Jean Bugatti's Shelsley Pot

Sir,

With reference to your footnote to Walter Gibbs’ letter in the October issue of Motor Sport, I am surprised that Hugh Conway should say that “according to the MAC” a cup was awarded to Jean Bugatti as consolation for unofficially breaking the record in practice. This view is certainly not accepted in this Club, nor is there any evidence for it in the contemporary, Minute Books: I would have thought that the inscription on the Cup itselt, quoted by Mr. Gibbs, makes it quite clear that it was awarded for the best performance in Section B (Sports Cars Class •5 — Cars 2001 to 3000 c.c.)

I have before me the master results sheet of the open Hill Climb on June 25th. 1932, sign. by Col. Lindsay Lloyd and Col. Loughborough, showing that the winner of Class 5 I, was Jean Bugatti with a time of 49 1 5 sec. Second in this Class war Leon Bachelier with 51 3 • 5 sec. The Minutes in Leslie Wilson’s hand ‘I a Committee Meeting held on July 12th. 1932. contain the following: “It was unanimously agreed that a Cup should be presented to Mr. Bacheher as well as Mr. Sagami for Sports Cars in 5.” It veould appear from this that the only “consolation price went to Bachelier, who was deprived of a class win he the Stewards’ decision to allow Jean Bugatti to make a change of car and class.

Mr. Gibbs questioned whether the ‘P.594101) car ever completed a climb at Shelsley. and it would be very interesting to know whether anv iit your readers may have evidence ,,rhaps in the form tit a photograph of the car in the Finish Paddock to show that a practice run was completed. Practice times vvere not. of course. officially recorded in 1932 lir lair mane years thereafter.

Kidderminster. Worcs. MARK lI,t LAN! Se, retary M