24 Hours of Le Mans: 1933

Page Created 16/07/2020

24 Hours of Le Mans: 1933

Last Edit: 27/07/2020

The 1933 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 11th Grand Prix of Endurance. It took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe on 17 and 18 June 1933. Up against five strong privateer entries from Alfa Romeo, the opposition looked fairly weak, mostly being of 1920s vintage. There was a strong British contingent in the smaller classes. The big draw was the presence of top European drivers Louis Chiron and Tazio Nuvolari. The current European champion was paired with one of the previous year's winners, Raymond Sommer

After the major circuit changes in the previous year, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) continued with further improvements to the track. A yellow centre-line was painted down the Hunaudières Straight and reflective markers – forerunners of cat's eye reflectors were put on the approach to all the corners to assist during night driving. A further addition to the facilities was from the city of Le Mans. A small chapel was built to allow spectators to attend mass on the Sunday morning.

In line with the ACO's policy to alternate fuel supplier, this year the contract was with Shell, who offered four fuel choices: its regular fuel, a premium grade, 100% benzole and a 70/30 blend of the premium with benzole. The ACO also revised the equivalence factor for supercharged engines up to x1.4 from the x1.33 set the previous year.

Where we have not had a model of the car as raced through the business I've added another example of the car as an illustration (where I have one)

Pos	Car	No.	Team	Drivers	Chassis	Engine	Laps
1		11	R. Sommer (private entrant)	Raymond Sommer Tazio Nuvolari	Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 MM-LM	Alfa Romeo 2.3L S8 supercharged	233
2	(example)	8	L. Chinetti (private entrant)	Luigi Chinetti "Philippe Varent" (Philippe de Gunzburg)	Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 MM-LM	Alfa Romeo 2.3L S8 supercharged	233
3	(example)	12	Arthur W. Fox	Brian Lewis, Baron Essendon Tim Rose-Richards	Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 LM	Alfa Romeo 2.3L S8 supercharged	225
4	(example)	30	Riley (Coventry) Ltd	Kenneth Peacock Alex "Bill" van der Becke	Riley Nine Brooklands	Riley 1091cc S4	191
5	(example)	25	Aston Martin Ltd.	Pat Driscoll Clifton Penn-Hughes	Aston Martin 1¹⁄₂ Le Mans	Aston Martin 1496cc S4	188
6	(example)	41	J.L. Ford (private entrant)	John Ludovic Ford Maurice Baumer	MG C-type Midget	MG 745cc S4 supercharged	176
7	(example)	24	Aston Martin Ltd.	Augustus "Bert" Bertelli S. C. H. "Sammy" Davis	Aston Martin 1¹⁄₂ Le Mans	Aston Martin 1496cc S4	174
8	(example)	21	A. Rousseau (private entrant)	André Rousseau François Paco	Alfa Romeo 6C-1750 GS Coupé	Alfa Romeo 1742cc S6 supercharged	167
9	Still Looking	35	SA des Automobiles Tracta	Félix Quinault Pierre Padrault	Tracta Type A	SCAP 999cc S4	161
10	Still Looking	28	J.-É. Vernet (private entrant)	Just-Émile Vernet Fernand Vallon	Salmson GS Spéciale	Salmson 1092cc S4 supercharged	159
11	Still Looking	32	Alin Fréres (private entrant)	Adrien Alin Albert Alin	BNC Type 527 Sport	Ruby 1087cc S4	151
N/C ***	Still Looking	19	Société des Automobiles Charley	Gaston Mottet André Marandet	SARA SP7 Spéciale	SARA 1818cc S6	150 ***
12	Still Looking	34	Équipe de l'Ours	Jean de Gavardie Henri de Gavardie	Amilcar CO Spéciale Martin	Amilcar 1094cc S6	148
13	(example)	37	Singer Motors	F. Stanley Barnes Alf Langley	Singer Nine Sports	Singer 972cc S4	140
DNF	(example)	15	L. Chiron (private entrant)	Louis Chiron Franco Cortese	Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 LM	Alfa Romeo 2.3L S8 supercharged	177
DNF	(example)	38	N. Black (private entrant)	Gordon Hendy Harold Parker	MG J3 Midget	MG 745cc S4 supercharged	125
DNF	(example)	20	O. Siko (private entrant)	Odette Siko "Sabipa" (Louis Charavel)	Alfa Romeo 6C-1750 SS	Alfa Romeo 1768cc S6 supercharged	120
DNF	(example)	3	G. Bouriat (private entrant)	Pierre Bussienne Marie Desprez	Bugatti Type 50S	Bugatti 5.0L S8 supercharged	119
DNF	(example)	6	R. Labric (private entrant)	Roger Labric Guy Daniel	Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 Le Mans	Lorraine-Dietrich 3.4L S6	105
DNF	(example)	26	Aston Martin Ltd.	Mortimer Morris-Goodall Elsie "Bill" Wisdom	Aston Martin International	Aston Martin 1496cc S4	84
DNF	(example)	42	H.B. Metchim (private entrant)	Charles Metchim Cecil Masters	Austin 7 Chummy Special	Austin 742cc S4	78
DSQ	(example)	10	P.-L. Dreyfus (private entrant)	Guy Moll Guy Cloitre	Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 LM	Alfa Romeo 2.3L S8 supercharged	77
DNF	(example)	23	S. Czaykowski (private entrant)	Count Stanisław Czaykowski Jean Gaupillat	Bugatti Type 51A	Bugatti 1493cc S8	52
DSQ	(example)	2	N. von Hohenzollern- Sigmaringen (private entrant)	Prince Nicholas of Romania Joseph Cattaneo	Duesenberg Model SJ	Duesenberg 6.9L S8 supercharged	50
DNF	Still Looking	27	J. Danne (private entrant)	Jean Danne Charles Duruy	Rally NCP	Salmson 1362cc S4 supercharged	39
DNF	(example)	5	J. Trévoux (private entrant)	Jean Trévoux Louis Gas	Bentley 4¹⁄₂ "Blower"	Bentley 4.4L S6 supercharged	25
DNF	(example)	31	J. Sébilleau (private entrant)	Jean Sébilleau Georges Delaroche	Riley Nine Brooklands	Riley 1091cc S4	20
DSQ	Still Looking	36	Équipe de l'Ours	Clément-Auguste Martin Auguste Bodoignet	Amilcar CO/4 Spéciale Martin	Amilcar 990cc S4	13
DNF	Still Looking	33	Équipe de l'Ours	Lucien Buquet Bernard Clouet	Amilcar CO/4 Spéciale Martin	Amilcar 1074cc S4	13

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