the european grand prix

display_0957d51541

THE EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX.

WHEN Benoist brought his Delage home a winner in the European Grand Prix at Monza on September 4th, he achieved the unique success of winning three successive races counting for the championship of the world. By these three victories the Delage has proved itself the racing car of the year, and now has the added glory of beating a team of racers from the other side of the Atlantic. The performance of the American cars at Monza was in fact not brilliant, for their leading car was also beaten by one of the new O.M. racers, for which we have been waiting since the 1926 European Grand Prix at San Sebastian and which have only just made their first appearance. The new Fiats, which have been expected even longer, also appeared on September 4th, though not in the European Grand Prix. The meeting opened with a hors d’ceuvre in the form of a 50 kilometre race for 1,100 c.c. cars which attracted only five starters, consisting of three Salmsons, a B.N.C. and a 6-cyl. Amilcar. The issue also was not long in doubt for the Amilcar soon outdistanced its rivals, and

won easily at an average speed of 76.36 m.p.h. On the third lap, d’Harrincourt, one of the Salmson drivers, overturned, fortunately without damaging himself. while the B.N.C. retired with engine trouble. The other two Salmsons finished, Clerici being second and Lipman third.

The second race was for cars up to 2 litres and marked the appearance of the new 1,500 c.c. Fiat. The new racer from the famous Turin factory is probably the lowest car which has yet appeared. It has a 12-cyl. engine, with the cylinders arranged in two vertical blocks of six, each crank-shaft having a pinion on its after end which engages with a pinion on the clutch shaft. Three overhead camshafts operate the valves, the central one actuating the inlet valves on both blocks. Otherwise the chassis follows usual Fiat practice, with a multi-plate clutch and 4-speed gear-box in unit with the engine and a propeller shaft enclosed in a torque tube. The Fiat, which was driven by Bordino, had against it a supercharged 1,500 c.c. Bugatti driven by Cirio, and a 1,500 c.c. Chiribiri with Serb°li at the wheel, while