VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

french grand prix

1923 Tours Grand Prix: Results, Videos, Specs and More

By

You didn’t think we’d finish Tours up without a full spec and result section? Below, just that. Below that, some YouTube links to several videos depicting the 1923 French Grand Prix.

Above, a notice about the 90th year celebration event at Tours which will take place next year. If you are interested in participating contact: grandprixdetours@wanadoo.fr.

Next week, Gijsbert-Paul Berk will provide an analysis of the race and its legacy. It will surprise you. [Ed.]
[Read more…] about 1923 Tours Grand Prix: Results, Videos, Specs and More

The Art of Tours: Visions of the 1923 French Grand Prix

By

The 1923 Tours Grand Prix has inspired many artists. Below are just a few of the paintings, cover art and advertisements that were generated by the epic event. Much of the art is still available via prints and we have linked appropriate sites to the paintings wherever possible. Please click on the images for ordering information and similar automotive art.


Art by Geo Ham (Georges Hamel) Art-deco impression of the Bugatti and Voisin.

[Read more…] about The Art of Tours: Visions of the 1923 French Grand Prix

1923 French Grand Prix Part 2: Press and Regulations

By

Program cover, 1923 Tours Grand Prix.

By Gijsbert-Paul Berk

The race generated an immense amount of advance publicity. Numerous articles in the national and local newspapers and the sporting magazines created a great deal of curiosity and even greater expectations.

The Press
One of the reasons was that the editors of these publications were well aware of the growing interest of the French public in motorcars and motor racing. They properly reasoned that giving support to this great event would increase their circulations and advertising revenues.

Beautiful artwork by the French illustrator Mahias for the cover of Omnia magazine No. 27 portrayed a typical French racecar.

Since the Armistice in1918, France was rapidly recovering from the austerity and misery of the war, despite the death of nearly 1.4 million French soldiers. During their service in the army or with the Red Cross units, men and women from all social classes had learned to drive and to understand the mechanical mysteries of motorbikes and cars. Now that the French economy was flourishing, many of them aspired to own one.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

1923 French Grand Prix Part 1: The Circuit and Practice

By

By Gijsbert-Paul Berk

The circuit was a closed-off triangle of public roads, just north of the city of Tours. The starting line was situated just outside a small borough called La Noue-Guérinet, between the villages Neuillé-Pont-Pierre and La Membrolle on the Route Nationale 158. The numbers on the map above correspond to the photographs below. The 1923 Grand Prix of Tours was much tougher and much longer than today’s Grand Prix events. In order to finish, the participants had to cover a distance of 800 km (497 miles). As the ‘Circuit de la Touraine’ had a total length of 22.83 km, (14.1 miles) this meant 35 grueling laps. On the straights some of the cars reached speeds of nearly 200 km/h (125 mph). Around the circuit. 22 marshaling posts had been installed each of them equipped with a telephone in direct and permanent contact with the officials at race control in front of the grandstand.

Come with us as we take a lap around the 1923 French Grand Prix.

Photo 1: At the starting line. At one side were the tribunes and a grandstand for 4000 spectators. Note the direction of travel.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe
MENU