1925 24 Hours of Le Mans

3rd 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race

The 1925 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 3rd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 20 and 21 June 1925. It was the last of the three races spanning 1923 to 1925 to determine the winner of the Rudge Whitworth Triennial Cup, as well the second race of the inaugural Biennial Cup.

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) was pleased with how the 1924 regulations had worked. They adjusted the hood test so that all cars could do it at the same time. The start was the logical point and to stop drivers from jumping the gun they would be lined up on the opposite side of the track. When the flag fell, they would run across, put the hood up and then start the car and get away as quick as possible. This became the origin of the famous “Le Mans start” that was an institution of the race until 1969, when safety concerns led to its end. The ACO offered a FF500 prize for the quickest to put up their hood, and the French agent for Truffault Hartford suspension parts offered a FF1000 prize to the car leading after the first lap. The hoods now had to stay up for at least the first twenty laps (about two hours), and they had to be examined by officials for robustness before being pulled down. In addition to the 20 lap rule between fluid replenishment, no liquids could now be added after 3pm, in the final hour of the race.

With the further success of the race, the ACO looked at getting more permanent facilities. They tried to purchase the properties around the pit area at Les Raineries however the prices demanded by the landowners were too high. Frustrated, the ACO instead resolved to relocate with more amenable neighbours by the hippodrome along Les Hunaudières, the main route from Le Mans to Tours. A new temporary pits, lighting and grandstands were set up on the Mulsanne Straight. The national roads board assisted by widening and sealing the track around the new pits area to assist with the new start procedure. Duff had the same car as last year. The works car had an uprated 3.3 litre engine and was driven by Bentley salesman Bertie Kensington Moir and Dudley Benjafield, a Harley St doctor and Bentley racer at Brooklands. The smaller cars were inspired by the streamlined Bugatti Type 32 ‘tank’. Designer Henri Toutée's advanced Z1 was a racing version of the upcoming Y8 tourer. It had a new 1.1 litre engine produced 50 bhp and had new steering and 4 wheel braking, making it very quick. They were assigned to Sénéchal/Loqueheux and Glaszmann/de Zúñiga. After coming very close to victory the previous year, La Lorraine Dietrich arrived with three of their B3 6 cars. The cars had been lightened, and the troublesome steel “artillery” wheels were replaced by Rudge Whitworth wire ones. All three cars were now on Englebert tyres. Last year's driver pairings were shuffled a bit: Gérard de Courcelles and André Rossignol stayed together, but Brisson was with Stalter and Robert Bloch with the new Léon Saint Paul. Sunbeam were now ready for Le Mans and arrived with two cars. Founded in 1899, the company came to pre war prominence with French designer Louis Coatalen. Making aero engines for Bristol during the war, they had been forced to merge with Talbot Darracq in 1920, becoming STD. Already with a strong racing pedigree, with Land Speed Records for Kenelm Lee Guinness and Malcolm Campbell, they became the only British carmaker to win a Grand Prix in the first half of the twentieth century when Sir Henry Segrave won the 1923 French Grand Prix. Coatalen developed the two cars for Le Mans from the current production 24/60 model. The 2.9 litre engine put out 90 bhp with a 4 speed gearbox. With 4 wheel braking, they also ran with Rapson tyres like the Bentleys. Segrave was perhaps the most well known British racing driver, and was paired with George Duller, while the second car had works drivers Jean Chassagne and Autocar journalist Sammy Davis. Originally a British company, Talbot had been bought out by the British owned, Paris based Darracq company 1919, which then merged with Sunbeam the next year. Its production was relocated to Paris and it was two of the 1.5 litre Type C, first made in 1923, that were sent to Le Mans. Ariès brought a newmodel to Le Mans this year. The Type S GP2 was lowered, with a shorter wheelbase and an improved 3 litre engine. This year company owner Baron Charles Petiet was able to procure the services of the great Louis Wagner who had raced Darracq, FIAT and Mercedes before the war, and recently with the Alfa Romeo works team. Ariès also bought a pair