One of the most sensational runs for many years has been set up at Montlhéry by a normal ‘hard top’ Jaguar XK120 The idea originated in Leslie Johnson’s fertile brain and as co-drivers he took a redoubtable trio — Stirling Moss Anyone who knows Montlhéry’s post-war surface will not be surprised to hear that after two days a rear spring broke As a spare was not on the car no further international records could be attempted for the rule is that such spares shall be carried on the car some four hours were lost replacing the spring but the Jaguar contrived to conclude successfully what it had been set to do – it averaged 100.31mph for seven days and nights covering in that time more than 16,851 miles After which LWK 707 ran as well as it had at the start This is a performance which will go down in motor history with Edge’s 24-hour run in 1907 and Lambert’s first ‘100 in the hour’ of 1913 The greatest praise is due to all concerned and especially to Johnson for sponsoring the attempt Fairman and Hadley for so ably backing him up in his monotonous and dangerous bid aided by Joan Scannell and ‘Mort’ Morris-Goodall for managing the run and to Jaguar Cars for making such an astonishingly fast and durable standard closed carriage On one occasion Johnson sat nine hours at the wheel keeping up the average with the broken spring refusing to involve his co-drivers in the added risk The Jaguar ran on reliable Dunlop tyres (fitted by ‘Dunlop Mac’) breathed Shell fuel through SU carburettors (watched over by Leslie Kesterton) was arrested when required by Ferodo-lined Lockheed brakes greased by Tecalemit and had the fearful shocks from the track smoothed out by Girling dampers on the Salter springs Lucas electrical equipment stood up to all the big demands made of it the Hardy Spicer propshaft and Salisbury gears gave no trouble the engine was cooled by a Marston radiator watched Smith’s instruments and communicated effectively with the outer world via Pye radio checked over by K Custerton Sutton and Potter were present to service the car and chief engineer Heynes adds another very large feather to a hat which is already overladen with plumage That the Jaguar took the following records lends additional merit: World’s and Class C 72 Hours (105.55mph) World’s and Class C 15,000 kilo (101.94mph) The sheer speed of this XK120 on a mere 8 to 1 compression ratio was indicated early in the run Held in bright sunshine last weekend at the famous banked Linas-Montlhery Autodrome circuit the third edition of the annual Les Grandes Heures Automobiles (LGHA) attracted a record crowd of enthusiasts from all over Europe Highlights of this year’s LGHA included multiple World Rally Champion Sebastian Loeb wowing spectators with his extreme antics on the Montlhery banking at the wheel of his wild Pikes Peak-winning Peugeot 208 T16 with ex-Group B rally driver Bruno Saby also thrilling the crowds in the car The T16 was joined by the ex-Works Peugeot 307 WRC running into the night and spitting huge flames The 2017 LGHA also staged a special celebration of the life and motor racing career of the ex-Formula 1 and sports car British privateer driver and team owner racer David Piper This tribute at the Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome was fitting given Piper's many great memories successes there over the years A special display of Piper’s cars including his famous green Ferrari 250 LM Ferrari 365 P2 and Porsche 917K took to the Montlhery banking Riders Tom Dickie and Paul Smart – the winners of the 1970 Montlhery Bol d’Or bike race – also entertained the LGHA crowds as they were reunited with their racing Triumph 750 motorcycle with Smart returning to the circuit for the first time in more than 40 years Other LGHA vehicle highlights included the dominant 1927 Delage 15 S-8 grand prix racer plus the 1927 Voisin Montlhery record-breaking car as well as the Sebring 12 Hours-winning Jaguar D-Type the extraordinary ex-Le Mans 1966 CD-Peugeot LM66 plus a strong selection of Group B rally cars and a wide cross-section of competition cars and motorcycles from all ages and motorsport disciplines.  Away from the historic competition machines at the LGHA a large display of vehicles from many classic car and bike clubs were also in attendance supported by a special supercar and performance GT display plus a dedicated area for new cars and motorcycle manufacturers Local Paris-based auction house Maison Aguttes held its inaugural LGHA historic vehicle auction in the heart of the Autodrome selling the 2003 Maserati 4200 Trofeo Light ‘Spirit of Houston’ competition racer for £242,000 A sticking 1958 Lotus Eleven S2 sold for £116,000 with a competition Lancia-Autobianchi Y10 Turbo making just under £16,000 The LGHA also added a new-for-2017 autojumble The ultimate way to experience Festival of Speed BY Florentina DECA & Delphine ROSAIN-BOUSSIQUET My Dad gave me a blue R5 for my 18th birthday. At first, I didn’t want it, but I haven’t been able to get rid of it since. It’s his fault I love the R5 so much! President of the AIR-5 Club and R5 collector But these gatherings are not the only opportunity for everyone to get together. The friends already share many other memories: holidays in the Alps, Normandy, Biarritz, or trips around France to pick up more R5s. Their