Race report – 1931 XVII Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France

DRAMA AND BREAKNECK SPEED ON THE STEEP BANKS OF MONTLHÉRY!

Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, 18 January 1931 – The heroes of motor racing gathered today on French soil to measure themselves against one another in the XVII Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France. This three-hour ordeal on the 12.5-kilometre circuit, renowned for its dizzying banking and unforgiving profile, once again proved that sheer speed alone is not enough for victory – iron endurance and mechanical understanding are equally essential.

The day began in bright sunshine, but as the race progressed a treacherous fog descended over the circuit, turning braking zones and blind corners into a true test of courage.

Peltonen and the dominance of the Bugatti front

The starting order was determined in the traditional manner by ballot, followed by standing start. Markus Peltonen (TissiTuning Racing), at the wheel of the new and magnificent Bugatti T51-1, demonstrated masterful control. Although he started from the middle of the order, he advanced inexorably toward the front and emerged victorious after completing 33 laps in a time of 03:02:47.656.

Peltonen’s rival Anssi Hyytiäinen dominated much of the race and set the absolute fastest lap of the event at 05:22.860. However, a late splash-and-dash stop and possible mechanical troubles proved costly, dropping him to second place just half a minute behind Peltonen. Third place, and a Bugatti clean sweep of the podium, was secured by Eetu Nurmi, who climbed onto the rostrum after an impressively consistent drive through the fog-shrouded hours.

Tension and mechanical misfortune

Not every heroic effort yielded the desired result. Vesa Tolonen started the race in the most powerful car in the field, the 300-horsepower Bugatti T54. That power proved a double-edged sword; Tolonen struggled with control and tyre wear until multiple accidents and, finally, a brake failure and misjudgement forced his retirement after 20 laps.

Drama struck early when Drik Crozet and Tolonen collided on the very first lap. Tomas Kuusela and Hayley Smith also came together immediately after the start. Ville Korkiakoski (P14) suffered a heavy spin and damage to his car, yet battled on to complete 26 laps.

Midfield battles and heroic drives

Kari Uotila (P4) drove a wise race, opting for the more durable Light Stud tyre compound, which spared him several pit stops. Kai Syvertsen finished an excellent fifth despite an early collision with Esa Mikkola (P19).

Drivers of older machinery showed remarkable grit:

• Zan Darling (P6) and Kent LeFredge (P7) fought bravely in their 1926 Bugatti T39a cars.
• Heru Lah (P8) brought his Delage 15S8 home in the top ten, displaying notable mechanical sympathy.
• Alex Henry (P9) and his 1924 Sunbeam performed strongly on the long straights.
• Daniel Withoeft (P10) endured real torment when three tyres on his Delage punctured simultaneously, forcing him to limp back to the pits with sparks flying from the rims.

David and Goliath on the circuit

One of the crowd favourites was Hayley Smith, who wrestled the massive Bentley Blower “Chungus I” around the circuit. Though cumbersome in Montlhéry’s technical sections, Smith (P16) kept the giant on the track all the way to the finish. Meanwhile Evadne Cleo (P15) battled on in her tiny 1.1-litre Amilcar, acting as a “mobile chicane” but refusing to yield before the chequered flag.

Talbot drivers Renaud Ledu (P11) and Erik Halin (P12) fought their own private battles against mechanical ailments. Paul von Rosen (P13) attempted to use the manual supercharger of his Mercedes SSKL for overtaking, but the car’s great weight and tyre wear left him well adrift of the leaders.

In the closing stages Moisés Pereira (P20) was forced to retire due to mechanical troubles. Esa Mikkola and Tomas Kuusela also failed to reach the full distance, worn down by damage and technical failures.

Final moments

As the fog lifted and the engines fell silent, Markus Peltonen stood on the highest step of the podium. This three-hour contest showed once again that in the Golden Era Championship, victory belongs to the driver who masters not only speed, but also the very soul of his machine.

Official Results – 1931 XVII Grand Prix de l’ACF:

1. Markus Peltonen (Bugatti T51-1) – 33 laps
2. Anssi Hyytiäinen (Bugatti T51-1) – 33 laps (Fastest Lap: 05:22.860)
3. Eetu Nurmi (Bugatti T51-1) – 33 laps
4. Kari Uotila (Bugatti T51-1) – 32 laps
5. Kai Syvertsen (Bugatti T51-1) – 30 laps

Results

Race broadcast