VASSELLE DOES IT AGAIN!

VASSELLE DOES IT AGAIN! MAGNIFICENT VICTORY FOR HOTCHKISS DRIVER IN MONTE CARLO RALLY. RIGOROUS CONDITIONS FROM ALL STARTING CONTROLS.

FOR the second year in succession M. Vasselle, the well known Hotchkiss driver, has won the Monte Carlo Rally. Starting from Tallinn, in Esthonia, the Frenchman had a trouble-free run, and his victory for France is consolidated by the fact that Mine. Rouault and M. Quinlin carried off the Riviera Cup for light cars in a Samson.

Never have more difficult conditions been experienced by competitors from all starting points. The whole of Europe was in the grip of Arctic weather, there being heavy snow on all routes, while an icy road-surface was the general rule. The first ten cars all came from Tallinn, the road from Athens being impassable and only two cars, Rupert Riley’s Riley and Trevoux’s Hotchkiss surviving the etape to Belgrade. Still more unfortunate were those starting from Bucharest, who found the first stage to Jassy completely blocked with 18 ft. of snow, and had to change their starting points to Jassy, Lwow and Warsaw.

The chief difficulties against the Tallinn group were snow, ice and extreme cold, sometimes amounting to 35 degrees of frost. A. C. Lace and his crew in an open Invicta with small aero windscreens had to retire from frost-bite. Miss Riddell was last heard of with petrolfeed troubles on her Speed Twenty Alvis, while Huntley-Walker (Riley), Lace, J. Hobbs (Riley), and D. M. Healey (Invicta) were late at the Warsaw control. Healey came across Belgrave’s Magna in the ditch and towed it out, the trouble being caused by a failure of lights owing to a battery lead coming adrift. Just before Warsaw, Healey was passing a sleigh, which pulled out and blocked the road. Healey took to the loose snow at the side of the road and skidded into a tree, damaging the Invicta’s radiator beyond repair. Mrs. Vaughan crashed soon after the start, and was reported to have broken her arm. Another lady, Mlle. L. Jaffe overturned her Wanderer without serious injury. From Athens no competitors got through to the finish at all, while of

those who were to have started from Bucharest only F. du Bremond (Mathis) and R. Stoclet (Lancia) arrived at Monte Carlo. Only three of the Umea group dropped out, and six from Stavanger, F. S. Hutchens crashing on his Wolseley Hornet. The most serious accident occurred to Schenke, whose Buick fell into a lake. Schenke got out of the car through a window, but had to dive in again to rescue his passenger. Naturally enough, the highest percentage of finishers came from John o’Groats, which is the easiest starting control. Bainbridge had a smash with his Rolls-Royce on the way up, but got to Monte Carlo eventually, and H. S. Linfield (Essex Terraplane) was late at several controls. What might have been a catastrophe occurred in France when the Riley Gamecock driven by Mrs. Montague Johnstone overturned through skidding on an ice-bound road. By a miracle neither of the occupants was injured, and with remarkable courage proceeded to right their vehicle, and set off once more minus hood and windscreen. Despite great cold and discomfort, they succeeded in reaching Monte Carlo, which shows what stuff the true Rally driver is made of ! The results are not encouraging from the British point of view, for of the first ten in the final list of awards there is not a single British production-car—for the GardinerBentley is only an experimental model. France’s victory is a complete one, for of the remaining nine cars, eight are French and one Italian. Vasselle and the Hotchkiss Company are to be congratulated on their success. To win two years running is no accident, and can only be the result of careful preparations and driving. The Renault’s second place was well deserved, while the Salmson concern have re-entered the competition field in great style by winning the small car class and being placed third in the general classification. Mine. Schell’s Talbot was a meticulously prepared car with a home-made fabric body weighing only 2 cwt. The Gardiner-Bentley, driven with his usual skill by Lord de Clifford,

has scored a great triumph for the C.1. type by finishing fifth, and its prestige should be greatly enhanced.

An outstandingly good show was put up by the little Fiat ” Balila ” driven by Prince Narischkine, which is a really cheap production and has shown its worth in no unconvincing manner. In negotiating the miles of 10 inch ruts between Tallinn and Riga light cars are at a distinct disadvantage when compared with the big fellows like Guyot’s Renault and Vasselle’s Hotchkiss, and the performance of small machines like the Salmson, Amilcar, Fiat and Peugeot is therefore all the more creditable.

RESULTS.

1. M. Vasselle (Hotchkiss 3,485 c.c.).

2. R. Guyot (Renault 4,232 c.c.).

3. Mme. Rouault-M (Salmson 1,495 c.c.).

4. Mme. L. Schell-L. Schell (Darracq 2,505 c.c.).

5. Lord de Clifford (Gardiner-DieselBentley 5,570 c.c.).

6. R. Bravard (Amilcar 1,243 c.c.).

7. L. Braillard (Bugatti 3,257 c.c.). 8 Prince Narischkine (Fiat 995 c.c.).

9. H.’ Battu (Citroen 2,644 c.c.).

10. G. de Lavalette (Peugeot 1,465 c.c.). All the above started from Tallinn. The following also finished:—

Prom Tallinn.—Baron de Montpellier (Chrysler), F. Pousse (Amilcar), Mme. M. Mare use (Peugeot), H. Schreiber (Tatra), M. Laeroze (M.G.).

From Bucharest (after re-start from Lwow.—F. du Bremon.d (Mathis), RStoclet (Lancia). From Umea.—C. de Cortanze (Peugeot),

G. F. Dennison (Riley), Mrs. R. Gough (Riley), Mlle. Stackelberg (Hupmobile), Norman Black (Essex Terraplane), Comte van Heiden (Panhard).

From Stavanger.—G. Larue (Peugeot), J. W. Whalley (Ford), K. Bryde, Jun. (Studebaker), M. Bergan (Austin).

From Athens.—None. From John o’ Groats.—H. T. vnn Marken (Chrysler), Mrs. Montague Johnstone (Riley), P. E. Cremetti (Riley), Lt.-Cmdr. G. Maltby (Riley), P. Runciman (Alvis), F. Longman (Andre V.6), D. C. Love (Lagonda), J. S. Couldrey (Essex Terraplane), Mrs. L. Martin (Hillman), W. T. Townend (Talbot), H. C. Hobson (Austin), L. Martin (Humber), V. A. P. Bridge (Standard), W. Platt (11/.G.), R. H. W. Jaques (Rolls Royce), Col. A. H. Loughborough (Lanchester), J. B. Bainbridge (Rolls-Royce),

T. C. Mann (Lagonda), J. V. Crisp (Alvis), F. M. Lightfoot (Morris), F. S. Barnes (Singer), G. W. J. H. Wright (M.G..), H. J. Aldington (Frazer Nash), MISS S. P. Richardson (Ford), G. E. Stott (Daimler).