Paris–Madrid race


The Paris–Madrid race was a city-to-city motor race that began on 24 May 1903. The event was organized by the Automobile Club de France and the The Royal Automobile Club of Spain, Spanish: Real Automóvil Club de España (RACE)
The event was infamous for the number of deaths and injuries among both drivers and spectators, and was called off at the end of the first leg in Bordeaux. It was the last city-to-city race of its kind to be held on open, public roads. Fernand Gabriel, driving a Mors Dauphines, was declared the winner.

Background

Popularity in motor racing had been growing across Europe since the 1896 Paris–Marseille–Paris, considered the first city-to-city motor race where the winner was determined by finishing time. Constructors were motivated to increase the power of their cars, with speeds growing from to. Races were still held on public roads, which meant drivers had to avoid poor surfaces, railroad crossings, farm and household animals, bystanders, and other obstacles.
The increase in power led organizers to impose a weight limit of on the "Large" class of cars. Other classes included "Light" and "Voiturettes".

Race

To maximize the number of cars visible during daylight, the race was scheduled for 3:30 AM. However, it was delayed 15 minutes due to the poor visibility. Drivers would set off one at a time in one-minute intervals.

Attendance

Over 100,000 spectators were present at the beginning of the race in Bordeaux, while those lining the roads of the race are estimated in the millions.

Results by class

After starting 168th, Fernand Gabriel was the first driver overall to reach the city of Bordeaux when the race was called off. He completed the stage in 5 hours and 14 minutes at an average speed of.
The following results were determined by the finishing order at Bordeaux.
PosDriverConstructor
1Fernand GabrielMors
2Joseph SalleronMors
3Charles JarrottDe Dietrich

PosDriverConstructor
1Louis RenaultRenault
2Paul BarasDarracq
3PageDecauville

PosDriverConstructor
1MassonClement
2BanlierRichard-Brasier
3Louis WagnerDarracq

Legacy

The race claimed the lives of many notable drivers, including Marcel Renault, one of the founders of Renault. His brother, Louis Renault finished first in the "Light" car class.
In his memoir, third-place finisher Charles Jarrott suggested that the "deplorable disasters" of the race could have been avoided with better organization.