Where and how did the world’s first car race take place?
The history of the first car racing is incredibly exciting and unusual. Modern people, accustomed to new-fashioned and high-speed vehicles, can hardly imagine that the car used to not only move several times slower than a person, but even didn’t always start. What could be a car competition?
Without looking at that moment that the automobile industry began to progress and develop only towards the end of the 18th century, competitions in gasoline, steam and even electric cars became at that moment a real world treasure that shook all humanity and opened the door to a new era.
The first motorists, namely Karl Bentz, Gottlieb Daimler, Elwood Hines, Emil Levassor, were able to give us examples of today’s most popular cars, which for many decades have been considered leading in all large and developed countries. So, in inheritance from the French and Germans, we inherited the cars of Lexus, Mercedes, and jeep versions.
To the origins of history: from Paris to Rouen and from Paris to Bordeaux
Informal first car races were held in France in the summer of 1894. This event had a fairly modest scale and was aimed at testing existing cars for endurance and selecting participants for participation in this race. Thus, the French press marked this event as the “Reliability Check”, which later grew into the real competition. In total, 102 participants decided to try their luck in the “zero” competition.
The tracks, specially equipped for this case, did not exist, so the racing road ran from one city to another. The route from Paris to Rouen was only 120 kilometers, but this distance was very difficult for many participants. Trial races were not distinguished by special success, as many cars not only could not go all the distance, but even get to the starting line.
The real first serious competitions, adapted to our modern times, were held in 1895 in France, but now they had a completely different level and were organized by serious people, with the support of a number of publishing houses and sponsors. Only 49 cars took part in the race, each of which simply amazed with its intricate design and unusual appearance. The test was to be serious, as it was necessary for motorists to overcome a path of 1,200 kilometers, which ran through all of Paris and Bordeaux.
Emil Levassor became the winner of the world’s first automobile racing. His two-seat Panard-Levassore successfully covered the entire distance and made it to the finish line safe and sound. Only 13 cars were able to reach the end after the car Emile.
