1936 24 Hours of Le Mans

1936 24 Hours of Le Mans

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The 1936 24 Hours of Le Mans was originally planned to be the 14th Grand Prix of Endurance to be held on 14 and 15 June 1936. However, France was in the middle of the turmoil and civil unrest sweeping over Europe. A general strike across the country in the wake of the recent electoral victory of the Popular Front had only been resolved days before scrutineering was due to start. In response to the dominance of the German teams in grand prix racing, the Automobile Club de France (ACF) had chosen to run their Grand Prix to a sports-car formula, which would in turn be eligible to run at Le Mans. Owing to the strikes, many of the teams had been unable to prepare their cars sufficiently, and even such matters as getting fuel, transportation or fuel for entrants and spectators would be difficult.

Therefore, at the beginning of June, the ACO organisers postponed the race. However, at the end of the month, being unable to arrange a suitable alternative date later in the year with the motorsport governing body (the AIACR), the event was cancelled.

A very competitive field of 58 cars had been filed prior to the cancellation. It included new French works teams from Talbot, Delahaye and Delage to take on the proven privateers driving Alfa Romeo, Lagonda and Bugatti cars.

Le Mans circuit in 1936

Regulations

The AIACR had introduced the new 750 kg Grand Prix Formula in 1934. It had taken a year, but the state-sponsored German teams of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union now dominated racing. The formerly pre-eminent teams of Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Bugatti had tried to compete but were quite out-classed. After two years with no success, the Automobile Club de France (ACF) decided not to hold the French Grand Prix to the AIACR formula. That meant, of course, that it was no longer part of the European Championship, but in a period of growing international tensions, the ACF wanted to return French national pride in their motorsport. Their answer was to run the Grand Prix to its own, new regulations – open to two-seater, open-top cars matching the manufacturers' public purchase catalogues. There were no limits placed on engine-capacity nor weight, however supercharging was prohibited. At least 20 had to have been built by January 1, 1936, or in the process of being built.

This was strongly supported by French motor-industry and followed a similar ban on supercharged cars by the British RAC for the 1934 International Tourist Trophy. The Le Mans race was scheduled two weeks before the French Grand Prix and the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) promptly ratified that ACF-regulation cars would be given entry. They did choose to keep the racing-classes from the previous year. They also allowed superchargers, but raised the equivalency calculation of capacity from x1.4 to x1.6.

Entries

The changes by the ACF in turn provided the incentive for probably the strongest Le Mans entry list to date. This meant that French cars once again had the very real prospect of outright victory. A dozen cars came from the ACF regulations – from Delahaye, Delage and Talbot-Lago. The new Bugatti was not ready though. Of the 58 cars, fully 30 could be classed as works, or works-supported, entries, representing 13 manufacturers. It also saw the entry of Adler, only the second German manufacturer to enter Le Mans. From the previous year's race, there were sixteen cars entering for the Coupe Bienniale.

Category	Entries	Classes
Large-sized engines	23	over 3-litre
Medium-sized engines	10	1.5 to 3-litre
Small-sized engines	25	up to 1.5-litre
Total entrants	58

Official Entry list

List taken from Quentin Spurring's book, officially licensed by the ACO. It references the ACO archives which had a provisional numbering by an official. Normally sorted by engine capacity, there are several cars out of the regular sequence that would have been corrected for the final race entry list.

