Premiéres Grand Prix d'Endurance les 24 Heures du Mans 1923 |
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Coupe Rudge-Whitworth - Circuit Permanenthe de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France
Date: May 26/27, 1923
Starters: 33
Track Length: 17,262 metres
Track Distance: 2209.536 km
Conditions: Hailstorm, heavy rain, windy
Fastest Lap: John Duff (or Frank Clement ?), Bentley, 9'39" = 107.328 km/h
Average Speed: 92.064 km/h |
The city of Le Mans is best known for its connection with motorsports. There are actually two separate racing tracks at Le Mans, though they share certain portions. The smaller is the Bugatti Circuit (named after Ettore Bugatt), a relatively short permanent circuit which is used for racing throughout the year. The longer and more famous Circuit de la Sarthe is composed partly of public roads, which are closed to the public when the track is in use for racing, and has been host to the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race since 1923.
At a time when Grand Prix racing was occurring throughout Europe, Le Mans was envisioned as a different test from motorsports at the time. Instead of focusing on the ability of a car company to build the fastest machines of the time, the 24 Hours of Le Mans would instead concentrate on the ability of manufacturers to build sporty yet reliable cars. This would drive innovation in not only reliable but also fuel-efficient vehicles, since the nature of endurance racing requires as little time to be spent in the pits as possible.
At the same time, due to the design of Le Mans, a drive would be created for better aerodynamics and stability of cars at high speeds. While this was shared with Grand Prix racing, few tracks in Europe featured straights the length of the Mulsanne. The fact that the road is public and therefore not maintained to the same quality as some permanent racing circuits also puts more of a strain on parts, causing more emphasis on reliability.
The first Le Mans race was held on May 26th and 27th, 1923, and has since been run annually in June, with exceptions occurring in 1956, when the race was held in July, and 1968, when it was held in September, due to nationwide political turmoils earlier that year. The race has been cancelled twice: once in the year 1936 (Great Depression) and from 1940 to 1948 (World War II and its aftermath).
Beginning in the late 1970s, the demand for fuel economy from around the world led the race to adopt a fuel economy formula known as Group C in which competitors were given a set amount of fuel, from which they had to design an engine. Although Group C was abandoned when teams were able to master the fuel formulas, fuel economy would still be important to some teams as alternative fuel sources would appear in the early 21st century, attempting to overcome time spent during pit stops.
These technological innovations have had a trickle-down effect, with technology used at Le Mans finding its way into production cars several years later. This has also led to faster and more exotic supercars due to manufacturers wishing to develop faster road cars for the purposes of developing them into even faster GT cars.
Also See: The Gordon Bennett Cup
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CLASS WINNERS |
5001 - 8000 cc |
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André Dills / Nicolas Caerels |
Excelsior |
3001 - 5000 cc |
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Gérard de Courcelles / André Rossignol |
La Lorraine-Dietrich |
2001 - 3000 cc |
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André Lagache / René Leonard |
Chenard & Walcker |
1501 - 2000 cc |
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Raymond de Tornaco / Paul Gros |
Bignan |
1101 - 1500 cc |
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Max de Pourtales / Sosthene de la Rochefoucauld |
Bugatti |
750 - 1100 cc |
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Lucien Desvaux / Georges Casse |
Salmson |
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Please Note: You can sort this listing
by simply clicking on the column heading |
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TEAM /
DRIVERS |
VEHICLE |
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1 |
1 |
9 |
Chenard & Walcker SA, Fr
André Lagache, Fr
René Léonard, Fr |
Chenard & Walcker Sport 3-Litre |
L4 |
2978 |
128
2209.536 |
2 |
2 |
10 |
Chenard & Walcker SA, Fr