of its smaller CC2 1100cc cars to compete for the 1924 5 Biennial Cup. The biggest car in the field was a Sizaire Berwick, in the Anglo French company's only Le Mans appearance. Designed by Maurice Sizaire in Paris, the cars had originally been made in London. Financial struggles saw that factory bought by Herbert Austin who put his own engines in the cars. The model at Le Mans had been built in France, its 4.5 litre engine putting out 65 bhp. Although big, it was also heavy and its performance lagged behind the new racing tourers. This year cars came from Italy for the first time, with two Italian teams. Diatto was an old industrial firm and had built railway stock in the 19th century, including carriages for the famous Orient Express. It branched into cars in 1905 and had a solid pre war racing pedigree. The works team was now run by Alfieri and Ernesto Maserati and four cars came to Le Mans. The Tipo 35 had a 3 litre engine putting out 75 bhp and capable of 135 kp/h (85 mph), while the pair of Tipo 30s had 55 bhp 2 litre engine. Officine Meccaniche (OM) was a Milanese company that likewise building was founded, in 1899, building railway wagons. Car production started in 1918. The 665 “Superba” had come out five years later. It had a 2 litre engine, 4 speed gearbox and 4 wheel brakes. The model S was a short wheelbase, racing version with Pirelli tyres and an improved engine that put out 60 bhp capable of over 120 kp/h (75 mph); and it had performed well at the national level. Three cars came to Le Mans with Italian drivers including Grand Prix drivers “Nando” Minoia and Giulio Foresti. It was also the first race for an American team. The first Chrysler badged car had only been unveiled in 1924. The Chrysler Six Model B 70 had a 3.3 litre straight 6 engine that produced 70 bhp capable of over 110 kp/h (70 mph). Dwarfed by the production of Ford and General Motors in the US, Chrysler set out to outset its rivals in Europe. The French agent was Gustave Baehr's Grand Garage Saint Didier in Paris, and it was they who entered two cars into the race. In the end there was only time to prepare one – for former Lorraine Dietrich driver Henri Stoffel and Lucien Desvaux, ex Salmson. The other new British team to enter was AC Cars. Originally making a 3 wheel delivery vehicle called an Auto Carrier, it was the post war investment by famous British racer Selwyn Edge, that got the new AC Six into production. The entry was raced by John Joyce and Victor Bruce (engaged to famous female racer Mary Petre). Louis Reval had been in the automotive industry since the turn of the century. His company, Automobiles Reval, was only three years old. The latest iteration of his Type A had a 2.5 litre engine with a short wheelbase Sports chassis and could reach 120 kp/h (75 mph). Automobiles Gendron (also known as GM) was originally an auto parts manufacturer, but started making cars in 1922. Two of the long wheelbase GC 2 1.5 litre tourers were entered. Company founder Marcel Gendron himself drove one car, with accomplished aircraft test pilot Lucien Bossoutrot. Similarly, Henri Précloux was new to car manufacturing, having opened E. H. P. in 1921, making small engined cars and cyclecars that were competitive racers. The D4 model was new for 1925, and the DT was a higher specification variant with a 1.5 litre CIME engine and 4 speed gearbox. Rolland Pilain had released two new models this year: the B25 road car and a “Super Sport” version of the B23, and it was three of the latter that were at Le Mans. It had a longer wheelbase, “boat tail” rear end and a more powerful 2 litre engine. The cars of Delalande/Chalamel and de Marguenet/Sire were entered in the Triennial Cup and with two cars, the team had a good chance in the Triennial field of seven. Bignan were struggling financially and only sent a pair of their 2 litre cars, to contest both of the ongoing Cups. The distinctive cars now sported on a single large headlight in the top of the radiator grill. Regular team drivers Jean Martin and Jean Matthys had one car, while Henri Springuel drove with Pierre Clause

SARA again had three entries, and this year bought along a pair of its new Type BDE. Still with the 32 bhp 1100cc engine, they could now get up to 100 kp/h (60 mph). Amilcar arrived with a works entry CGS this year, to compete for the Triennial Cup. Team drivers were André Morel and Marius Mestivier. However, this year they were not the smallest car in the field. Eric Gordon England, former Bristol test pilot, entered a 748cc Austin Seven. Built with his own patented ash and plywood bodywork design weighing only 9kg. He co drove with Francis Samuelson.

