The first British Grand Prix: picture gallery tells the extraordinary tale of Brooklands race
Photo gallery of the very first British Grand Prix at Brooklands in 1926
Autocar/LAT
The very first British Grand Prix, at Brooklands, on August 7, 1926, delivered a spectacle of fire, powersliding and a bizarre spate of burning feet.
To mark the centenary of this momentous meeting, you can scroll through the captivating tale now, with images from the race and words from Motor Sport‘s original report.
“A brighter scene than Brooklands on August 7th, 1926, would be hard to imagine; sunshine, dresses, sumptuous cars, grass, trees, advertisements”
Spectators’ cars at Brooklands
Autocar/LAT
“The cars were lined up at the end of the finishing straight,… the little red flag was dropped to the accompaniment of a crescendo of exhausts and the shrill whine of superchargers”
Albert Divo leads the field at the start of the race
Autocar/LAT
“Almost at once the terrific acceleration of the Talbots became obvious, all three shooting to the front,”
The Talbots of Albert Divo and Henry Segrave through the chicane
Autocar/LAT
“To everyone’s dismay, Moriceau’s car was seen to be in trouble… The front axle had collapsed, allowing the front wheels to sag inwards in a most pathetic manner.”
Jules Moriceau’s abandoned Talbot 700
Autocar/LAT
“Segrave’s Talbot exhaust pipe belched wicked yellow flames in the most ominous manner without apparently affecting his speed”
Segrave leads Robert Benoist’s Delage
Autocar/LAT
“Eyston stopped to investigate the cause of overheating, and discovered a blown cylinder head joint and water pump trouble. After an attempt to repair matters he retired.”
George Eyston leans on the front wheel of his Aston Martin as his mechanic attempts emergency cooling
Autocar/LAT
Segrave began to stop on almost every lap; thereafter he made spasmodic attempts to continue, but eventually retired ” before he broke everything.” Among other troubles, his car had been on fire at the pits.
Segrave inspects his Talbot in the pits before retiring
Autocar/LAT
The crowd now settled down to watch the extraordinary skids performed by Robert Senechal, who seems to delight in this method of cornering.
The No14 Delage provided the most entertaining cornering technique for the crowds
Autocar/LAT
Senechal was the next to suffer, as his pedals and floorboards began to scorch his feet… On his 83rd lap Senechal stopped and leapt into a foot bath of cold water, and Wagner took his place in the Delage.
Scorching pedals forced Senechal out of the Delage, to be replaced by Wagner
LAT
“Just before 90 laps Benoist came in to try and rectify various troubles, and Wagner took the lead on Senechal’s Delage. Benoist’s car was on fire, and spent some time at the pits, eventually restarting in the hands of Dubonnet, an amateur, who drove in his “gent’s natty suitings” and hatless!
A suited and hatless Dubonnet
LAT
Excitement rose to fever pitch during the last 15 laps, with Campbell gradually overhauling the crippled and flaming Delage driven by Dubonnet, who was evidently suffering greatly, tongues of flame belching from the bonnet. Both were catching up Wagner’s Delage, which kept on stopping on account of the driver’s feet.
Malcolm Campbell chased down Dubonnet in his Bugatti T39A
LAT
Wagner was too far ahead to be caught, and eventually won at 71.61 m.p.h. Campbell, who only had three stops, finished second just in front of Benoist’s and Dubonnet’s red-hot Delage.
Thus finished the greatest race ever seen at Brooklands; at the conclusion the Delage drivers had to be lifted out tenderly and have their feet treated for burns.
Senechal, left, and Wagner stand on their tender toes to receive the crowd’s acclaim
Autocar/LAT
