au grand air, 1899-08-20, p.590
• Le sport universel illustré, 1899-10-07, p.639
• La locomotion automobile, p1899-08, p.491

 

Coupe de Trouville, 27Aug 1899

Class: +400 kg
'Antony' (#3), 1st, and
A. Velghe 'Levegh' (#7), 2nd, on Mors 12 HP;
Hénon (#4), 3rd on Panhard-Levassor 16 CV;
Champrobert (#11), 4th, on Lefèbvre Bolide 16 CV:


Class: Motocycles

• Article: La Vie au grand air, 1899-09-10, p.623

 

Paris (FRA)-Ostende (BEL), 1Sep 1899

Entries (tourism and vitesse/racing):


Start in Paris Saint-Germain (cars and motocycles):


Class: Vitesse, +400 kg
'Levegh' (#7), 1st,
C. Jenatzy (#4), 5th,
Broc (#11), 6th, and
Perrrot (#13), 8th, on Mors 12 HP:


Girardot (#2), 1st (same time as 'Levegh'), on Panhard-Levassor 12 CV:


A. Lemaître (#1), 3rd, on Peugeot 12 CV:


'Flash' (#6), 7th, on Vallée 'Pantoufle' 16 CV:


Class: Tourism, +400 kg
Charles Stewart Rolls (#160), 2nd, on Panhard-Levassor 8 CV:


Articles:

• La locomotion automobile, 1899-09, p.566
• Le Sport universel illustré, 1899-09-09, p.576
• La Vie au grand air, 1899-09-10, p.615+623 [pictorial]