This year, the ACO was able to get the public roads closed to allow teams to do practice laps on the Friday – between 5am 8am and then 9pm midnight. As dawn approached by the halfway point at 4am In the next fuel stops, the Bentley's engine caught fire. Despite Clement dowsing it with his seat cushion, the damage was too severe to carry on. And after the Italian government defaulted on its repayments for vehicles to Diatto, it was forced to dissolve its racing team at the end of the year. Although there were no official engine classes, the highest finishers in unofficial categories aligned with the Index targets are in Bold text. Class*** Team Drivers Chassis Engine Tyre Targetdistance* Laps over 1 5.0 5 Société Lorraine De Dietrichet Cie André Rossignol Gérard de Courcelles Lorraine Dietrich B3 6 Sport Lorraine Dietrich 3.5L S6 119 [B] 129 +10 2 3.0 16 Sunbeam Motor Co Jean Chassagne Sammy Davis Sunbeam 3 Litre Super Sports Sunbeam 3.0L S6 Rapson 117 125 +8 3 5.0 4 Société Lorraine De Dietrichet Cie Édouard Brisson Stalter Lorraine Dietrich B3 6 Sport Lorraine Dietrich 3.5L S6 119[T][B] 124 +5 4 2.0 29 Officine Meccaniche Tino Danieli Mario Danieli OM Tipo 665S Superba OM 1991cc S6 108 121 +13 5 2.0 30 Officine Meccaniche Giulio Foresti Aimé Vassiaux OM Tipo 665S Superba OM 1991cc S6 108 121 +13 6 3.0 11 Société des Automobile Ariès Louis Wagner Charles Flohot Ariès Type S GP2 Ariès 3.0L S4 118 119 +1 N/C** 5.0 7 Grand Garage Saint Didier Paris(private entrant) Henri Stoffel Lucien Desvaux Chrysler Six Series B 70 Chrysler 3.3L S6 119 117 7 2.0 23 Établissements AutomobilesRolland et Pilain SA Jean de Marguenat Louis Sire Rolland Pilain C23 Super Sport Rolland Pilain 1997cc S4 108 [T] 117 +9 8 1.5 41 Société Française desAutomobiles Corre Louis Balart Robert Doutrebente Corre La Licorne V16 10CV Sport SCAP 1493cc S4 99 111 +12 N/C**3.014 Societa AnonimaAutocostruzioni Diatto Giorgio Rubbietti Tulio Vesprini Diatto Tipo 35 Diatto 3.0L S4 117 111 9 1.5 42 Société Française desAutomobiles Corre Waldemar Lestienne Robert Lestienne Corre La Licorne V16 10CV Sport SCAP 1493cc S4 99 109 +10 10 1.1 50 Chenard Walcker SA Raymond Glaszmann Manso de Zúñiga Chenard Walcker Z1 Spéciale Chenard Walcker 1095cc S4 91 [B] 109 +18 11 2.0 21 Societa AnonimaAutocostruzioni Diatto Antonio García Mario Botta Diatto Tipo 30 Diatto 1998cc S4 108 109 +1 12 2.0 33 Établissements IndustrielsJacques Bignan Henri Springuel Pierre Clause Bignan 2 Litre Sport Bignan 1979cc S4 107 [B] 109 +2 13 1.1 49 Chenard Walcker SA Robert Sénéchal Albéric Loqueheux Chenard Walcker Z1 Spéciale Chenard Walcker 1095cc S4 91 [T] 105 +14 14 1.5 39 Établissements Henri Precloux Jean d'Aulan René Dély EHP Type DT Spéciale CIME 1496cc S4 99 104 +5 N/C**3.018 Automobiles Ravel SA Eugene van den Bossche Abel Smeets Ravel Type A Sport [12CV] Ravel 2.5L I4 114 104 15 1.5 35 Automobiles Gendron& Cie Marcel Michelot Adrien Drancé GM GC2 Sport CIME 1496cc S4 99 101 +2 N/C** 2.0 22 Établissements AutomobilesRolland et Pilain SA Gaston Delalande Paul Chalamel Rolland Pilain C23 Super Sport Rolland Pilain 1997cc S4 108 [T] 99 16 1.1 44 Société des Applications àRefroidissements par Air Lucien Erb Gaston Mottet SARA ATS [7CV] SARA 1099cc S4 91 94 +3
Note *: [T]= car entered in the Triennial Cup; [B]= car also entered in the 1924 5 Biennial Cup. Note **: Not Classified because did not meet target distance. Note ***: There were no official class divisions for this race. These are unofficial categories (used in subsequent years) related to the Index targets.

