From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Race report from 'The Motor' magazine about the Le Mans race, won at a record speed.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27\3\ Scan124 | |
| Date | 20th June 1939 | |
| June 20, 1939. 807 The Motor gendarmes swarmed everywhere, pushing people off the road who had no business there (only to have them return in larger numbers when they weren't looking), here and there an engine roared into life and died away again, and then the cars were pushed, with dead motors, into starting positions, tails to the pit counters, in echelon, facing down the circuit in a long, glistening line, while the drivers walked across to the far side of the road and stood somewhat sheepishly in the little numbered circles painted for them—except Sommer, who, strolled across at the last moment. Lagonda Away First Half a minute to go . . . and a hush fell on the assembly. All eyes turned to the starter . . . down fell the flag . . . and there was the patter of flying feet as the drivers raced across the track. All down the line came the noise of banging doors, the grinding of starters, and in a few seconds the air was split by the roar of exhausts. Sommer's Alfa, well down the line, was the first to move, but it was Arthur Dobson who shot out first from the top end and led the long string of cars howling down the circuit. For a few seconds the road was crammed with cars moving hub to hub, missing each other by inches, the drivers swerving in and out. won at record speed Bugatti takes lead from Delage after 20 hours and wins by 26 miles at nearly 87 m.p.h. Magnificent performance by the two Lagondas finishing third and fourth at higher speeds than last year's winner. B.M.W. start and finish three cars high up REGULARITY. The most regular team of all was the B.M.W. trio which won the 2-litre class. No. 26, Prince Schaumburg-Lippe and Wenscher in a saloon, finished fifth at 82.5 m.p.h. Bonneau's M.G. Midget was late away, too, but the rest were off like a flash. On the first lap, Chinetti (4½-litre Darracq—the sports version of the Grand Prix car) took the lead and went round at 88.7 m.p.h. from a standing start, leading by 7 secs. from a whole bunch, nose to tail, behind him—Dobson (Lagonda), Mazaud (3½-litre Delahaye), Wimille (3.3 blown Bugatti), Le Begue (Darracq 4-litre), and Louis Gerard (3-litre Delage). Battle was joined immediately. On the next lap the speed rose to 90 m.p.h. for the circuit, and Gerard shot past into second place, 4 secs. behind Chinetti, with the Bugatti third, and Dobson fell back to sixth place, Selsdon, in the other Lagonda, much further back—18th. On the third lap Gerard took the lead at over 90 m.p.h., and put 7 secs. between himself and Chinetti. On the fourth lap Dobson fell back again, driving to schedule and refusing to be drawn into this dog fight so early in the race, and Gerard slammed round faster and faster, increasing his lead to nearly a minute. The Bugatti took second place after four laps, but dropped down again after another four. During these opening stages, with the leader lapping at nearly 95 m.p.h. and nearly a minute in the lead, those following were closely bunched, only a few seconds between them—Gerard, Mazaud and Paul (Delahayes) nose to tail, or abreast, at times, then the Bugatti, Chinetti, Helde (4½ Darracq), Le Begue (4.0 Darracq), Contet (Delahaye), and Hug (3.0 Delage). Dobson had fallen to 12th place. Selsdon stopped for a moment at his pit and went off again, running a lap behind, in 19th place, and after 18 laps (155 miles) Dobson lapped the other Lagonda. Sommer's Usual Bad Luck Sommer's usual Le Mans luck dogged him again. On the third lap, his Alfa stopped on the back of the course and lost a lap, and then, after 19 laps, he came to his pit spluttering, to find water in one cylinder. However, he blew the water out and went on, spluttering at first, but then the engine picked up again. IMAGE CAPTIONS: SECOND—the Delage drivers, Monneret and Gerard. Sommer shot past, jammed between another car and the fence, and several drivers missed colliding more by luck than judgment. Belle-Croix's Delahaye was left at the pit with clutch slip, and he lost two laps fiddling about. BIENNIAL CUP WINNERS—Gordini and Scaron covered 1,789 miles in an 1,100 c.c. Simca-Fiat. D11 | ||