garage has become a community. A unique and emblematic place that is caught in the same era these cars came from with plenty of vintage pieces decorating the space: a Minitel, a rotary dial phone, a radio-cassette player, and numerous vintage posters. But their ambition doesn't stop there. They have big dreams for their garage: they want to be able to repair everything on site, thanks to the addition of machines and tools for machining, milling, painting, etc. PreviousNextWe all have different motivations for being here. Some like tinkering with their car, I like taking my R5 out for a drive; but above all, this is a place where friends hang out together of an evening. Secretary of the AIR-5 Club and R5 collector For Benjamin, a young landscaper, the Renault 5 is more than a car, it's a way of living a simple life, while enjoying every moment. Our cars aren’t ones you put in a glass cabinet; the goal is to keep them on the road. I go on holiday with my R5, I go to work in R5. It’s more than a car, it’s a way of life. Vice-President of the AIR-5 Club and R5 collector The R5 hasn’t become a piece of national heritage out nowhere. A fun, simple, popular car is also timeless and eternal for many. And it is sure to remain that way for a long time yet! I have always thought there is something about the wood rim steering wheel the lazy but potent V8 and the draughty cockpit with ineffective heater that makes my MG BGT an appropriate conveyance for attending vintage car meetings something from between the wars would be even better but especially when there are a few hundred miles to reach my intended destination as we blasted across the south coast of England to catch the ferry for France everything felt ‘right’ heading for the Vintage Revival meeting at Montlhery 2017 saw the 4th running of this biennial event but it was to be my first visit – and I must admit I wasn’t sure what to expect The feeling of pre-war adventure came right from the start motoring down from Calais with no satnav and no navigator despite the best efforts of the French road-signs and an unplanned yet comprehensive tour of the tunnels under Paris Early on Saturday I rose not quite fully refreshed but still looking forward to what I hoped would be a very special weekend and my first sight of the iconic Montlhery banking’s vertical outer face came into view The raucous sound of small engined ‘20s racers added an extra dimension as we sat among a varied collection of modern classic and vintage cars that were hesitatingly threading their way to this cathedral of speed I immediately sensed a feeling of this being a warm and friendly event as it had an undeniable small meeting atmosphere that belied the world-class status of both venue and participants My thanks to the organisers for a quite exceptional experience, two years is an awfully long time to wait for the next one. A pity they are going round the wrong way! Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); FranceChevron Ile-de-FranceChevron ParisChevron Courtesy AlamySave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links a collection of recipes and essays about his decade-plus living in France's capital city.—CNT Editors A rowdy place in the decidedly untouristy Goutte d’Or neighborhood it’s known for its steak frites and couscous This off-the-beaten-track restaurant near the Bastille serves a particularly good boeuf bourguignon Travelers en route to Brittany must depart from the Gare Montparnasse which may explain why the Breton-inspired bistro chose to open nearby You’ll find this meat-centric institution in the bustling Les Halles neighborhood A lunchtime spot that becomes a wine bar at night it reminds you of the simple pleasures of the perfect platter of charcuterie and delicious affordable wines by the glass it has one of the best (and biggest) cheese boards in town Read on for restaurants picks by Dorie Greenspan and Mimi and Oddur Thorisson. up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world but they sure know how to put on a classic bike event Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen Motorcyclist may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site Copyright © 2025 Motorcyclist. An Octane Media, LLC Publication Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited BackCarlos Tavares drives the MissionH24 LMPH2GCarlos Tavares got behind the wheel of the MissionH24’s electric-hydrogen prototype He covered a few laps to get to grips with the racing car developed by the ACO and GreenGT which is paving the way for the introduction of a category reserved for electric-hydrogen vehicles in the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans MissionH24 invited Carlos Tavares to get behind the wheel of its racing electric-hydrogen prototype This was a purely private test drive on the Linas-Montlhéry autodrome in the heart of Utac-Ceram’s ultra-modern facilities.  Tavares kicked off his day’s testing with a few laps as passenger alongside Norman Nato MissionH24’s performance and development driver He was then sent out alone by the technicians of the H24Racing team under the watchful eye of Jean-Michel Bouresche the man in charge of MissionH24’s operations and the team’s Team Principal After two series of runs on the motorway circuit reserved for testing and developing vehicles with high-level on-board technology the “old learner- driver” as he defines himself was all smiles when he emerged from the cockpit of the racing prototype.  