222MONTD

MONT DES MULES HILL CLIMB BRITISH CARS WIN SIX CLASSES OUT OF SEVEN. 1100 c.c. M.G. MAGNETTE MAKES FASTEST TIME OF THE DAY

THE bill-climb which concludes the motoring week at Monte Carlo, and which is held for the benefit of such competitors in the Rally as may care to take part, is an excellent final test for a touring car. The course is 3

kilometres in length, has a gradient of 1 in 16 and four hairpin bends, thus affording

opportunities for blowing up the Ingine or bending the front axle.

The sun shone fitfully and a cold wind chilled competitors waiting to start.. First away was W. T. Platt (M.G.) who made a sound climb. The little Balilla Fiat driven by Prince Narishkine sounded fruity, and Lacroze’s Magna was well handled, but spluttered a good deal getting away from corners. Berry, who was handling the Frazer Nash in place of Aldington, who had fallen ill at the last minute, made an excellent climb considering that he had not driven up before. He hit the outside bank on the second hairpin but went on without stopping. Wright on the supercharged Magnette seemed perfectly happy, and the brakes were noticeably good. As was expected, he made fastest time of the day.

The accident

The Lagondas went up silently and well, T. C. Mann being the fastest. Crisp’s Alvis did not seem too happy, and had a smoky exhaust. Stael on a 3 litre Bugatti made an effortless climb, while the Lancia was chiefly noticeable for the way it cornered, the good lock allowing it to. be taken round the hairpins without needing to keep to the outside. The French and English Talbots driven by Schell and Townend came up without fuss, but the thing which cheered the spectators was the firm way in which the continental drivers cornered on high saloons, taking not the slightest notice of rolling bodies or flexing tyres. The S.S. did not seem very well handled, for though possessing an ample lock it was driven right across

the second corner so that the near front wheel struck the bank.

Whalley in a V8 Ford made an excellent climb in the 5 litre class, also Ribiero-Ferreira in a pelage. Montpellier (Chrysler) stopped through lack of petrol. Then occurred an incident which might have had unpleasant consequences. P. Despouys, driving a Renault, took the bend leading to the second hairpin too wide and got his outside wheel over the edge with a 200 foot drop below. He somehow managed to wrench his car on to the road again, hit the inner wall and , damaged things considerably. The marshal at the corner stopped Linfield who was following, and of all things told him to proceed down the hill again ! The marshals were not provided with telephones, so without knowing anything of the stoppage the following driver, Norman Black, also on a Terraplane, came on at full speed. He must have been doing 55 m.p.h. when he appeared round the corner and dashed into Linfield’s car. The cars were, of course, very badly damaged, but neither driver was injured, the only people who were being Bert Firman, the conductor of one of the Monte Carlo dance bands and Peatherstonehaugh, who often appears at Brooklands in an Alfa and was playing in the same band as Firman.

Luckily almost all the cars had been up the hill, but of the rest de Clifford’s Bentley was the only one of interest. He climbed in 3 min. 5.4 secs. and was most spectacular on one of the upper bends, the outside wheels being up on the bank in a most disturbing manner.

The British competitors showed up well, raising the class records in the 1,100, 1,500 and 2,000 c.c. classes.

RESULTS OF THE MONT DES MULES HILL CLIMB.

Up to 750 c.c.-1, W. T. Platt (M.G.), 3 mins. 35.3 secs., 50.092 k.p.h. ; 2, F. Longman (V6), 6 mins. 52.2 secs. 750 c.c. to 1,100 c.c.-1, G. W. J. H. Wright

(M.G. Magnette), 3 mins. 9.3 secs., 56.962 ; 2, 0. F. Dennison (Riley), 3 mins. 37.1 sees.; 3, F. S. Barnes (Singer), 3 mins. 54 secs. Wright’s time was the fastest of the day and is a class record. Previous best, 3 mins. 22.4 secs.

1,100 c.c. to 1,500 c.c.-1, N. A. Berry (driving H. J. Aldington’s Frazer-Nash), 3 mins. 22 secs., 53.465 k.p.h.; 2, M. Lacroze (11.0. Magna), 3 mins. 412 sees.; 3, Per Bergan (Austin), 4 mins. 20.1 secs. Berry’s time is a class record. Previous best, 3 mins. 30 secs. 1,500 c.c. to 2,000 c.c.-1, T. C. Mann (Lagonda), 3 mins. :32.3 sees., 50.799 k.p.h.; 2, H. C. Liddell (Lagonda), 3 mins. 52 sees.; 3,D . C . Dove (Lagonda),

4 mins. 4.3 sees.; 4, J. V. Crisp (Alvis), 4 mins. 13 secs. Mann heat his previous record by 1.1. sec.

2,000 c.c. to 3,000 c.c.-1, J. W. 0. M. Staal (Bugatti), 3 mins. 27.1 secs., 52.123 k.p.h. ; 2, Prince von Sehoenburg-Waldenburg (Lancia), 3 mins. 31 secs.

3,000 c.c. to 5,000 c.c.-1, J. W. Whalley (Ford), 3 mins. 23 secs., 51.773 k.p.h. ; 2, P.5. A. de R ibieroFerriera (Deluge), 3 mins. 30 sees.; 13, J. van Abbe (Rocktie), 3 mins. 36 secs.

5,000 c.c. to 8,000 c.c.-1, Lord de Clifford (Gardner-Diesel-Bentley), 3 mins. 50.4 secs., 46,793 k.p.h.

The Automobile Club de Monaco Cup for fastest time of the day was worillby/G. W. J. H. Wright (M.G. Magnette).