Pos Class*** No Team Drivers Chassis Engine Tyre Targetdistance* Laps ReasonDNF 3.0 13 Societa AnonimaAutocostruzioni Diatto François Lecot Eugène Renaud Diatto Tipo 35 Diatto 3.0L S4 117 109 ? (23 hr)DNF 1.5 36 Automobiles Talbot Darracq Edmond Bourlier Jules Moriceau Talbot Darracq Type C Talbot 1496cc S4 99 98 Accident(afternoon)DNF5.02 Chenard Walcker SA André Lagache René Léonard Chenard Walcker Type U 22CV Sport Chenard Walcker 3.9L S8 120 90 [B] Engine(morning)DNF 2.0 28 Officine Meccaniche Ferdinando ‘Nando’ Minoia Vincenzo Coffani OM Tipo 665S Superba OM 1991cc S6 108 81 Wheel bearing (17 hr)DSQ 1.5 37 Automobiles Talbot Darracq Paul Le Duc Alphonse Auclair Talbot Darracq Type C Talbot 1496cc S4 99 73 Premature refill (18 hr)DSQ2.024 Établissements AutomobilesRolland et Pilain SA Pierre Salles Stremler Rolland Pilain C23 Super Sport Rolland Pilain 1997cc S4 108 70 Premature refuel (15 hr)DNF 2.0 32 Établissements IndustrielsJacques Bignan Jean Martin Jean Matthys Bignan 2 Litre Sport Bignan 1979cc S4 107 [T] 65 ? (dawn)DNF 5.0 9 Capt J. Duff(private entrant) Capt John Duff Frank Clement Bentley 3 Litre Sport Bentley 3.3L S4 Rapson 118 [T] 64 Fire (13 hr)DSQ 1.1 47 AutomobilesDoriot Flandrin Parant SA Jacques Millies Lachanay DFP Type VA CIME 1099cc S4 91 60 Insufficient distance (18 hr)DSQ 3.0 17 Établissements Charles Montier et Cie Charles Montier Albert Ouriou Ford Montier Spéciale Ford 2.9L S4 117 54 Insufficient distance (12 hr)DNF1.540 Société Française desAutomobiles Corre Albert Colomb Vallay Corre La Licorne V16 10CV Sport SCAP 1493cc S4 99 51 ? (evening)DNF 3.0 12 Société des Automobile Ariès Louis Rigal Roger Delano Ariès Type S GP2 Ariès 3.0L S4 118 42 Electrics (8 hr)DNF 2.0 20 Societa AnonimaAutocostruzioni Diatto Louis Dollé Albert Giraud Diatto Tipo 30 Diatto 1998cc S4 108 41 ? (9 hr)DNF 1.5 38 Établissements Henri Precloux Marcel Benoist Michel Doré EHP Type DT Spéciale CIME 1496cc S4 99 41 ? (night)DNF 1.1 45 Société des Applications àRefroidissements par Air Jules de Ségovia Gaston Duval SARA BDE SARA 1099cc S4 91 40 ? (night)DNF 1.5 34 Automobiles Gendron& Cie Marcel Gendron Lucien Bossoutrot GM GC2 Sport CIME 1496cc S4 99 36 ? (9 hr)DNF 1.1 53 Société des Automobile Ariès Joseph Paul Louis François Ariès CC2 Ariès 1086cc S4 90 [B] 35 ? (night)DNF 5.0 6 Société Lorraine De Dietrichet Cie Robert Bloch Léon Saint Paul Lorraine Dietrich B3 6 Sport Lorraine Dietrich 3.5L S6 119 33 Accident(9 hr)DNF 3.0 15 Sunbeam Motor Co Henry Segrave George Duller Sunbeam 3 Litre Super Sports Sunbeam 2.9L S6 Rapson 117 32 Transmission(6 hr)DNF 1.1 46 AutomobilesDoriot Flandrin Parant SA André Colas Moraine DFP Type VA CIME 1099cc S4 91 31 ? (night)DNF 5.0 1 Société de Construction deVoitures Sizaire Berwick Émile Dupont 'de Franconi' Sizaire Berwick 25/50CV Sizaire Berwick 4.5L S4 120 23 Engine(evening)DNF 5.0 10 Bentley Motors Ltd Bertie Kensington Moir Dr Dudley Benjafield Bentley 3 Litre Sport Bentley 3.3L S4 Rapson 118 19 Out of fuel(evening)DNF 1.1 48 AutomobilesDoriot Flandrin Parant SA Jean Porporato Marcel Collet DFP Type VA CIME 1099cc S4 91 19 Out of fuel(evening)DNF 1.1 51 Société Nouvelle del'Automobile Amilcar André Morel Marius Mestivier Amilcar CGS Amilcar 1089cc S4 90 [T] 17 Fatal accident, Mestivier(evening)DNF 1.1 43 Société des Applications àRefroidissements par Air André Marandet Gonzaque Lécureul SARA BDE SARA 1099cc S4 91 [B] 15 ? (evening)DNF 1.1 52 Automobiles Majola Jean Majola Fernand Casellini Majola Type F Majola 1088cc S4 90 14 Engine (evening)DNF 1.1 54 Société des Automobile Ariès Fernand Gabriel Henri Lapierre Ariès CC2 Ariès 1086cc S4 90 [B] 11 ? (afternoon)DNF 750 55 E. Gordon England(private entrant) Eric Gordon England Sir Francis Samuelson Austin 7 Austin 748cc S4 82 9 Radiator(afternoon)DNF 5.0 3 Chenard Walcker SA André Pisart Jacques Ledure Chenard Walcker Type U 22CV Sport Chenard Walcker 3.9L S8 120 6 Engine (2 hr)Sources:

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Engine ReasonDNS 3.0 19 Automobiles Ravel SA Henri Barra Delhauvenne Ravel Type A Sport [12CV] Ravel 2.5L I4 Practice accidentDNS 2.0 31 AC Cars Ltd John Joyce Hon. Victor Bruce AC Six 16/40 AC 1991cc S6 RadiatorDNS 2.0 25 Automobiles Oméga Six Jacques Margueritte Louis Bonne Oméga Six Type A Oméga 1996cc S6 Withdrawn after scrutineeringDNS 2.0 26 Automobiles Oméga Six Albert Clément Roland Coty Oméga Six Type A Oméga 1996cc S6 Withdrawn after scrutineeringDNS 2.0 27 Automobiles Oméga Six “Sabipa” (Louis Charavel) Boyriven Oméga Six Type A Oméga 1996cc S6 Withdrawn after scrutineeringDNA 5.0 8 Grand Garage Saint Didier Paris(private entrant) Chrysler Six 70 Chrysler 3.3L S6 Withdrawn

Pos Team Drivers Chassis 1923LapsOver 1924LapsOver 1925LapsOver TeamResult 1 49 Chenard Walcker SA Robert Sénéchal Albéric Loqueheux Chenard Walcker Z1 Spéciale +49 +8 +14 +14 2 23 Établissements AutomobilesRolland et Pilain SA Jean de Marguenat Louis Sire Rolland Pilain C23 Super Sport +19 +5 +9 +9 3 4 Société Lorraine De Dietrich et Cie Édouard Brisson Stalter Lorraine Dietrich B3 6 Sport +26 +0 +6 +6 32 Établissements IndustrielsJacques Bignan Jean Martin Jean Matthys Bignan 2 Litre Sport +50 +0 DNF 51 Société Nouvelle del'Automobile Amilcar André Morel Marius Mestivier Amilcar CGS +41 +4 DNF 9 Capt J. Duff(private entrant) Capt John Duff Frank Clement Bentley 3 Litre Sport +33 +5 DNF 22 Établissements AutomobilesRolland et Pilain SA Gaston Delalande Paul Chalamel Rolland Pilain C23 Super Sport +12 +2 DNF

Pos Team Drivers Chassis 1924LapsOver 1925LapsOver TeamResult 1 50 Chenard Walcker SA Raymond Glaszmann Manso de Zúñiga Chenard Walcker Z1 Spéciale +8 +18 +18 2 4 Société Lorraine De Dietrich et Cie Édouard Brisson Stalter Lorraine Dietrich B3 6 Sport +0 +10 +10 3 5 Société Lorraine De Dietrich et Cie André Rossignol Gérard de Courcelles Lorraine Dietrich B3 6 Sport +0 +6 +6 4 33 Établissements IndustrielsJacques Bignan Henri Springuel Pierre Clause Bignan 2 Litre Sport +0 +2 +2