that’s the word that best sums up my first test laps at the wheel of the LMPH2G MissionH24 has developed a real racing car based on a very promising form of propulsion I’m a dyed-in-the-wool car enthusiast and a passionate lover of motor racing the path which the MissionH24 programme is following is full of pitfalls that have to be successfully negotiated But this project shows that the electric-hydrogen solution is a tangible promising reality an “old learner-driver” like myself has to learn a different style of driving The LMPH2G is a real racing car with incredible acceleration efficient aerodynamics and very good handling But it’s a car of tomorrow so you also have to learn to cope with the electric-hydrogen generator to play with the brakes in the deceleration phase of the car But all this makes driving it very exciting The trail has been blazed and in a short time I can assure you that many people will be queuing up to drive this car - and the ones to come!”​ PHOTO 1/2Pierre Fillon, President de the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, co-President of MissionH24 : “The ACO is a club that organises motor racing competitions and above all it also has a major role to play in imagining conceiving and creating the mobility of the future: a decarbonised mobility that will have to successfully bring about the energy transition that’s necessary today for the defence of our environment We’re absolutely convinced that hydrogen is an essential element to be developed to achieve this The fact that Carlos Tavares has today driven the LMPH2G the first electric-hydrogen endurance racing prototype shows what we’ve accomplished through our in-depth reflection and the work we’ve done together The motor car and motor racing are team-mates in this indispensable success - the energy transition.” Jean-Michel Bouresche, Operations manager of the MissionH24 programme, Team Principal of the H24Racing team : “Carlos Tavares has kept a close eye on the MissionH24 programme on a private basis since its launch We presented the LMPH2G to him when it was in the build phase He was interested in the project straight away so we asked him if he’d like to drive it The way he analysed our work after only a limited number of kilometres of getting to grips with the car on the track is very important His viewpoint is both that of a passionate fan of the motor car a first-class engineer and a captain of industry whose word carries a lot of weight in the milieu of the automobile on a worldwide basis When a man like him emerges from the car smiling happily and won over it’s proof that the MissionH24 programme is on the right track!” Find the video of this test (in French) :  Related News24h Le Mans02/05/2025 The trailer for the documentary ‘American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans’ unveiledIn 2023 during the Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans ‘American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans’ retraces this adventure in a full-length documentary broadcast exclusively on Prime Video on 12 June The second round of the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) takes place this Sunday 4 May at the Circuit Paul Ricard An impressive 44 cars are expected on the grid with a large French contingent on home soil in terms of both drivers and teams For the 93rd edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours (11-15 June 2025) the #59 McLaren 720S LMGT3 Evo entered by United Autosports in the LMGT3 class will feature a unique livery: the Meningitis Flag The aim of this livery is to raise awareness of a disease that is all too often overlooked: meningitis The Automobile Club de l’Ouest is proud to announce that Roger Federer the revered champion and global sporting icon will don the mantle of official starter at the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans the fourth round of the FIA WEC World Endurance Championship The recent fourth edition of the annual Les Grandes Heures Automobiles (LGHA) held T the legendary banked Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome circuit just south of Paris – was unanimously declared to be the best yet by both the hundreds of participating competitors reveLled in the glorious sunshine as they enjoyed spectacular vehicle demonstrations on the steeply banked Montlhéry track The famous record-breaking metallic-bronze Jaguar XK120 Fixed Head Coupe registered LWK 707 and driven in early August 1952 by a quartet of British drivers - Stirling Moss Jack Fairman and Bert Hadley – to set an average speed record of 107.46 mph for seven days and nights none-stop at the Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome track made a welcome and emotional return to the steeply racked circuit especially for the LGHA The Jaguar was joined by a Ferrari 156 F1 ‘Sharknose’ from the UK driven by racing legend Arturo Merzario from Italy along with the well-known BMW 3-Series Group 5 ‘Jägermeister’ from Switzerland a selection of vintage competition Porsches from Germany There were many exceptional models from France Members of the ex-works Alpine-Renault rally team