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).
Magazine page from 'The Motor' with a continuing report on the 1939 Le Mans 24-hour race.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 27\3\ Scan125 | |
| Date | 20th June 1939 | |
| The Motor 808 June 20, 1939. LE MANS . . . . Contd. 24-HOUR SERVICE.—Bira (co-driver with Sommer of the streamlined Alfa-Romeo) came into the pits at about 10.30 p.m. with a rear brake binding. Sommer and a mechanic set to and put it right. CLOSE FORMATION through the New Esses—No. 44 is the Scott-Wisdom Singer, No. 6, the Waleran-Selsdon Lagonda (which finished fourth) and No. 8 is the de Massa-Mahé Talbot. Lap Record Goes, at 96.74 m.p.h. However, on the next lap the engine passed out again and at the pit they set about lifting the cylinder head. They changed the gasket and rebuilt the engine in just about an hour, and once again Sommer set off. This time all was well, and he handed over to Bira just at dusk. Meanwhile all sorts of things had been happening. Gerard was challenged by Mazaud's Delahaye, and soon the two were in the throes of a dog fight, during which, on the 25th lap, Mazaud broke the long-standing lap record set up by Benoist's Bugatti (5 mins. 13 secs.—96.4 m.p.h.) with a lap in 5 mins. 12.1 secs.—96.74 m.p.h. Thus at 6 p.m. Mazaud closed to within 8 secs. of Gerard's Delage, with Paul (Delahaye) third and the Bugatti always fourth. curves uphill round quite a sharp bend, several cars skated. Then Breillet (Simca Fiat) slid good and proper, spun round and round, hit the bank, was thrown out, and the car went sliding on. Officials ran to flag down the other cars while the car was moved and the ambulance brought, and one car nearly collected the ambulance while it was turning on the track. Breillet was cut about the head. At almost the same moment Mme. Itier (Simca-Fiat) crashed down at the Old Esses, before Arnage corner, and was thrown out but escaped with a shaking. Oil on the Course At once the officials tried to flag the oil-dropping Darracq, and flew a black flag at it. The driver took no notice. Lagonda Lappery At 6.25 Dobson brought in the Lagonda, refuelled and handed over to Charles Brackenbury, hatless as ever, who set off lapping at just under 89 m.p.h. Selsdon handed over the other Lagonda to Bill Waleran, who began lapping about 10 secs. a lap slower than Brackenbury. All the faster cars had now covered their obligatory 24 laps (201 miles) before a refill is permitted, and during the pit stops the Paul-Contet Delahaye took the lead, only to lose it again. At this juncture the Tremoulet-Forestier Darracq began dropping oil in quantity on the track, and just beyond the pits, where the road... Next lap the entire pit stood up and signalled him to stop,—but again he took not the slightest. On the third lap they gave him the black flag again, plus a sign-board and dozens of officials leaping up and down, and this time he stopped, with the back of the car smothered in oil. After a pit stop the trouble was rectified and he continued. As the officials had not shown his number with the flag apparently the driver couldn't make out what all the excitement was about! At 7 p.m. the Gerard-Monneret Delage led by 9 secs., but during the next hour the Mazaud-Mongin Delahaye crept up and passed. Then the two cars passed and repassed, running a length or so apart, and at 8 p.m. it was the Delahaye which was in front—1 sec., in the lead. There were in all four retirements out of the 40 starters by 9 p.m.—the 1½-litre Adler at five laps, Breillet (Simca) at 28 laps, Mme. Itier (Simca) at 25 laps and the Savoye Bros'. Singer Nine at three laps. Night descended with Bira at the wheel of the Alfa, forbidden to exceed... Race Progress Order at 5 p.m. 1, Gerard (3.0 Delage), 10 laps in 54 mins. 55.4 secs., leading by 45 secs. 2, Mazaud (3.5 Delahaye), 10 laps in 55:44.5. 3, Paul (3.5 Delahaye), 10 laps in 55:44.5. 4, Wimille (3.3 Bugatti, 8), 10 laps; 20, Lord Selsdon (4.5 Lagonda), 9 laps; 1, Hiohens (Aston Martin), 22, Clark (H.R.G.), 10, Cohier (M.G.), 28, Polledry (Aston Martin). Order at 6 p.m. 1, Gerard-Monneret (Delage), 22 laps in 1:59:49. 2, Mazaud-Mongin (Delahaye), 22 laps in 1:59:50.1. 3, Paul-Trevoux (3.5 Delahaye), 21 laps. 4, Wimille-Veyron (Bugatti). 5, Dobson-Brackenbury (Lagonda), 15, Selsdon-Waleran (Lagonda), 16, 17, 19, the B.M.W. team; 22, Hichens-Morris Goodall (Aston Martin). Order at 7 p.m. 1, Gerard-Monneret (Delage), 32 laps in 2:55:52.8 2, Mazaud-Mongin (Delahaye), 32 laps in 2:56:4. 3, Chinetti-Mathieson (4.5 Darracq), 32 laps in 2:57:8. 4, Le Begue-Levegh (4.0 Darracq), 32 laps. Order at 8 p.m. 1, Mazaud-Mongin (Delahaye), 43 laps in 3:56:59.8. 2, Gerard-Monneret (Delage), 43 laps in 3:57:0.8. 3, Chinetti-Mathieson (Darracq), 43 laps in 3:57:1. 4, Wimille-Veyron (Bugatti), 42 laps. 11, Dobson-Brackenbury (Lagonda); 12, Selsdon-Waleran (Lagonda); 15, 16, 17, the B.M.W. team. D12 | ||