Montlhery - The Story of the Paris Autodrome

For thirty-seven years the concrete track and road circuit of Montlhery Autodrome was for France what Brooklands was for Britain: the setting for scores of motor races and countless record attempts, and the proving ground of every sort, make and model of vehicle from primitive chain driven monsters to propeller driven bicycles. There is none better qualified to write its story than William Boddy, Editor of Motor Sport, motoring historian and author of the definitive history of Brooklands. His account reflects his deep scholarship, and is at the same time a pleasure to read. It is a story not only of record breaking by the famous Parry Thomas, George Eyston, Kaye Don, John Cobb, Douglas Hawkes and Gwenda Stewart, Benoist, Divo and the rest - but also of the French Grand Prix, international sports car races and innumerable lesser events. The cars, many of which are illustrated here among photographs seldom seen before, included record hunters such as Bentley, M.G., Delage, Napier-Railton, Renault, Panhard and Citroen. The road circuit witnessed battles between Talbot, Amilcar, Salmson, Sunbeam, Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati, soon joined and vanquished by, the Silver Arrows of Mercedes Benz and Auto Union. While the 'stars' were elsewhere, there crept out the forlorn hopes: the vehicles peculiar, or slow, or both, propelled by crews lacking in skill and experience, seeking reliability and favourable publicity, the impractical in pursuit of the unattainable. Montlhery has seen everything, and everybody. Utilised in the post war era for record breaking attempts in a variety of difference classes, as well as major races such as the Paris Grand Prix, Coupe du Salon, Bol d’Or again saw major drivers and cars running: L. Rosier -Talbot, P Taruffi - Ferrari, Duncan Hamilton – Jaguar and Jack Brabham – Cooper to mention just a few. An appendix is devoted to several topics, such as a more detailed account of the activities of the Stewart-Hawkes equipment than can be included in the body of the text. For many seasons this team was the most prominent feature of Montlhery, and a semi-permanent one: it would not be too much of an exaggeration to say that in those years they were Montlhery. Included is a list of winners for the major car races during the 1924-1960 period and Lap Records recording the top speeds obtained on the various circuit options. The preface is contributed by a man who is a very close runner-up for such honours: Captain G. E. T. Eyston, former holder of the world's Land Speed Record, racing driver and one of the most famous of the track's habitués.