gathered around Jacques Cheinisse and some of his ‘musketeers’ at LGHA to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the first WRC Constructors Title in the history of rallying Other famous drivers present at the 2018 LGHA included Jean-Claude Andruet Nelson Panciatici and rallying legend Bruno Saby Europe converged on the Autodrome to put it back at the heart of the historic motorsports but with the modern additions of a series of activities including Formula E and a drift session and current trials bikers using parts of the new Montlhéry infield construction site to jaw-dropping advantage The Paris auction house Aguttes organised its second sale in the LGHA’s 1924 Pavilion its star lots including a trio of important AC models plus a number of modern classic hot hatches; all fetching healthy prices More than 50-exhibitors presented their latest products and expertise to the LGHA visitors Effeffe and new local passenger car producer MPM Motors with its Erelis model making its dynamic world debut on the Montlhéry banking with the LGHA visiting public able to drive the cars for themselves There was fun for younger ages too with mini-quads and mini-bikes to add to the passion for motoring from an early age a huge display of around 1,000 vehicles from many classic car and bikes clubs were also in attendance as well as exotic special supercars and performance GTs plus a special LGHA classic car tour to the event Sign up to our newsletter and be the first to here all the latest Historic Racing news soon after the German army overran and occupied France a Gestapo officer visited the headquarters of the Automobile Club de France on the Place de la Concorde in Paris He demanded that the club’s librarian bring him the records for races sanctioned by the club As his subordinates carted off the record books Consensus holds that Nazis wanted to rewrite a particular piece of racing history an embarrassing break in Germany’s state-supported teams’ dominance of Grand Prix Racing in the 1930s The Silver Arrow cars campaigned by Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union had to remain the übercars The Gestapo wouldn’t stop at paper records the Gestapo was also trying to locate and destroy the very cars that disgraced the Reich in one of motorsports’ great underdog victories the Nazis’ revisionary attempt failed The Silver Arrows’ defeat has now been ably documented by New York Times-bestselling author Neal Bascomb an American Heiress and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt who traveled the world exploring private archives and experiencing 90-year-old vintage race cars firsthand to research the book has done a remarkable job; in addition to documenting in great detail the pre-war Grand Prix scene Bascomb has captured the flavor of the era and the larger-than-life personalities that inhabited it African-American track and field star Jesse Owens winning four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics refuted Nazi notions of Aryan racial superiority at those competitions but Owens’ victories were not entirely unexpected Owens had already established himself as a world-class athlete setting track and field records in America before the ’36 Olympics when René Dreyfus sat on the grid for the 1938 Pau Grand Prix few gave him a chance at winning—but Dreyfus would also put the lie to the Nazi narrative Dreyfus had a notable racing record and could boast Grand Prix victories with Alfa Romeo (then headed by Enzo Ferrari) and the Maserati brothers on his resume He competed against legendary racers like Ascari he hadn’t had a competitive ride in years Grand Prix racing had become intertwined with international politics The German racing teams received substantial financial support from the Nazi regime and their parent companies aimed to turn profits making military material for the Reich While René did not identify religiously as a Jew there was simply no way that Mercedes or Auto Union would put someone with Jewish blood and a Jewish surname behind the wheel of race cars intended to demonstrate Aryan superiority Nationalism in Mussolini’s fascist Italy meant that Dreyfus also could not get a ride at Alfa or Maserati we know Delahaye as a French marque that made beautiful Art Deco roadsters and coupes and folded in the mid-1950s; but if weren’t for a rewarding foray into racing Delahaye might never have survived that long the company made staid sedans and a line of commercial vehicles neither of which were selling particularly well With a worldwide economic depression in full swing The company was then owned by Marguerite Desmarais and her brother Georges Morane Together with Desmarais’ late husband Morane had bought the company from its founder in the late 19th century presented the owners with two paths forward: drastically expanding midrange passenger vehicle production to compete with Citroen something that would require a substantial investment; or dropping the passenger cars altogether and concentrating on commercial vehicles Neither option was guaranteed to save the company Madame Desmarais surprised Weiffenbach by offering a third proposal: “If you can’t build automobiles in quantity Win races to make the marque better-known and to sell more luxurious and expensive cars.” Weiffenbach assigned engineer