Raoul Bachmann, Fr
Christian Dauvergne, Fr
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Chenard & Walcker Sport 3-Litre |
L4 |
2978 |
124
2140.488 |
3 |
3 |
23 |
Bignan, Fr
Baron Raymond de Tornaco, Be
Paul Gros, Fr |
Bignan 11 HP Desmo Sport |
L4 |
1979 |
120
2071.440 |
4 |
=4 |
8 |
Capt J.F. Duff, GB
Capt. John F Duff, CDN
Frank Clement, GB |
Bentley 3 L Sport |
L4 |
2996 |
112
1933.344 |
5 |
=4 |
24 |
Bignan, Fr
Philippe de Marne, Fr
Jean Martin, Fr
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Bignan 11 HP Commercial |
L4 |
1979 |
112
1933.344 |
6 |
=4 |
1 |
Compagnie Nationale Excelsior, Be
André Dills, Be
Nicolas Caerels, Be |
Excelsior Albert 1er |
L6 |
5343 |
112
1933.344 |
7 |
7 |
11 |
Chenard & Walcker SA, Fr
Fernand Bachmann, Fr
Raymond Glaszmann, Fr |
Chenard & Walcker 15HP Tourisme |
L4 |
2978 |
110
1898.820 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
-
Gérard de Courcelles, Fr
André Rossignol, Fr |
La Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 |
L6 |
3445 |
108
1864.296 |
9 |
9 |
2 |
Compagnie Nationale Excelsior, Be
Gonzaque Lécureul, Fr
Flaud, Fr
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Excelsior Albert 1er |
L6 |
5343 |
106
1829.772 |
10 |
10 |
28 |
-
Max de Pourtalés, Fr
Sosthene de la Rochefoucauld, Fr |
Bugatti Brescia 16 S |
L4 |
1495 |
104
1795.248 |
11 |
11 |
17 |
-
Migeot, Fr
Eugéne Verpault, Fr |
Brasier TC4 (12 CV) |
L4 |
2092 |
99
1708.938 |
12 |
=12 |
34 |
-
Lucien Desvaux, Fr
Georges Casse, Fr |
Salmson AL |
L4 |
1086 |
98
1691.676 |
13 |
=12 |
16 |
-
Belbeu, Fr
Paul Torchy, Fr |
Delage DE 11 HP |
L4 |
2116 |
98
1691.676 |
14 |
14 |
19 |
-
Charles Montier, Be
Albert Ouriou, Fr |
Montier Speciale (Ford Model T) |
L4 |
2008 |
97
1674.414 |
15 |
=15 |
33 |
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Maurice Benoist, Fr
Luis Ramon Bueno (Buenovici ?), Fr |
Salmson AL |
L4 |
1086 |
93
1605.366 |
16 |
=15 |
21 |
Automobiles Georges Irat, r
M Cappé, Fr
Jean Dourianou, Fr |
Georges Irat 4/A3 |
L4 |
1990 |
93
1605.366 |
17 |
17 |
14 |
-
Jean de Marguenat, Fr
Gaston Delalande, Fr |
Rolland-Pilain B22 |
L4 |
2297 |
92
1588.104 |
18 |
18 |
35 |
-
Maurice Boutmy, Fr
Jérôme Marcandanti (Marcdante ?), Fr |
Amilcar CV |
L4 |
1003 |
89
1536.318 |
19 |
=19 |
5 |
-
Robert Bloch, Fr
Stalter, Fr |
La Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 |
L6 |
3445 |
88
1519.056 |
20 |
=19 |
12 |
-
Edouard Prost, Fr
Redon, Fr |
Berliet VH 12 HP |
L4 |
2617 |
88
1519.056 |
21 |
21 |
15 |
-
Louis Sire, Fr
Georges Guignard, Fr |
Rolland-Pilain R |
L4 |
2224 |
84
1450.008 |
22 |
22 |
29 |
-
Louis Pichard, Fr
René Marie, Fr |
Bugatti Brescia 16 S |
L4 |
1496 |
82
1415.484 |
23 |
=23 |
25 |
-
Jean Pouzet, Fr
Edmond Pichon, Fr |
Rolland-Pilain RP |
L4 |
1925 |
79
1393.698 |
24 |
=23 |
26 |
-
Jules Robin, Fr
Gérard Marinier, Fr |
Rolland-Pilain RP |
L4 |
1925 |
79
1393.698 |
25 |
=23 |
30 |
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Louis Balart, Fr
Charles Drouin, Fr |
Corre La Licorne - Ballot |
L4 |
1393 |
79
1363.698 |
26 |
26 |
27 |
-
Léon Molon, Fr
Lucien Molon, Fr |
Vinot Deguingand BP 10 HP |
L4 |
1847 |
77
1329.174 |
27 |
27 |
18 |
-
Maillon, Fr
Léopold Jouguet, Fr |
Brasier TB4 (12 CV) |
L4 |
2090
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76
1311.912 |
28 |
28 |
20 |
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Albert Colomb, Fr
Waldemar Lestienne, Fr |
Corre La Licorne EV 12 CV |
L4 |
2000 |
74
1277.388 |
29 |
29 |
22 |
Automobiles Georges Irat, Fr
Milhaud, Fr
Pierre Malleveau, Fr |
Georges Irat 4A/3 |
L4 |
2000 |
73
1260.126 |
30 |
30 |
32 |
Socitété des Automobiles a Refroidissements par Air, Fr
Lucien Erb, Fr
Robert Battagliola, Fr |
S.A.R.A. ATS |
L4 |
1098 |
57
983.934 |
31 |
DNF |
6 |
-
Henri Stoffel, Fr
R Labouchére, Fr |
La Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 |
L4 |
3445 |
50
845.838 |
32 |
DNF |
13 |
Socitété des Automobiles a Refroidissements par Air, Fr
Roland Jacquot, Fr
Georges Ribail, Fr |
Berliet VH 12 HP |
L4 |
2617 |
44
742.266 |
33 |
DNF |
31 |
-
Francois Piazzoli, Fr
André Marandet, Fr |
S.A.R.A. ATS |
L4 |
1098 |
14
224.406 |
34 |
DNS |
3 |
- |
Voisin |
- |
4000 |
0 |
35 |
DNS |
4 |
- |
Voisin |
- |
4000 |
DNF |
36 |
DNS |
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- |
Buc (Bucciali) |
V2 |
1340 |
DNF |
37 |
DNS |
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- |
Buc (Bucciali) |
V2 |
1340 |
DNF |
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