The history of international motor racing began in the late XIX century, when millionaire and owner of the newspaper New Herald, James Gordon Bennett, organized in 1899, an annual competition International Cup, which went into history as the "Race for Prize Gordon Bennett". Despite the lack of experience in organizing events of this kind, International Cup competition had a fairly strict rules: each national Automobile Club could put no more than three cars, all parts of the machine must be manufactured in the country, which exposes it to competition; vehicle weight must be ranging from 400 to 1000 kg; distance races should be 550-650 km, and the match took place in one stage, the distance could be laid between the cities or on a closed track in the latter case, the length of a circle must be at least 125 km, the first lottery International Cup was supposed to hold Automobile Club. In the first race held on June 14, 1900, was attended by only five drivers - three Frenchmen, an American and a Belgian. The winner was the Frenchman Fernand Charron on the car Panhard-Levassor, second place went to his compatriot Lyon Girardeau. In 1901, the International Cup was attached to race Paris-Bordeaux, a distance which was 527 km. This time fortune smiled Leon Girardeau - he was the one who made it to the finish. Total superiority of the French put the fate of the International Cup in question. However, even in the next race, which was attended by a total of five riders (3 from France and two from England), was the first Englishman Selwyn Edge in a car Napier. Now, the right to host races won and the UK. In 1903, the race for prize Gordon Bennett teams participated from 4 countries. In this race won by Camillo Ienattsi at Mercedes. In the next race was attended for 18 crews from 6 countries. International Cup is gaining popularity and contrary to the forecasts for three years has become a true international competition. A year later, the French Federation of ACF announced the termination of its participation in the prize draw Gordon Bennett. The fact that the competition regulations allows you to set only three crews from each country. With the development of overseas racing cars have become closely approximates the characteristics of the leading bolides from France. As a result, the ACF began conducting their own competition, dubbed the Grand Prix de l'ACF (Grand Prix of the Automobile Club of France), in which the number of participants was not normalized. Thus, the French decided not to take the quality and quantity. Furthermore, 20 June 1904 representatives of national automobile clubs have agreed to coordinate their activities and announced the creation of the International Association of recognized automobile clubs (Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus), which, after reorganization in 1946 became known as the International Automobile Federation (abbreviated - FIA). Implementation of the first Gran Prix under the auspices of ACF was scheduled for June 26, 1906. The venue was the small town of Le Mans. Racers had to overcome the 1,200 miles. The distance was divided into two stages, the passage of each granted within one day. On the night of racing cars were locked in special hangars are not available for the crews (all maintenance and refueling operations were conducted pilots and mechanics only during the race). Application Form 1934 filed racer. The main struggle developed between Francois Zizom at Renault and Italian Felice Natstsaro on Fiat. Despite the fact that their race cars were not the most powerful and fast, these pilots took the first and third places. The reason for such a successful performance was the novelty of the company Michelin - Demountable rim wheels that reduce the time of their replacement with 15 minutes to 1 minute 15 seconds. Gran Prix in 1908 was marked by tightening the rules - a lot of car limited to 1 100 kg, and the piston area of ??750 cm2. Despite the fact that almost half of the riders were from France, this race was a complete triumph for the Germans. Defeated Christian Lautenshlager on the car Mercedes, followed by a 9-minute behind finished Victor Emery and Renee Anrio the 150-strong Benz. The fiasco of the French continued to American Grand Prize. Two consecutive defeats of France led to that 13 firms involved in the Gran Prix, signed an agreement according to which none of them should not appear on Gran Prix competitions as long as someone from the conclusion of a convention would be to ignore these competitions. During the crisis, Gran Prix racing began to gain popularity Soupe de Voituretes (Cup of small cars), organized by the magazine L'Auto. Gradually, their geography has gone beyond the limits of France, the stages of the competition were held in Spain and Italy. Thanks Soupe de Voituretes began winning brands such as Bugatti and Peugeot. In addition, during the evolution of cars participating in the Cup of small cars, there was independent suspension, five-speed gearbox and engines with overhead camshafts. Revival Gran Prix was held in 1912. This time on the track under the Dieppe race cars racing Gran Prix started with the cars participating Coupe de Voituretes. The combination of two popular classes brought together an unprecedented up to this point the number of participants. In this race for the first time faced two design ideas. Old School has focused on increasing the volume and power motors, and representatives of Coupe de voituretes looking for new innovative solutions. Of a new school in the race participated Peugeot L76 car with an engine 7.6 liter. The four-cylinder engine with dual overhead camshafts developed 175 hp In addition, Peugeot L76 was equipped with wheels with bolt nut, which allows for rotation in seconds. As expected, the car is "new" schools under the control of Georges Buallay and won. Second place at the 14.1-liter Fiat S74 won by Louis Wagner. But his podium place only because the other two Peugeot out of the race because of breakdowns. Later his success was repeated in the Peugeot racing cars racing at Grand Prix of France on track for Le Mans. In 1913, ACF has tightened regulations: there was a restriction in fuel consumption (20 liters per 100 kilometers), and the race allowed only double race cars with an engine having at least 4 cylinders. The fuel tank had to be installed strictly for the seats and not be less than 1,0 m in length. Peugeot engineers have been forced to reduce the engine capacity up to 5.65 liters. However, this did not prevent them zavevat first two places in the race, which took Buallay Georges and Jules Gu. At the Grand Prix in 1914 the maximum engine capacity was limited to 4.5 liters. The motors of all brands of cars in 1913, launched in competitions, have hipped combustion chamber. Ten companies expressed a preference for 4-valve cylinder heads, and one - Bugatti - trehklapannoy. Swiss Piccard-Pictet used avalvular engine of Knight. Cars Schneider for the first time in history have forced the closure of valve mechanism. Machines 4 stamps - Delage, Peugeot, Piccard-Pictet and FIAT - supplied with brakes on all wheels. After the triumph in the previous two races were regarded as the undisputed favorite cars of Peugeot and Delage. But already on the first lap the leaders broke Mercedes running Max Sailer, and pilots and Peugeot Dekage rushed in pursuit. This was the cunning tactics of the Germans. Seiler had set a pace race cars to competitors simply can not stand the stress. Price your own car, which broke the 6-m range, he succeeded. Engine chasing his Buallay began to lose power, and the leaders broke three German car running Lautenshlagera, Wagner and Salzer. Subsequently, they took the first three places. A month after the race started the First World War, and motor racing in Europe "asleep" for years to five years.
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