Jean Francois the task of turning Delahaye into a performance brand Francois designed a lightweight chassis that boasted independent front suspension and a 3.2-liter straight-six gasoline engine based on one of the company’s truck engines That choice of a reliable truck engine was deliberate based on the need of race cars to run at full throttle for extended periods of time Testing at an average speed of 100 mph over 500 miles on the high-speed banked Montlhéry autodrome proved the design was worthy At the 1933 Paris Salon de l’Automobile Delahaye introduced two new luxurious and fast models based on the test car each clothed in a sweeping coachbuilt body The new models were a hit and put Delahaye on firmer financial ground While one woman made it possible for Delahaye to get into performance cars and racing it was another woman to put those cars on the track Lucy O’Reilly Schell was a wealthy American expatriate heiress whose husband Laury also possessed considerable worldly means They lived in the Paris suburbs with their two sons and Lucy’s beloved bulldog Though not as well known today as some other female automotive pioneers like Alice Ramsey Lucy was one of the best female drivers of her era she remains the only woman to own a winning Grand Prix racing team The Schells approached Weiffenbach with the idea of going rallying in a short-wheelbase 134 powered by the bigger six-cylinder engine While they never won a rally outright in the cars the Schells rallied Delahayes until a bad accident convinced Lucy to retire from competition the polished aluminum-bodied cars from Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union nicknamed the “Silver Arrows,” traded Grand Prix victories Although the two companies had radically different approaches with Mercedes favoring traditional front-engine layouts and Auto Union which hired Ferdinand Porsche as a consultant using rear-engine (and later mid-engine) configurations they also had the resources to effectively develop and campaign their race cars Mercedes had about 300 people working for its Grand Prix racing team organizers proposed a new formula for the Grand Prix championship with engine displacements limited to 4.5 liters for naturally aspirated engines and 3.5 liters for supercharged or turbocharged motors While Delahaye had never previously competed at that ultimate level of motorsports Lucy Schell approached “Monsieur Charles,” as Weiffenbach was known at Delahaye Schell wanted to take on the Germans in Grand Prix racing and she was willing to completely underwrite a Delahaye effort to create a competitive French team under her leadership She wanted Weiffenbach to build her four race cars suitable for the Grand Prix events to race for her own team That seems to have been an important point for Lucy because some journalists had been dismissive of a female-owned racing team and often treated her rally team as the Delahaye factory crew 4.5-liter V-12 engine with a lightweight magnesium block for the new race car cigar-shaped body with a large hood scoop and aerodynamically shaped “motorcycle” fenders that could be removed it appears that Schell had only one logical choice Dreyfus was the most experienced and successful Grand Prix racer who To give him some seat time in the Delahayes Lucy had Dreyfus compete in the 1938 Monte Carlo rally and then Italy’s Mille Miglia where he finished fourth despite having to repeatedly stop to top off a radiator which was leaking from a puncture caused by a flying rock embarrassed at the continued German success in auto racing the French Popular Front political consortium had offered a million franc prize for the first French race car to average 146 km/h over 200 kilometers on the Montlhéry track Though the competition was tilted somewhat in Bugatti’s favor Dreyfus was able to exceed that mark in the newly completed 145 just a day before the prize’s September 1 He wore his Dunlop tires down to the fabric cords in the effort To honor the French national racing colors the four Delahaye 145 racers and the team transporter were painted in a lovely shade of blue The first Grand Prix race with the new 145s was the 1938 Pau Grand Prix Auto Union’s new mid-engine racer wasn’t quite ready which had a substantial horsepower advantage over the Delahaye Though Écurie Bleue was well-funded by Lucy compared to Mercedes-Benz her team was a shoestring effort noticed that Caracciola had a hard time controlling wheelspin from his W154 when accelerating out of corners; the Mercedes was overpowered for the course The Pau Grand Prix was held on city streets with tight corners and short straightaways thus minimizing the Benz’s power advantage That power advantage also came at the cost of a fuel burn rate of about 1.5 miles to the gallon could run the entire race without refueling Dreyfus’ strategy was to hang close to Caracciola until the W154 had to pit for fuel and then pull away Dreyfus was able to pressure Caracciola so much early in the race—even swapping the lead position—that when Caracciola pitted for fuel the German asked to be replaced by Hermann Lang (An earlier racing accident had left Caracciola with a severely damaged and painful leg and most of the time he overcame that pain—but at Pau in 1938 he was dispirited by Dreyfus.) René finished ahead of Lang