ULTRA-SPEED RACING

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 98, 27 April 1935, Page 28

ULTRA-SPEED RACING

CONTINENTAL RIVALRY

GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES

An interesting phase of Continental motor racing is the support that the leading nations, France, Italy, and Germany, are giving their premier manufacturers of racing machines, with a "view to supremacy in the classic road events of Europe. Not since the famous GordonBennett contests from 1900 to 1905 (France winning four times, England once, and Germany, once) has rivalry been-so keen between these three nations, and never has money been so lavishly spent by sporting enthusiasts in those countries with the object of carrying off the rich road races. For some years, France, through the agency of M. Ettore Bugatti, established an .almost impregnable position with his crack drivers and his fine machines; then Italian interests under the patronage of Signor Mussolini and Government financial subsidy brought into being the all conquering Scuderia Ferrari,, the .greatest motor racing organisation of its kind in the world. Linked •up ' with' special Alfa-Romeo cars and'a particularly brilliant team lof drivers,. the . Italian colours were carried-to: the front in the majority of the big road' cdntests decided dur-

Ing the past two years. Not to be outdone, Germany set about designing special racers to carry the German flag. Dr. Porsche was • given a commission to design and construct six ultra-speed machines, the outcome being the Auto-Union, an unconventional machine, which for speed, appears to dominate the* Continental racing field for the time being. The 16-cylinder Auto-Union has its power unit in the rear, is independently sprung on all four wheels, and efficiently streamlined. It is reported that £160,000 was expended in the development and production of these six machines, none of which Herr Hitler will permit to be sold. France and Italy are concerned at the turn of events, and strenuous efforts are being made to retrieve the position during 1935. The French authorities have started a fund to subsidise Bugatti and the Delage Co. to build machines to out-speed the' AutoUnion, the French Automobile Club donating £2000 to the fund. BENEFITS OF RACING. /vln Europe, it has been .proved that the attendant benefits that follow success in the big international motor races are considerable, as victory has always.produced additional orders for the victorious nation. Apart from industrial benefits, including employment, there is the national pride to be considered. Efforts have been made by enthusiasts in Great Britain to stimulate a move to subscribe a fund to subsidise one or two leading manufacturers for the. building of six special machines, capable of taking part in the important annual international motor races. At present, the British small sports car is supreme in the light car events, but these machines are outpaced when pitted against the larger-powered, ultraracing machines of Germany, Italy, and France. Today, no British car manufacturer specialises in the building of 4 "pure-bred" racing machines; hence the effort to awaken British interests to come forward and subscribe funds sufficient to enable British machines to again carry the flag in the classic motor races of Europe. No longer can private motorists foot the . heavy bill, attached to modern motor racing, and even a wealthy man like' Sir Malcolm Campbell, who has done so much to maintain British engineering prestige throughout the world, could not have built his 1935 Blue Bird had he not been generously subsidised^ by -Lord • Wakefield. The motor industry of Great Britain is now

of such paramount importance to the welfare of the country that it is contended by many that steps should be taken, backed up by public aid, to enable Britain to again figure in the van of international motor racing. Eight or nine years ago, the Talbot, Sunbeam, and Bentley more than held their own against all rivals, and, given the opportunity, there is no reason why equally successful racers could not be put into the field again. Great Britain has the drivers and the designers and materials to build as fast cars as anyone else., Only the enterprise and funds are lacking.