THE GRAND PRIX OF ALGIERS.
TUT CLAMP [DUI% CIF Bugattis fill First Three Places.
Results of the final handicap :
1. Etancelin (2,300 c.c. Bugatti) (4m. 20s.), 171.71 miles).
2. Lehoux (2,300 tc.c. Bugatti) (scratch), 166.89 miles.
3. Dreyfus (2,300 c.c. Bugatti) (scratch), 165.77 miles.
4. Scaron (1,100 c.c. Amilcar), (17 minutes), 159.56 miles.
5. De Maleplane (2,000 c.c. Bugatti) (11 mins.), 158.50 miles.
6. Czaikowski (1,500 c.c. Bugatti), (13 mins.).
7. Hiercourt (1,500 c.c. Bugatti), (31 mins.).
8. Madame Itier (1,100 c.c. Rally), (44 mins.).
9. Avon (1,500 c.c. Bugatti), (12 minutes).
HOWVER much one many deplore the lack of the sporting spirit in motoring elsewhere, no one can deny that North Africa is anything but lacking in this respect. Morocco and Oran have already run their Grands Prix, and now that of Algiers must be added to the list. The event for racing cars was run on 11th May, and consisted of an eliminating test, and a handicapped final, which were run over the Circuit of Staoueli, measuring four and a half miles to the lap. The cars had first of all to run for an hour, after which the first six in the 1,100 c.c. class and the first ten of the bigger class were eligible for the final. This consisted of a three hour event over the same course, the cars receiving a handicap based on the judgment of the organisers. This system was freely criticised before the race, and was stoutly defended on the grounds that it worked well enough at Brooklands, a defence which we must admit did not impress us greatly. The event attracted in all twentyfour entries. In the 1100 c.c. class seven Amilcars were matched against
a couple of Rallys, one of which was driven by Madame Itier, and a Salmson. The larger class, as seems usually to be the case nowadays, consisted almost entirely of Bugattis of the 1500 c.c., 2-litre and 2,300 c.c. types, the only other car entered being a 1500 c.c. supercharged Bucciali. Incidentally every car entered was supercharged with the exception of a Bugatti driven by Sciry.
The day of the race was gloriously fine, and the proceedings started with the eliminating test for the 1100 c.c. class. This event terminated in a win for Dupont, the fierce but effective driver of an Amilcar, who had to contend with a broken front wheel after missing a bend, but who managed to cover 74.35 miles in the hour. Second place looked for long as if it would fall to Scaron, also on an Amilcar, but he was held back with plug trouble, and it was finally captured by Marret on the Salmson. The others in this class finished in the following order : .Mamur (Amilcar), Scaron (Amilcar), and Madame Itier (Rally). The eliminating test for the bigger cars proved more exciting, and soon developed into a terrific duel between Dreyfus and Lehoux, both on 2,300 c.c. Bugattis, while close behind them came Etancelin, also on a car of the same type, in spite of the fact that he was handicapped by a broken rib, which he got in the Grand Prix of Oran. Lehoux covered a lap in 3 minutes 16 seconds, but Dreyfus proceeded to clip a second off this record, and finally covered 80.4 miles in the hour, one mile more than his rival. The others in this class finished in this order :Etancelin (2300 c.c.), de Maleplane (2-litre), Czaikowski (1500 c.c.), Dore (1500 c.c.), Avon (1500 c.c.), Hiercourt (1500 c.c.), Zehender (2000
c.c.), Pisella(Bucciali) and the Baroness Elern (2000 c.c. Bugatti).
As a result of his hard driving in the eliminating test, Dreyfus found on finishing that his car had suffered a cracked water jacket. There remained however three hours before the final, and nothing daunted therefore, Dreyfus proceeded to change his cylinder block during the interval. Unfortunately the start of the final was marred by a fatal accident to the Baroness Elem. She had just started, and had hardly attained maximum speed when while passing another competitor, her car got into the ditch, hit a telegraph pole and the unfortunate driver was killed.
In the meantime Madame Itier had gained the lead on her Rally, which however she lost after turning round completely twice on corners. Michel Dore then proceeded to take the lead until he was put out by a broken valve. Meanwhile Lehoux and Dreyfus were enjoying a magnificent dog-fight, the two cars often racing neck and neck, until a flying stone broke Dreyfus’ goggles, and delayed him for about a minute. Etancelin however was also going great guns, and at the end of the three hours he had covered the greatest distance, having had 4 minutes 20 seconds start on Lehoux and Dreyfus who finished behind him in that order.
By his victory in this event Dreyfus secured for Bugatti the permanent possession of the Repusseau cup. This trophy was competed for last year in the Bungundian Grand Prix, and was won by Bugatti. The rules for the cup state that it is to become the permanent possession of any manufacturer whose cars win it two years running, and Etancelin’s victory thus assured it for good to Bugatti.