easily Dreyfus would go on to win the Cork Grand Prix in Ireland but neither of the German teams competed in that race Lucy Schell wasn’t at the scene of Écurie Bleue’s greatest victory; she was busy showing her award-winning Delahaye cabriolet by Chapron at the Cannes concours d’elegance Frustrated by French officials’ favoritism Lucy Schell and her husband Laury were seriously injured when their chauffeur collided with a van as they were being driven from Monaco to Paris Lucy was heartbroken by his death and seems to have lost some interest in racing Lucy used her influence to have Dreyfus exempted from military service so he could drive in the 1940 Indianapolis 500 where he finished 10th in relief of René Le Bègue (It’s possible that Schell was more concerned about getting Dreyfus out of Europe than representing France in the race because she later convinced her friend and driver to stay in America.) Dreyfus first started working at a restaurant and then enlisted in the U.S Army where he served as an interpreter after the invasion of Italy who had survived the Nazi occupation of France The restaurant became an unofficial club house for much of the international racing community Whether or not the Gestapo hopied to destroy the car that embarrassed them it appears that’s what the French automotive community anticipated When Lucy Schell was done with her four 145s with Weiffenbach apparently handling the sales The cars ended up at the shop of coachbuilder Henri Chapron where they were hidden in barns and caves for the war’s duration Chapron reassembled and rebodied those two 145s with Art Deco designs The cars changed hands a number of times until they were both acquired by Peter Mullin for his incomparable collection of classic French cars One of the two remaining 145s hidden in the countryside was rebodied as a roadster by Franay and eventually acquired by New Jersey collector Sam Mann As for the provenance of the fourth Delahaye 145 but then spent decades sitting abandoned under the banked track at Montlhéry In 1987 Mullin and his partner Jim Hull negotiated its purchase for $150,000 after which it underwent a three-year restoration to the specification in which it ran the 1938 Pau Grand Prix Mann and Mullin have a good-natured rivalry as to who owns the actual car that Dreyfus drove to victories at Pau and in the “Million Franc” competition They both have documentation and experts to argue their cases though Mann concedes that Mullin’s car may have the stronger case race teams swap parts on their cars all the time so it’s just as likely that each collector owns parts of the “Million Franc” car that took on the Nazis and won Bascomb has done a commendable job with Faster He could have focused exclusively on Dreyfus and Schell’s success at Pau in 1938 and it would have made a compelling story he took a deeper dive into the subject and produced a comprehensive look at the European racing scene of the 1930s—the racers Documented to an academic level with 40 pages of endnotes Faster will likely become a reference source for automotive historians for years to come Some reviewers have quibbled with Bascomb’s nearly lap-by-lap detail of a decade of racing but his focus on the personalities of Schell and Dreyfus and their competitors behind the wheel and behind the political scenes keeps the book an entertaining and engaging read and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Sign up to receive our Daily Driver newsletter In Montlhery, it's time for adventure! Well, adventure, yes, but above all, under cover and sheltered from the rain and bad weather, in the warmth of the town's indoor playground. Welcome to Mysterland children's favorite place to let off steam all afternoon Your little ones can have fun on the trampoline the inflatables or on the adventure course Refer your establishment, click herePromote your event, click here    Umberto Maglioli climbs out of the 550 A Spyder after driving to the greatest victory yet for the young Porsche brand There is a little-known story behind Umberto Maglioli’s entry in the race on this day in early summer On the Monday evening following the 1,000-kilometer race on the Nürburgring several motorsport enthusiasts gather at the home of Porsche racing director Huschke von Hanstein to hatch an idea: “Why don’t we enter the new 550 A Spyder in the Targa Florio?” because Porsche has been dead set on sending the car to the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry track in Montlhéry In this small town south of the French capital the agile car’s displacement of just 1,500 cc could be enough for a class victory—the chances are good a real sensation could be in the cards if the apparently less powerful car can beat out the entire field as is the generous prize money at the Targa founded by wine and spice merchant Vincenzo Florio Maglioli would be the right man for the job for he already won the event three years earlier the 28-year-old Italian does not disappoint He puts in a commanding performance in the white Spyder bearing starting number 84 His driving style is both subtle and supple—although the race is a veritable battlefield of innumerable curves not to mention the necessity of navigating narrow alleyways in towns and the chaotically parked automobiles of the enthusiastic tifosi