No.	Class	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Biennial Entry
1	4.0+ *	/ F.J. McEvoy (private entrant)	/ Frederick McEvoy	Mercedes-Benz 540K	Mercedes-Benz 5.4L S8 supercharged
2	4.0+ *	G. Nancy (private entrant)	Georges Nancy . Pehache	Bugatti Type 50 Sports	Bugatti 5.0L S8 supercharged
23	4.0+ *	R. Labric (private entrant)	Roger Labric	Bugatti Type 50 Sports	Bugatti 5.0L S8 supercharged
34	4.0+ *	"Jean Renaldi" (private entrant)	"Jean Renaldi" (André Carré)	Bugatti Type 50 Sports	Bugatti 5.0L S8 supercharged
3	4.0+	Arthur W. Fox	Brian Lewis, Baron Essendon Tim Rose-Richards	Lagonda M45 Rapide	Meadows 4.4L S6	B
4	5.0	Arthur W. Fox	Goldie Gardner Freddy Clifford	Lagonda M45 Rapide	Meadows 4.4L S6
5	4.0+	E. Hall (private entrant)	Eddie Hall	Bentley TT 4.5	Bentley 4.3L S6
6	4.0	Automobiles Talbot-Lago	René Dreyfus	Talbot T150C	Talbot 4.0L S6
7	4.0	Automobiles Talbot-Lago	André Morel Jim Bradley	Talbot T150C	Talbot 4.0L S6
8	4.0	P. Louis-Dreyfus (private entrant)	"Heldé" (Pierre Louis-Dreyfus)	Talbot T150C	Talbot 4.0L S6	B
9	3.0	L. Chinetti (private entrant)	Luigi Chinetti Raymond Sommer	Alfa Romeo 8C-2900 A	Alfa Romeo 2.9L S8
10	4.0 *	Viscomte P. Merlin (private entrant)	Viscomte Pierre Merlin	Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 LM	Alfa Romeo 2.3L S8 supercharged
11	4.0 *	J. Chancerelle (private entrant)	J. Chancerelle	Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 LM	Alfa Romeo 2.3L S8 supercharged
12	4.0	/ L. O'Reilly Schell (private entrant)	/ Lucy O'Reilly Schell René Carrière	Delahaye 135 CS	Delahaye 3.6L S6
14	4.0	L. Villeneuve (private entrant)	Louis Villeneuve André Vagniez	Delahaye 135 CS	Delahaye 3.6L S6	B
15	4.0	"Michel Paris" (private entrant)	"Michel Paris" (Henri Toulouse) Marcel Mongin	Delahaye 135 CS	Delahaye 3.6L S6	B
16	4.0	Société des Automobiles Delahaye	. Dhôme Albert Perrot	Delahaye 135 CS	Delahaye 3.6L S6
18	4.0	Société des Automobiles Delahaye	Albert Divo Robert Girod	Delahaye 135 CS	Delahaye 3.6L S6
19	4.0	Écurie Jacques Menier (private entrant)	Philippe Maillard-Brune Charles Druck	Delahaye 135 CS	Delahaye 3.6L S6	B
20	4.0	D. Porthault (private entrant)	Daniel Porthault René Marie	Delahaye 135 CS	Delahaye 3.6L S6
21	4.0	R. Le Bègue (private entrant)	Réné Le Bègue Jean Danne	Delahaye 135 CS	Delahaye 3.6L S6
22	4.0	E. Chaboud (private entrant)	Eugène Chaboud Jean Trémoulet	Delahaye 138 Spéciale	Delahaye 3.6L S6
-	4.0	Earl Howe (private entrant)	Francis Curzon, Earl Howe	Bugatti Type 57T	Bugatti 3.3L S8
24	3.0	R. Kippeurt (private entrant)	René Kippeurt	Bugatti Type 44	Bugatti 3.0L S8
25	4.0	Société Nouvelle des Automobiles Delage	Henri Fretet Robert Laly	Delage D6-80	Delage 3.2L S6
-	4.0	Société Nouvelle des Automobiles Delage		Delage D6-80	Delage 3.2L S6
26	2.0	J.C. Noël (private entrant)	Charles Brackenbury Pat Fairfield	Aston Martin Speed	Aston Martin 1967cc S4	B
27	2.0	Aston Martin Ltd	Sammy Davis Bill Everitt	Aston Martin Speed	Aston Martin 1967cc S4
28	2.0	G. Pfister (private entrant)	Guy Pfister Jean-Pierre Rault	Citroën Traction Avant 11CV	Citroën 1911cc S4
