The 1934 French Grand Prix (formally the XXVIII Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France) was a Grand Prix motor race held on 1 July 1934 at Montlhéry. The race comprised 40 laps of a 12.5 km circuit, for a total race distance of 500.0 km. This race was the first outside of Germany to see the Silver Arrows of Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz, which would go on to dominate Grand Prix racing until the start of World War II.
The race was won by Louis Chiron driving an Alfa Romeo. Chiron lead from the start, jumping the start to lead the first lap, but was quickly challenged by the Germans. Stuck, who made a poor start, was able to take the lead on lap 3, while down the field the Mercedes' and other Alfa Romeos and Auto Unions battled for the remaining places, while the Bugattis and Maseratis showed themselves to be totally outclassed. With Stuck's Auto Union slowing, Chiron retook the lead on lap 9. This he held to the end, as although he was pressured by the Mercedes of Fagioli and Caracciola, this ultimately came to nothing, as by the end of the race not a single German car was still running.
Starting grid Grid No Driver Car Note 1 10 Hermann zu Leiningen Auto Union A Did not start 2 2 Hans Stuck Auto Union A Raced Momberger's car 3 6 Achille Varzi Alfa Romeo Tipo-B P3 4 8 Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz W25 5 4 August Momberger Auto Union A Raced zu Leiningen's car 6 12 Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo Tipo-B P3 7 14 Tazio Nuvolari Bugatti T59 8 16 Robert Benoist Bugatti T59 9 18 René Dreyfus Bugatti T59 10 20 Carlo Felice Trossi Alfa Romeo Tipo-B P3 11 22 Manfred von Brauchitsch Mercedes-Benz W25 12 24 Goffredo Zehender Maserati 8C 13 26 Philippe Étancelin Maserati 8CM 14 30 Luigi Fagioli Mercedes-Benz W25
Classification
Pos No Driver Car Laps Time/Retire 1 12 Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo Tipo-B P3 40 3h39m14.6 2 6 Achille Varzi Alfa Romeo Tipo-B P3 40 3h42m31.9 3 20 Carlo Felice Trossi Guy Moll Alfa Romeo Tipo-B P3 40 3h43m23.8 4 16 Robert Benoist Bugatti T59 36 +4 laps Ret 24 Goffredo Zehender Maserati 8C 33 Rear axle attachment Ret 2 Hans Stuck Auto Union A 32 Engine Ret 14 Tazio Nuvolari Jean-Pierre Wimille Bugatti T59 17 Transmission Ret 18 René Dreyfus Bugatti T59 16 Engine Ret 8 Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz W25 15 Fuel feed Ret 30 Luigi Fagioli Mercedes-Benz W25 14 Brakes Ret 22 Manfred von Brauchitsch Mercedes-Benz W25 11 Supercharger Ret 26 Philippe Étancelin Maserati 8CM 11 Engine Ret 4 August Momberger Auto Union A 10 Steering DNS 10 Hermann zu Leiningen Auto Union A DNS (Unwell) DNS Ernst Henne Mercedes-Benz W25 Reserve driver, practiced DNS Peter de Paolo Maserati 8CM Entered, but injured in Penya Rhin DNS Raymond Sommer S.E.F.A.C. DNS References:
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