1904 Gordon Bennett Cup

  1904 Gordon Bennett Cup

Race details
Pre-1906 Grand Prix seasons
Date	17 June 1904
Official name	V Coupe Internationale
Location	Taunus, Germany
Course length	128 km (79.465 mi)
Distance	4 laps, 512 km (317.86 mi)
Podium
First	Léon Théry (FRA)	Richard-Brasier
Second	Camille Jenatzy (BEL)	Mercedes
Third	Henri Rougier (FRA)	Turcat-Méry

The 1904 Gordon Bennett Cup, formally titled the V Coupe Internationale, was a motor race held on 17 June 1904 on the Homburg Circuit in Germany. The race consisted of four laps of the circuit to make the total distance 527km (79.465 miles). A German entry had won the previous year's edition of the race, which meant that the rights to host the race fell to the Automobilclub von Deutschland (AvD). Germany were to attempt to defend the Gordon Bennett Cup against France, Great Britain, Austria and Italy, and each country was represented by three entries, with the car that finished the race in the shortest time winning the race on behalf of his country.

The race was won by Léon Théry driving a Richard-Brasier and representing France in a time of five hours and 50 minutes. Camille Jenatzy driving a Mercedes and representing Germany finished in second place and Henri Rougier driving a Turcat-Méry and representing France finished in third place.

Race Report

The Times reported the 1904 Gordon Bennett motor race took place in Germany on June 17th over 342 miles (550 km), consisting of four laps of a course in the neighbourhood of Homburg (Bad Homburg).^[1] From Saalburg the course ran north to Usingen, where there was a control point (an inhabited or built up area where the cars had to travel slowly under the supervision of course officials) then through Grävenwiesbach to Weilburg, where there was a second control point, then past Allendorf and Obertiefenbach to Limburg. This section was reported to be the best part of the course for high speed and in practice some cars travelled at 150 km/h (93 mph). At Limburg there was another control, then the course ran through Kirberg to Neuhof, where there was a very bad turn, and then to Idstein where there was another control. It then ran through Glashütten to Königstein (control), then via Friedrichshof and Oberursel (control) to Homburg (control) and back to Saalburg.

Officiating were Baron von Molitor of the Automobilclub von Deutschland, the official starter, and M. Tampier of the Automobile Club de France, who was timekeeper. The chronographs for timing the event were supplied by the Anglo-Swiss firm of Stauffer, Son & Co. Officials from the other competing counties were also present.

There were 18 starters including three British entrants. The first car started from Saalburg at 7 a.m. The winner was Théry of France, who accomplished the four laps in 5 h 50 min 3 s, an average speed of 58.62 mph (94.34 km/h). Jenatzy was second, driving a Mercedes. The only British competitor placed was Sidney Girling driving a Wolseley. Australia's^[2] Selwyn Edge, the 1902 winner who again drove a Napier, was reported to have held a good position during the first two laps, but was disqualified^[3] on lap three after receiving outside assistance due to tyre problems.^[4]

Classification

Pos	Driver	starting for	Constructor	Time/Retired
1	Léon Théry (FRA)	France	Richard-Brasier	5:50:01
2	Camille Jenatzy (BEL)	Germany	Mercedes	6:01:29
3	Henri Rougier (FRA)	France	Turcat-Méry	6:47:10
4	Pierre de Caters (BEL)	Germany	Mercedes	6:47:30
5	Edgar Braun (AUT)	Austria	Mercedes	6:59:48
6	Lucien Hautvast (BEL)	Belgium	Pipe	7:02:35
7	Jacques Salleron (FRA)	France	Mors	7:15:14
8	Vincenzo Lancia (ITA)	Italy	FIAT	7:17:52
9	Sidney Girling (GBR)	Great Britain	Wolseley	7:22:53
10	Alessandro Cagno (ITA)	Italy	FIAT	7:23:35
11	Charles Jarrott (GBR)	Great Britain	Wolseley	7:36:51
Ret	Selwyn Edge (GBR)	Great Britain	Napier	*
Ret	Pierre de Crawhez (BEL)	Belgium	Pipe	*
Ret	Luigi Storero (ITA)	Italy	FIAT	*
Ret	Johann Warden (AUT)	Austria	Mercedes	*
Ret	Maurice Augieres (BEL)	Belgium	Pipe	*
Ret	Friedrich Franz Opel (GER)	Germany	Opel	*
Ret		Austria	Mercedes	*
Source:[5]

Footnotes

1. The Times. Saturday, June 18th 1904
2. Hull, Peter G. "Napier: The Stradivarius of the Road", in Northey, Tom, ed. The World of Automobiles (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 13, p.1483.
3. Hull, p.1488.
4. Onlookers helped throw buckets of water over the wheels to cool the tyres.
5. (Beaulieu, p206)

Bibliography

• Douglas-Scott-Montagu, Edward John Barrington (1963), The Gordon Bennett Races, London: Cassell & Company Ltd.