Grand Prix
Collection
Grand Prix collection
The Grand Prix story
There are varying opinions on when and where Grand Prix racing was born. Some believe the 1901 race held on public roads around the French city of Pau was the first ‘Grand Prix’, but that was the name of the prize awarded to the winner of the heaviest (fastest) class of cars. The race was called the ‘Circuit du Sud-Ouest”, but a mis-translation led to the confusion. That race was won by Maurice Farman driving a Panhard 24HP.
I prefer the opposing view – the first race to be actually called a Grand Prix was the Grand Prix de l’ACF in 1906, named after the organisers – the French Automobile Club and held over a roughly triangular, 65 mile long circuit around Le Mans. This, the first true Grand Prix in my view, was won by Ferenc Szisz piloting a Renault AK90.
These early Grands Prix developed more and more, evolving into the FIA Formula One World Championship we know today.
This collection aims to illustrate all the major cars, teams and drivers which have contributed to the rich, glorious and all too often tragic ongoing story of Grand Prix racing. Some of the choices are obvious, others are merely personal preference – cars or drivers which I just like, and some omissions will be addressed at a later date.
