1908 French Grand Prix

The 1908 French Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Dieppe on 7 July 1908.

1908 French Grand Prix
Race details
Date July 7, 1908
Official name Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France
Location Dieppe, France
Course Public roads
Course length 76.989 km (47.840 mi)
Distance 10 laps, 769.889 km (478.400 mi)
Fastest lap
Driver Otto Salzer Mercedes
Time 36:31.0
Podium
First
Mercedes
Second
Benz
Third
  • René Hanriot
 Benz

Formula Changes


The race was run under a new formula agreed in Ostend in 1907. There was no fuel consumption limit, but the cars had a minimum weight of 1100 kilograms, and a maximum cylinder bore of 155 millimetres.[1] This formula differed from the regulations in place for the American Vanderbilt Cup series, which discouraged American manufacturers from entering the race.[2] Lewis Strang drove the single American entrant, the Thomas Flyer.[3] D. Napier & Son cars were disqualified from the race due to their use of Rudge-Whitworth center locking hubs, which the organizers believed were unsafe.[4]

The Race
Winner Christian Lautenschlager

Christian Lautenschlager won the race in his Mercedes finishing nearly nine minutes ahead of Victor Hémery's Benz. Lautenschlager's average speed for the race was 69.045 mph (111.117 km/h). Otto Salzer set fastest lap in his Mercedes, with an average speed of over 78 mph (126 km/h).[5][6] The race was notable for tragic reasons. Henri Cissac's car lost a tyre and rolled, killing Cissac and Jules Schaube, his riding mechanic. This was the first fatal accident in Grand Prix history.[7]

Classification
Pos No Driver Car Laps Time/Retired
1 35 Christian Lautenschlager Mercedes 10 6:55:43.8
2 6 Victor Hémery Benz 150 hp +8:40.2
3 23 René Hanriot Benz 150 hp +9:29.2
4 11 Victor Rigal Clément-Bayard +34:52.8
5 2 Willy Pöge Mercedes +36:47.2
6 27 Carl Jörns Opel +43.56.2
7 39 Fritz Erle Benz +56:48.0
8 37 Sergey Dimitriewich[6] Renault +1:07:39.0
9 16 George Heath Panhard-Levassor +1:09:03.0
10 49 Perpère Germain +1:12:34.4
11 12 Alessandro Cagno Itala +1:21:23.0
12 28 Fernand Gabriel Clément-Bayard +1:25:11.2
13 36 Courtade Motobloc +1:26:10.0
14 20 Pierre Garcet Motobloc +1:33:23.0
15 21 Gustave Caillois Renault +1:33:23.4
16 14 Camille Jenatzy Mors +1:38:11.8
17 31 Landon Mors +1:52:47.4
18 18 JTC Moore-Brabazon Austin +1:56:17.0
19 1 Dario Resta Austin +2:00:17.4
20 29 Henri Fournier Itala +2:00:47.4
21 10 Friedrich Opel Opel +2:21:38.6
22 17 François Degrais Germain +2:27:01.0
23 32 Henry Farman Panhard-Levassor +2:38:07.0
Ret 8 Léon Théry Brasier 9 Wheel
Ret 41 Paul Bablot Brasier 9 Magneto
Ret 9 Emile Stricker Porthos 9
Ret 43 Michel Opel 9 Radiator
Ret 48 Henri Cissac Panhard-Levassor 8 Fatal crash
Ret 13 Pryce Harrison Weigel 5 Crash
Ret 44 Lucien Hautvast Clément-Bayard 5 Wheel
Ret 34 Warwick Wright Austin 4 Engine
Ret 33 François Marie Roch-Brault Germain 4
Ret 15 Lewis Strang Thomas 4 Clutch
Ret 40 Louis Wagner Fiat 3 Gearbox
Ret 24 Felice Nazzaro Fiat 3 Engine
Ret 3 Pierron Motobloc 3 Crash
Ret 30 Gregor Laxen Weigel 3 Crash
Ret 25 Paul Baras Brasier 3 Engine
Ret 38 Ferdinando Minoia Lorraine-Dietrich 3 Magneto
Ret 5 Arthur Duray Lorraine-Dietrich 2 Clutch
Ret 4 Ferenc Szisz Renault 2 Wheels
Ret 19 Otto Salzer Mercedes 2 Wheel
Ret 42 Jules Simon Porthos 2 Water pump
Ret 7 Vincenzo Lancia Fiat 1 Engine
Ret 22 Henri Rougier Lorraine-Dietrich 1 Magneto
Ret 46 Shannon Weigel 1 Steering
Ret 45 Giovanni Piacenza Itala 1 Gearbox
Ret 26 J. Gaubert Porthos 0 Water pump
Grand Prix Race
Previous race:
None		 1908 Grand Prix season
Grandes Épreuves		 Next race:
None
Previous race:
1907 French Grand Prix		 French Grand Prix Next race:
1912 French Grand Prix

References
  1. Etzrodt, Hans (2007-06-19). "Grand Prix Winners 1895-1949. History and Formulae". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
  2. "Foreign Autoists Eager for Racing" (PDF). The New York Times. 1908-01-06. Retrieved 2007-10-18.
  3. "The American Car in Grand Prix Race" (PDF). The New York Times. 1908-05-03. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
  4. Matteucci, Marco (1976). History of the Motor Car. New York, NY: Crown Publishers, Inc. p. 250. ISBN 978-0706400007. OCLC 4168687.
  5. Higham, Peter (1995). The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing. Guinness Publishing. pp. 194–195. ISBN 0-85112-642-1.
  6. "1908 Grands Prix". Archived from the original on 2008-08-21. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
  7. "Motorsport Memorial - Henri Cissac". Retrieved 2014-01-29.


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