6 replies to this topic

[cabianca]

Luigi Chinetti was paired with Jacques Gastaud at Le Mans in 1935. Since I have never been able to find another entry for Gastaud, I assume he was a rich amateur customer of Chinetti's.

First question, does anyone have any further information on Gastaud?

 

Second question is regarding Chinetti's retirement, supposedly while leading.

 

Georges Fraichard’s LM book has a quote from Chinetti that his co-driver crashed twice and the second time did the car in. However, most accounts credit the retirement to

an engine problem. Do you know anything about Jacques Gastaud’s two crashes? Chinetti is quoted as saying about the two forays into the ditch, “The first time we were able to effect a repairand restart, but the second time we could do nothing. As a matter of interest, we then held such a lead that it took the ultimate winners two hours to equal the distance we had already run.”

 

Did Chinetti in fact, lead Le Mans in 1935, and if so did he lead any given hour.

 

Many thanks,

 

[David McKinney]

Did Chinetti in fact, lead Le Mans in 1935, and if so did he lead any given hour.

Yes, in the early stages, though not necessarily at the end of any specific hour. And certainly not by the sort of margin he claims

[cabianca]

Thank you, David,

Moity says in the attached paper booklet that he led at the first hour. This is text, there is no hourly chart. Would it be fair to say that he led on "several" occasions. Certainly seems possible with other's pit stops, etc.

[David McKinney]

I don't have detailed reports to hand, but what I do have suggests the car slipped back after its early good showing, and although remaining in the top three or four placings, did not lead again. But your question really needs answering by someone with access to more detailed information than I have

[raceannouncer2003]

There is an hour-by-hour link (at least some of the hours) at this link:

 

http://www.lemans-hi...11&equipa_seq=0

 

Vince H.

[raceannouncer2003]

Gastaud was apparently from Monaco.

 

Vince H.

[cabianca]

Vince,

Many thanks. Very helpful. The hourly chart seems to confirm David's belief that they never led after the first hour. How long a stint would they drive then? It would seem that the way the car drops off the charts in the second hour, that could be the first of the two crashes. Also, retirement reason is given (unlike most reports) as a broken spring shackle, which would be consistent with the second crash.