Le Mans
The ACO is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year. With such longevity, the club has made history on several occasions., but never more so than in the early 1920s. As the Roaring Twenties dawned, a group of men founded the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking the beginning of a sporting legend still alive today.
Founded in 1906, the ACO has always played an influential role, on a local, national and international level. The Le Mans area hosted a second Grand Prix de France in 1911 as well as the Grand Prix de l’UMF and the Coupe des Voiturettes. The club survived the First World War without mishap.
A new course was designed in 1920, still on public roads, but to the south of Le Mans. From the start at Les Raineries, competitors headed towards Pontlieue on the outskirts of the city before turning onto the already well-known Mulsanne Straight. The seven-kilometre section used by the Wright brothers in 1908 became part of the second course layout in 1911. From Mulsanne Corner, drivers headed to Arnage, then back to the Pit Straight, following essentially the same route as today’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Things followed their course, until a decisive encounter at the 1922 Paris Car Show. Georges Durand, ACO Secretary General, Émile Coquille, the French representative for British sports car wheel manufacturer Rudge-Whitworth, and Charles Faroux, engineer and influential journalist, found they shared the desire to see a new race run on the seventeen-kilometre circuit. The idea was to host a gruelling race sponsored by Rudge-Whitworth, designed to demonstrate the strengths of French automotive manufacturing. Faroux suggested an 8-hour race, half during the day, half at night. Durand proposed a full 24 hours, but Faroux and Coquille were sceptical of obtaining authorisation.
Thanks to Georges Durand’s local influence the round-the-clock format was accepted. There were already 24-hour races in the USA, and in France the Bol d’Or was introduced that same year. Le Mans did not invent 24-hour racing; the innovative part was the rulebook.
Once the three reached an agreement, they set to work. First, regulations had to be drawn up in line with the founder’s intention, to test the reliability of French cars, and hence encourage carmakers to take part in the race. As the resident expert, Charles Faroux drafted the initial rulebook, which was issued in 1923. Among other technical requirements, it stipulated that all cars on the grid of the 24-hour Grand Prix de l’Endurance should be painted in their national colours and carry ballast to simulate a passenger’s weight. Some of the rules were inspired by the “Grand Prix de consommation” (a fuel economy competition) held on the same course from 1920-22.
Other rules were more difficult to comprehend. The aim was not to finish first having covered the longest distance in the 24 hours; it was to attain or exceed a certain distance calculated according to vehicle power. Competitors that did not sustain the required pace would be automatically eliminated. It was not sufficient to drive faster than one’s opponents; you had to beat the odds on your own car breaking down.
In any case, there was no winner in 1923. Faroux and the ACO were keen for carmakers to commit to taking part for several years. So they invented a three-year cup. To win, competitors were required to achieve the target distance three times in a row, which meant taking part at least three years in succession.
At a time when reliability and sturdiness were the two main sales arguments for cars, the 1923 Grand Prix d’Endurance de 24 Heures attracted plenty of contenders. No less than 33 cars fielded by 20 manufacturers lined up at the start of the first race, on 26 May, among them Bugatti, Chenard & Walcker, Bignan, Delage. Bentley represented the UK and Excelsior flew the flag for Belgium. Mother Nature was in a foul mood. The motorsport legend began with a hailstorm.
Thirty cars reached the finish line. As Race Director, Charles Faroux had decided to be lenient concerning the target distances for the first year, so as not to discourage participants. Most competitors eased off the pace once they were sure of attaining their target. The race was a huge success, acclaimed by the press and by trackside spectators. At last, motorists could judge a car’s reliability for themselves, based on its performance. “The Automobile Club de l’Ouest, always eager to see our great national industry make progress, has introduced a new race. Motorists – who are growing in numbers each day – are interested in what they can learn from it", wrote La Sarthe in 1923.
However, nobody could fathom the target distance rule. Racing fans and journalists alike were lost when it came to understanding the calculations. Had the rule been applied, Lucien Desvaux and Georges Casse’s Salmson would have won. The 1100 cc completed 98 laps, almost double their 52-lap target. But, of course, the crowd applauded the car that covered the longest distance within the time allotted – the Chenard & Walcker driven by André Lagache and René Léonard. They were therefore acknowledged as the official winners of the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans. Over time, the three-year cup became a two-year cup, and later the notion of target distance was replaced by the distance covered rule, which still stands today.
The Grand Prix de l’Endurance de 24 Heures was a founding moment in automotive history. Georges Durand’s drive coupled with Charles Faroux’s ingenuity shaped French motorsport and 120 years on, their legacy is still alive.
