Autodrome de Montlhéry (established 4 October 1924) is a motor racing circuit, officially called L’autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, owned by , located southwest of the small town of Montlhéry about south of Paris.
History
Industrialist Alexandre Lamblin hired René Jamin to design the oval-shaped track for up to vehicles at . It was initially called Autodrome Parisien, and had especially high banking. A road circuit was added in 1925.
The first race there, the 1925 French Grand Prix, was held on 26 July 1925 and organised by Automobile Club of France. It was a race in which Robert Benoist in a Delage won; Antonio Ascari died in an Alfa Romeo P2. The Grand Prix revisited the track in 1927 and each year between 1931 and 1937.
In 1939 the track was sold to the government, which deprived it of maintenance during the war. In December 1946, it was again sold to Union technique de l'automobile et du cycle ().
The last certification for racing was gained in 2001.
Motorcar races The first race, the 1925 French Grand Prix, was held on 26 July 1925 and organised by the Automobile Club of France. Robert Benoist in a Delage won; but Antonio Ascari died in a crash of his Alfa Romeo P2.
In July 1926 Violette Cordery lead a team that averaged for driving an Invicta, and became the first woman to be awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club.Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Violette Cordery
The Grand Prix revisited the track in 1927.
In 1929, Hellé Nice drove an Oméga-Six to victory in the all-female Grand Prix of the third Journée Feminine at the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry.
The Grand Prix revisited the track each year between 1931 and 1937.
The "Coupe du Salon", "Grand Prix de l'Age d'Or" and the "1000 km" were arranged irregularly since then, as the track has had several high-speed problems.
Motorcycle races The Grand Prix de France (UMF French Federation) was organized in Linas-Montlhéry in 1925, 1931, 1935 and 1937 with the best worldwide racers.
A competitor Grand Prix de France (MCF Club) was also organized from 1924 to 1937 with the best French and British racers.
The Bol d'or, the well-known French motorcycle endurance race of 24 hours, was held in Linas-Montlhéry before the Second War from 1937 to 1939, and after the Second War in 1949, in 1950, from 1952 to 1960, in 1969 and in 1970. British motorcycles were victorious usually from 1931 to 1959, (Velocette, Norton or Triumph); American Harley-Davidson, French Motobécane, German BMW, Italian Moto Guzzi, Austrian Puch and Czechoslovak Jawa won only once. A legendary French racer, Gustave Lefèvre (Norton Manx) is always the record holder with 7 victories despite riding alone during 24 hours : his average speed was in 1953. The year after, two riders were allowed. In 1969, a Japanese bike, Honda Four, wins for the first time. In 1970, a British one, Triumph Trident, wins for the last time.The winners of Bol d’or.
Another race open the year in France, the Côte Lapize, climbing around the hill of Saint-Eutrope : the new engines confidentially prepared during the winter months were shown. In early 1950s, Pierre Monneret riding the famous Gilera Four, 500 cc, sent by the official Italian team, was one of them.
Some races were open to production motorcycles like the Coupe du Salon (morning for motorcycles, afternoon for motorcars) or the Coupes Eugène Mauve.
Fatal accidents at Autodrome de Montlhéry include Benoît Nicolas Musy (1956), and the one in which Peter Lindner, Franco Patria and three flag marshals died in 1964.
Other events In 1933 the circuit hosted the UCI Road World Championships for cycling.
In 1961 at Montlhery circuit the British motorcycle manufacturer Veloce used a team of eight riders, including managing director Bertram 'Bertie' Goodman and Motorcycling staff writer Bruce Main-Smith, to set a world record on a near-standard Velocette Venom Clubman machine of in excess of 100mph (100.06) for 24 hours for a 500cc machine, a record which still stands.
In 2010 the Speed Ring played host to Ken Block's Gymkhana Three video, an advertisement for his company, DC Shoes.AUSmotive.com - Ken Block: Gymkhana Three
Layout configurations
Lap records
As of May 1995, the fastest official race lap records at Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry are listed as:
Category Time Driver Vehicle Event Full Circuit: GT 5:03.9 René Dreyfus Delahaye 145 1937 Million Franc Race GP 5:06.0 Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo P3 1934 French Grand Prix Circuit 1 (Speed Ring): Sports 2000 1:21.750 Bruno Sotty Osella PA8 1985 Coupe D'Automne GT1 1:21.990 Bob Wollek Porsche 911 Bi-Turbo 1995 1000 km de Paris Formula Three 1:22.230 Christian Vidal Dallara F389 1989 Montlhery French F3 round Formula Two 1:23.600 Maurice Trintignant Cooper T45 1960 Montlhery F2 round Group 4 1:23.600 Gijs van Lennep Porsche 906 1966 Paris Grand Prix Group 6 1:27.900 Gérard Larrousse Porsche 908/02 1970 Coupe du Salon Group 3 1:29.100 Abarth Simca 2000 1964 Coupe de Paris Formula Renault 2.0 1:29.600 Tecno FP120 1971 2nd Montlhéry French Formula Renault round Group A 1:30.990 Jean-Pierre Jarier Holden VL Commodore SS Group A 1987 Monthlhéry French Supertouring Group A round Group 5 1:48.500 Jean Mazzanti Fiat-Abarth 1000Alfa Romeo GTA 1965 Coupe de Paris Circuit 3: Group 5 2:17.900 Johnny Servoz-Gavin Matra MS630 1968 Paris Grand Prix Formula One 2:20.300 Raymond Sommer Talbot Lago T26C 1950 Paris Grand Prix Formula Two 2:21.200 Piero Taruffi Ferrari Tipo 500 1952 Paris Grand Prix Group 4 2:26.500 Jean-Michel Giorgi Lola T70 Mk.3 GT 1968 Coupe de Paris Voiturette 2:37.600 Maurice Trintignant Simca-Gordini 11 1948 Montlhery Voiturette round Circuit 4: Group 5 2:30.500 Helmut Marko Porsche 917 Spyder 1971 1000 km of Paris Group 6 2:40.100 Jean-Pierre Beltoise Matra MS650 1969 1000 km of Paris Group 3 2:45.100 Jackie Stewart Ferrari 250 LM 1964 1000 km de Paris Formula Two 2:50.700 Jack BrabhamJim Clark Brabham BT21Lotus 44 1966 Grand Prix de L'île de France Circuit Routier 2: Group 6 2:35.300 Henri Pescarolo Matra MS660 1970 1000 km de Paris
Further reading William Boddy, Montlhéry, the story of the Paris autodrome
Notes
References
External links Montlhery.com Website about Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry on Stades Mythiques Paris Autodrome News Association pour le soutien de l'autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry Historic Purpose Built Grand Prix Circuits on Google Maps