29	2.0 *	E. Hertzberger (private entrant)	Eddie Hertzberger	MG K3 Magnette	MG 1087cc S4 supercharged
43	2.0 *	Capt. G.E.T. Eyston		MG K3 Magnette	MG 1087cc S4 supercharged	B
30	2.0	Mme A.-C. Rose-Itier (private entrant)	Anne-Cécile Rose-Itier  ? . Boetzkes	Adler Super Trumpf Rennlimousine	Adler 1645cc S4 sidevalve	B
31	2.0	Adlerwerke	Rudolf Sauerwein Peter Graf Orssich	Adler Super Trumpf Rennlimousine	Adler 1645cc S4 sidevalve
32	2.0	Adlerwerke	Wilhelm "Max", Prinz zu Schaumburg-Lippe  ? Edouard Legré	Adler Super Trumpf Rennlimousine	Adler 1645cc S4 sidevalve
33	2.0	Adlerwerke	Otto Löhr Paul von Guillaume	Adler Super Trumpf Rennlimousine	Adler 1645cc S4 sidevalve
35	1.5	Automobiles Frazer Nash Ltd	"Tim Davies" (Dudley Folland) Alfred Fane	Frazer Nash	Gough 1496cc S4
36	1.5	Riley (Coventry) Ltd	Jean Sébilleau Cyril Paul	Riley TT Sprite	Riley 1496cc S4	B
37	1.5	Riley (Coventry) Ltd	Alex “Bill” van der Becke Edgar Maclure	Riley TT Sprite	Riley 1496cc S4
38	1.5	Riley (Coventry) Ltd J. Trévoux (private entrant)	Jean Trévoux Charles Dobson	Riley TT Sprite	Riley 1496cc S4
39	1.5	Aston Martin Ltd	. Headlam Boris Harcourt-Wood	Aston Martin Ulster	Aston Martin 1494cc S4
40	1.5	Aston Martin Ltd	Dr Dudley Benjafield Jim Elwes	Aston Martin Ulster	Aston Martin 1494cc S4
41	1.5	Aston Martin Ltd	Mortimer Morris-Goodall	Aston Martin Ulster	Aston Martin 1494cc S4
42	1.5	C.T. Thomas (private entrant)		Aston Martin Ulster	Aston Martin 1494cc S4	B
44	1.5	M.K.H. Bilney (private entrant)	Maurice Bilney Joan Richmond	Ford 10 Model CX Special	Ford 1172cc S4
45	750	Amédée Gordini		SIMCA Cinq Gordini	Simca 570cc S4
46	750	Amédée Gordini		SIMCA Cinq Gordini	Simca 570cc S4
47	750	Amédée Gordini		SIMCA Cinq Gordini	Simca 570cc S4
48	750	M. Moly (private entrant)		SIMCA Cinq Gordini	Simca 570cc S4
49	750	Clément-Auguste Martin (private entrant)	Clément-Auguste Martin	SIMCA Cinq Gordini	Simca 570cc S4
50	750	J.-É. Vernet (private entrant)	Just-Émile Vernet Gaston Tramer	SIMCA Cinq Gordini	Simca 570cc S4
51	1.0	Team Autosports F.S. Barnes (private entrant)	Norman Black Tommy Wisdom	Singer Nine Le Mans Replica	Singer 973cc S4	B
52	1.0	Team Autosports R. Eccles (private entrant)	Roy Eccles Marjorie Eccles	Singer Nine Le Mans Replica	Singer 973cc S4	B
53	1.0	Team Autosports M. Collier (private entrant)	Michael Collier Alf Langley	Singer Nine Le Mans	Singer 973cc S4
54	1.0	A.R. Marsh (private entrant)	Arthur Marsh Trevor Guest	Singer Nine Le Mans	Singer 973cc S4
55	1.0	R. Gaillard (private entrant)	Raymond Gaillard . Corbell	Singer Nine Le Mans	Singer 973cc S4	B
56	750	Austin Motor Co.	Pat Driscoll Charles Goodacre	Austin 7 AEK Grasshopper	Austin 749cc S4	B
57	750	Austin Motor Co.	Elsie Wisdom Kay Petre	Austin 7 AEK Grasshopper	Austin 749cc S4
58	750	Austin Motor Co.	Charles Dodson Donald Barnes	Austin 7 AEK Grasshopper	Austin 749cc S4
59	750	J. Carr (private entrant)	John Carr John Barbour	Austin 7 AEK Grasshopper	Austin 749cc S4	B
60	750	R. Marsh (private entrant)		Austin 7 AEK Grasshopper	Austin 749cc S4	B
Sources:

• Note *: equivalent class for supercharging, with x1.6 modifier to engine capacity.

Disruption and cancellation

Throughout the mid-1930s, France had been undergoing major political upheaval – as had much of Europe, as opinions became more polarised to fascist and communist groups. Unemployment, inflation, class inequality and military friction with Germany all contributed to the violent unrest. In the general election in May, it was the popular Front coalition of leftist parties that swept into power under Léon Blum. The second mass general strike occurred on 26 May to pressure the new government to pass sweeping reforms. Over two million workers from all over the country, including from the automobile factories, walked off the job for better work conditions. The strikes spread until five million workers were involved. However, there were no major riots. Ettore Bugatti was shut out of his own factory at Molsheim and the new car for the ACF could not be readied in time for Le Mans. At the occupied Renault plant there were 25,000 strikers who were kept in high spirits by a fine Senegalese men's choir.

By the time the government was able to negotiate a settlement it was 7 June. This was only three days before the nominal start of race-scrutineering. Faced with fuel shortages and the prospect that many entrants, and spectators, would be unable to get transport, accommodation or even food for the event, the ACO therefore announced that the race would be postponed. There was also the issue of having sufficient workers to prepare the public roads used for the circuit and getting officials and marshals to run the event.

They approached the AIACR with several rescheduled dates – the following weekend, and the first weekend of August. However, both weekends were vetoed by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) who had their own "international" (albeit minor) events on at the same times. The AIACR was swayed by the British group and blocked the submissions. Without any other potential options, the ACO officially cancelled the Le Mans race on 23 June. The French Grand Prix was held just five days later, run to the new formula. Raymond Sommer and Jean-Pierre Wimille won the 8-hour race with the new Bugatti Type 57G ahead of four Delahayes. In mid-July, Spain erupted in civil war, and abruptly motorsport was not important for an anxious and nervous Europe. The new French works teams would have to wait a year to test themselves against the proven experience of the Alfa Romeo and Lagonda privateers.

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Clarke, R.M. - editor (1998) Le Mans ‘The Bentley & Alfa Years 1923-1939’ Cobham, Surrey: Brooklands Books ISBN 1-85520-465-7
• Clausager, Anders (1982) Le Mans London: Arthur Barker Ltd ISBN 0-213-16846-4
• Laban, Brian (2001) Le Mans 24 Hours London: Virgin Books ISBN 1-85227-971-0
• Spurring, Quentin (2017) Le Mans 1930-39 Sherbourne, Dorset: Evro Publishing ISBN 978-1-91050-513-7

External links

• Racing Sports Cars – Le Mans 24 Hours 1936 entries, results, technical detail. Retrieved 20 Sep 2022
• Le Mans History – entries, results incl. photos, hourly positions. Retrieved 20 Sep 2022
• World Sports Racing Prototypes – results, reserve entries & chassis numbers. Retrieved 20 Sep 2022
• Radio Le Mans – Race article and review by Charles Dressing. Retrieved 20 Sep 2022
• Unique Cars & Parts – results & reserve entries. Retrieved 20 Sep 2022
• Formula 2 – Le Mans results & reserve entries. Retrieved 20 Sep 2022