Maglioli’s Porsche runs like clockwork while the competitors gradually drop out and Aston Martin prove to be either too heavy or too delicate Maglioli takes the lead in the second lap and never relinquishes it He completely outdoes himself on this hot day in June Only after crossing the finish line about 15 minutes ahead of runner-up Piero Taruffi does he show the strain of the ravaging drive he climbs out of the oil- and mud-streaked Spyder He has taken that Monday evening vision of the racing enthusiasts in Stuttgart and made it a reality It marks the greatest victory thus far for the young brand from Zuffenhausen regarded as a ‘one of a kind’ car will go under the hammer on 30 September and is expected to reach between €300,000 to $500,000 Aguttes are holding the Grands Heures Automobiles auction at the Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome The AC Cobra Mk II 298 is regarded as the authentic modern version of car that made motor racing history in the 1960’s with American and British This AC Mk II 289 FIA was built in 1997 by AC Cars using the original drawings and specification the car is in every way identical to those built in 1964 and is equipped with aluminium bodywork and the Ford 4.7 litre the livery of the official Shelby Competition team which took part in major events in 1964and 1965 The car has already participated in the Spa 6-hour race and is eligible for all the events in the historic racing calendar The German registration also qualifies this car for normal road use The auctioneers said she offers an exceptional opportunity to acquire a bit of the history of the celebrated AC marque Retirement Almost 9 million people in the UK remain significantly underpensioned compared to the broader population Insurance and Protection L&G’s Group Protection business today launches the latest instalment of the third edition of its Chief Medical Offic… Investments Rumours of Cash ISA allowance cuts sparked a rush to ISAs in March whilst savers poured in £4.2 billion to the accounts… Podcasts we dive into one of the most exciting developments in personalised advice: behaviour… Regulation and Compliance head of responsible investment at Quilter Cheviot comments on the FCA’s notice it will not apply SDR to… Exclusives, Regulation and Compliance Let’s be honest—when someone says “regulation” Business and Development Head of Generative AI at financial services consultancy Capco comments on the FCA’s latest AI announce… There are 400 Junior ISA (JISA) accounts held in the UK with a value of at least £100,000 Mortgage and Property In response to the HMRC Property Transactions Data published today industry professionals and experts have shared their… This month’s NS&I £1 million Premium Bonds jackpot winners come from Derbyshire and Suffolk.The first Bond number dr… We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience and to help us understand how you interact with our site. Read our full Cookie Policy for more information These cookies are essential for the basic operations of our website They ensure that the website functions correctly and securely we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again These cookies are used to serve adverts and measure their effectiveness They help us provide relevant advertisements Tracking and analytics cookies gather information on how visitors use our website This data helps us understand user behavior While these cookies collect anonymous data they may also be used to identify patterns in user behavior Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences More information about our Cookie Policy Former TV Wheeler Dealers mechanic Edd China will meet Beaulieu’s Spring Autojumble show-goers on May 18th to launch and sign copies of his new book Grease Junkie – A book of moving parts which tells his life story Beaulieu visitors can meet the presenter and wacky motoring inventor from 2-5pm on the stand of event media sponsor Practical Classics and chat to him about his remarkable career and off-the-wall projects road-legal bathroom suite and a taxed and MoT’d double bed were recently stars of Beaulieu’s Wacky Record Breakers exhibition Edd China on ‘Casual Loafer’ motorised sofa at Beaulieu The unmissable features of the silver-themed 25th Spring Autojumble continue with a start-up of the newly restored Costin-Nathan racing car prototype at 3pm the same day At the wheel will be its original creator and racing driver Roger Nathan Spring Autojumble will continue across the weekend of Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th when bargain hunters can scour 1,000+ stands packed with classic car parts motoring literature and automobilia bargains – and even perhaps find a dream car amongst the range of classics for sale in Automart and Dealermart With over 1000 stands and stalls to browse and pick through you’re sure to find the elusive parts required to complete or start that restoration project which will put one of Britain’s greatest classics in the spotlight with a timeline of every major milestone in the classic Mini’s lifespan from 1959 to 2000 The Mini Cooper Register display will bring together a wide range of Minis with more than 40 rare and remarkable examples already confirmed to join the display including an ex-BMC Works rally Mini an Italian-built