Tony Cragg

In 1899, James Gordon Bennett junior, the richissime owner of the New York Herald, proposes with the Car-Clubs to organize an International prize with national teams. The France is, at the time, it first car manufacturer of the world, also it is the Automobile Club of France which works out the payment, this one specifies in particular that the annual test will be organized by the victorious country of the back issue. It is the nationality of the car manufacturer who counts, not that of the pilot. In a few years, the Cut Gordon Bennett becomes an event of world range.

1900

First edition of the Gordon-Bennett cut. The departure is given on June 14th. The course, length 569 km, connects Paris to Lyon. There are only 5 engaged, three French cars (of the Panhard-Levassor) controlled by Fernand Charron, Girardot and De Knyff, an American car (Winton) and a Belgian (Snoeck) led by Camille Jenatzy.

It is Fernand Charron which carries it for France in 9 hours and 9 minutes in front of Girardot. Already more than 60 km/h of average, with a car of 24 ch!

1901

Organized in France on the course Paris Bordeaux, it is again France which carries it, the other countries having declared fixed price! It is again Panhard-Levassor, with the hands of Leonce Girardot this time which gains the cut, the other Charron candidates on Panhard and Levegh on Mors having given up.

1902

France chooses the course Paris Innsbrück, approximately 900 km, shared with the Paris-Vienna race. The crossing of Switzerland was neutralized because of prohibition of the competitions by the Swiss authorities, the course will make only 565 km.

The British take up the challenge and five cars are committed. Three Frenchwomen: a Bit (Baker), Panhard (of Knyff), a Cartwright - Girardot-Voigt (Girardot), and two British: Wolseley (Herbert Austin and White) and Napier (Edge).

The Irishman Selwyn Francis Edge at the wheel of his Napier of 40 ch, only survivor on arrival, gains the Cut with a 11 hours and 2 minutes time.

1903

The cut is organized in Ireland around the town of Athy in the county of Kildare, in the south-west of Dublin. It had been preceded by disastrous the race Paris-Madrid which made many victims. The exemplary course of the Irish race them conducting left, as in the modern rallys, one by every 7 minutes made it possible the automobile competitions to find one will have near the public and of the authorities.

As illustration, the circuit of this edition 1903 traversed several times for a total of 525 km:

This time the teams are complete. The volunteers (3 per country):

France: Gabriel on Bit , of Knyff and Henri Farman on Panhard
the United States: Owen and Winton on Winton , Mooers on Peerless
Great Britain: Edge, Jarott and Stocks on Napier
Germany: De Caters, Jenatzy and Foxhall Keane on Mercedes

It is the German team which gains the test on Mercedes 4 cylinders and 60 ch, controlled by the Belgian Camille Jenatzy (the manufacturer of the " Jamais Satisfies ") in front of Panhard of Knyff and Farman. The winner empocha 8 000 £ of price and premiums.

On this occasion, and in the honor of Ireland, the British team painted her cars in " green anglais" , that used then during long years by the British racing racing cars.

1904

The race takes place in Germany on June 17th in the presence of the emperor Guillaume II, on a circuit of 127 km in the solid mass of the Taunus, close to Bad Homberg (in the North-West of Frankfurt) to traverse 4 times, that is to say 508 km.

For this edition, six nations are in string:

Germany with two Mercedes , including one for Jenatzy and the other for the baron Pierre de Caters and a Opel 4 cylinders of 100 ch led by Fritz Opel, the creator of the mark with his copilot Carl Jörns,
Austria with three Mercedes controlled by Edgar Braun, Christian Werner and Warden
Belgium with 3 Pipe with the hands of Lucien Hautvast, Augières and of Crawhez
France with Leon Théry on Richard-Blazing inferno , Jacques Salleron on Bit and Henri Rougier on a Turcat-Méry .
Great Britain with two Wolseley for Sidney Girling and Charles Jarroll and a Napier for Edge,
Italy with three FIAT led by Alessandro Cagno, Vincenzo Lancia and Storero

The victory will go to the French Leon Théry and 80 ch de its Richard-Blazing inferno in front of Jenatzy, Rougier and the baron de Caters, in 5 hours and 50 minutes. 100 km/h approach!

Enthusiasm is such as France had to proceed to eliminating heats between 29 applicants on a circuit of the the Ardennes.

1905

After the French victory in Germany the previous year, Clermont-Ferrand accommodates the sixth Gordon-Bennett cut, on a course of 137 kilometers worked out by the brothers Michelin. Six nations take part:

Germany with Jenatzy, De Caters and Werner, all on Mercedes ,
Austria with Braun, Burton, Hieronymus, all on Mercedes ,
the United States with Lyttle and Dingley on Pop-Toledo and Locomotive Tracy on ,
Great Britain with Charles Rolls and Bianchi on Wolseley and Earp on Napier ,
France with Leon Théry, Gustave Caillois on Blazing inferno and Arthur Duray on a DE DIETRICH ,
FIAT team Italy: Felice Nazzaro, Cagno and Vincenzo Lancia.

July 5th, more 80 000 spectators assist with this race gained, like the previous year, by Leon Théry over a Richard-Blazing inferno of eleven liters and 96 ch, with more than 80 km/h mean velocity, in front of Nazzaro, Cagno and Caillois.

It will be the last edition and France definitively gains the trophy offered by James Gordon Bennett. On this occasion, Michelin publishes its first Road map, that of the course of the race on a 1/100 scale; 000e.

The following year is organized the first Grand Prix of the ACF to the Mans.

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