The world's most dangerous sporting event.
from Automotive (1570 articles)
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Image Gallery ( 22 images )Crowds gathered where the action was, on the corners. There were no safety fences.
Not all of the cars had brakes on all four wheels, yet the cars quickly got bigger and heavier and as there was no engine capacity limit, massive engines of 15 plus litres regularly started these events.
Speeds quadrupled in less than a decade
By 1903, average speeds for these races had quadrupled in less than a decade to more than 100kmh.
The inevitable happened and the Paris-Madrid event became the most notorious motor race in history and spelled the end of racing on public roads in France.
The event was stopped at the end of the first stage, just 550 kilometres into the 1000 kilometre event because of a mounting death toll.
In all, two drivers, one mechanic (mechanics rode in the vehicle in those days) and five spectators had died by the half way point and both Spanish and French authorities concurred and the event was stopped.
The two leading drivers (one being Louis Renault, founder of the Renault empire) ran at such a fearful pace, they averaged over 105 kmh for the distance to Bordeaux, indicating they were capable of much higher top speeds.
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