Innocenti Mini Cooper and the luxurious Radford Mini used in the 1966 BBC TV series Adam Adamant Lives The ‘Mini 60’ Mini Cooper Register display will bring together a wide range of Minis Event sponsor Practical Classics will join the Mini celebration by bringing its own project car a 1968 Austin Mini estate that has been off the road for more than 40 years See this tiny time-warp and chat with the team about their latest project Another automotive star of the Practical Classics stand will be the 1959 Standard Ten Gold Star that was saved from certain destruction in Ford’s scrappage scheme captured the hearts of thousands of classic car enthusiasts who joined a campaign to overturn its destruction order Newly returned to the road and making its Beaulieu debut at the show the Standard will stay on display in the National Motor Museum throughout the summer The Dorset branch of the Morris Minor Owners’ Club will return to the show with its popular display MoggyFest while the Morgan Sports Car Club and Wessex Car Club will both showcase an impressive selection of members’ vehicles On the Sunday, enthusiasts for another British legend can enjoy Beaulieu’s Land Rover Rummage as everything Land Rover-related is bought swapped and sold in a section of the show dedicated to Britain’s favourite 4×4 One-day and two-day Spring Autojumble tickets can be bought in advance online, with a final chance for discounted online tickets until 5pm on Thursday 9th May. For tickets and full details click here or call 01590 612888. Event tickets include entry to the whole Beaulieu attraction Exhibitors and Trunk Traders can book their stand online here or contact the Beaulieu Events team at events@beaulieu.co.uk or on 01590 614614 but Hellé Nice spent the early years of the 20th century ripping up the rule book and changing the game for women in motorsports.Before iconic performances on the race track – like the time in the 1930 Grand Prix when she crossed the finish line backwards claiming third place – and earning the Women’s Land Speed Record title Mariette Hélène Detangle grew up in a small village outside Paris and she started modelling and performing as a dancer at clubs and cabaret bars She became so beloved and famous that she earned enough money to buy herself a house a yacht and – most importantly – a Citroën and the resulting knee injury all but ended her career as a dancer Not one to sit around feeling sorry for herself Hellé got behind the wheel and discovered the thing that would change her life Her lover at the time introduced her to Ettore Bugatti luring her away from driving her blue Oméga-Six – the vehicle she’d driven to victory in an all-female Grand Prix race at Autodrome de Montlhéry in 1929 she set a new speed record of 194km/h and earned the nickname ‘Bugatti Queen’ Crowds loved watching her signature blue car whip around the track and she was said to drive with her mouth open she raced against male drivers in over 75 Grand Prix circuits “It’s all I ever ask for,” she told French newspaper L’Intransigeant in 1930 She was in second place behind one of those men – Brazilian champion Manuel de Teffé – during the final lap of the São Paulo Grand Prix in 1936 when her life changed forever Mixed reports describe what happened as Hellé sped around the track in her blue Alfa Romeo: some say it was the local fans running onto the track to cheer on Teffé others (including Hellé’s lover and mechanic who was videotaping the race) say it was a hay bale supposed to separate the crowd from the track that tumbled down and was retrieved by a police officer an obstacle in her path caused Hellé’s car to veer off course but the man absorbed the impact of their collision and earned hero status among the people of Brazil Hellé’s first race following the accident was an endurance trial for female drivers a track Hellé knew like the back of her hand breaking a number of records that are said to stand today Hellé was eager to re-join the Bugatti team and reinstate herself at the top of the racing industry again but the double shock of her friend Jean Bugatti’s death in August 1939 and the commencement of World War II the following month halted her plans She relocated to her namesake – the French Riviera town of Nice – during the German occupation of France she was at a party celebrating the armistice and the return of racing when she and her co-driver a local to Monte Carlo and another renowned driver he proclaimed loud enough for everyone to hear that Hellé was a traitor to France and had been a Gestapo agent during the war He demanded the race organisers ban her from participating Some say Chiron was trying to delegitimise women in racing by aiming for the woman at the top of the industry; others say he was jealous of Hellé’s fame and the attention she received; others believe he’d confused her with another French Grand Prix driver the rumours led to Hellé being stripped of the respect and success she’d earned along with her sponsorships and opportunity The end of her life was a world away from where it began: Hellé died alone and without money after spending her final years living in a slum under an alias It wasn’t until 2004 – 20 years after she died – that her reputation was restored and many of us learned about her story thanks to The Bugatti Queen