2 replies to this topic

[Nanni Dietrich]

I'm searching about one Edwald (or Edouard, according to different accounts) Probst.

A race car driver from Basel, Switzerland, active in the 1920s.

 

In May of 1928 Probst obtained an outright win in the Coppa Messina, held on a 52-kilometer road course nearly the town of Messina, Sicily, Italy. He drove a Bugatti T37A, beating the Italians Letterio Cucinotta, also in a Bugatti, and Costantino Magistri, third in an Alfa-Romeo 6C-1500. Fourth in that race finished no less than Tazio Nuvolari in another Bugatti.

 

Other information about his life and career are pretty obscure. He drove a Berliet in the first edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1923, paired with Frenchman Redon. He also drove a Mathys in local hillclimbs in the late 1920s.

 

According to our "ReWind" 's precious research, he was born on 22 December 1898, and passed away on 26 May 1974, aged 75.

 

[Tim Murray]

He was mentioned briefly in some earlier posts:
 

I've found a website speaking about this Swiss Mountain race. Unluckily for me, it's in German, so it is possible to translate or just to sum up the article ? I've guessed that Lepori won one of the edition (1924 ?) but I've not sure of which one.
Here's the link: www.zug.ch/staatsarchiv/download/staatsarchiv_erzaehlt_20.pdf

Irrespective of this article I knew the results of the 1922 edition, early September (I suppose Sunday 3). Overall and 2.5-litre racing car class winner was Kessler (Ansaldo) in 4m 38s 1/5.

Other class winners were:
Racing car + 3 L, Merz (Hispano-Suiza), 4m 59s,
Racing car 1500 cc, Krafft (Bugatti), 5m 22s 3/5,
Touring car + 5 L, Merz (Cadillac) 5m 22s 3/5,
Touring car 5 L, Schriever (Delage) 6m 0s 2/5,
Touring car 4500 cc, Vadini (Steyr), 5m 24s 4/5,
Touring car 2300 cc, J. Kessler (Ansaldo), 6m 40s,
Touring car 1500 cc, Gessinger (Fiat).

Distance: 3,500 km.
Difference in altitude: 407 m.

I also have some trace of the edition of 1926 (30 May ?), 1927 (17 July) and 1928 (no date but some class winners: Probst (Bugatti 1.5-litre), Strittmatter (Bugatti 2-litre), Schneider (Bugatti) and Schleileer (Fiat 1.5-litre).

The Zugerbergrennen was part of the Swiss Championship and was organised by the Zoug (Zug) Section of the AC of Switzerland.

Bad and good news for you, Hans
I have Grand-Saconnex, near Geneva, as a 1-km hillclimb. I can add that it had a difference in altitude of 47.5 meters, so a 4.75% slope.


25 April 1926. Meeting organised by The Geneva Section of the swiss AC and by The MC des Pâquis (motorcycling club), for the members of the 2 Clubs only, not an open event. Best time made by R. Barbey, Amilcar 1100 cc Sportscar, 38.6s.

24 April 1927. Same organisers. Became a National event for motorbikes, not for cars, only Club event. Winner was - in spite of that - a well-know driver from Zurich, Dr Joseph Karrer, Bugatti 2-liter racing class, 38.2s.

11 September 1928. I have a problem with the name of the winner. La Gazette de Lausanne gave Probst as winner, Bugatti 2-liter Racing car, but Le Journal de Genève gave William Escher, also Bugatti 2-liter Racing car, and same time: 34.6s. The motorbikes were faster. Franconi did 30.0s.
The race was part of the Swiss National championship.

08 March 1931: 1st- Hans Stuber, Bugatti racing car 3-liter class, 30.6s, 117.647 kph. It was organised during the Geneva Motor Show.

13 March 1932: 1st- Hans Stuber, Bugatti racing car 3-liter class, 27.4s.

12 March 1933: 1st- Hans Stuber, Bugatti racing car 3-liter class, 28.8s, 125.000 kph.

18 March 1934: 1st- Hans Rüesch, Maserati 8CM, 28.6s.

I think there was no edition in 1929 and 1930. I have no data after 1934.

My sources: Englebert Magazine (Two-Month periodic), La Gazette de Lausanne, Le Journal de Genève (next Monday after the event).

1927 Swiss Automobile Championship

Every contestant must participate in at least one event besides the three obligatory events.
The four best results count, the driver with the lowest point score is winner.
Winner must have not more than 7 points.
Winner must have won at least one event.
If two drivers in the same class have the same point score, the better time at the Klausen decides the winner.
Same point scoring system as in 1926.

1927 CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS:
Mar 6 – Eaux Mortes, Kilometer lancée Geneva
June 12 – Mauborget (Waadt) OBLIGATORY
June 19 – Altstetten-Schlieren, Kilometer lancée Zürich
July 3 – Gurnigel OBLIGATORY
August 13 – Klausen OBLIGATORY

Championship winners:
Touring cars 1500 cc, Class F: - A. Scheibler (Fiat) 6 points
Touring cars Class E: - Botta (Diatto)
Touring cars Class C: - Gacon (Martini)
Sports cars 750-1100 cc Eduard Probst (Salmson) 6 points
Sports cars 1100-1500 cc A. Schneider (Bugatti) 4 points
Sports cars 1500-2000 cc Thoms (Bugatti) 5 points
Sports cars 3000 cc-5000 cc Walter Delmar (Steyr) 4 points
Racing cars 2000-3000 cc Josef Merz (Bugatti) 5 (only one class)

[Nanni Dietrich]

According to contemporary Italian newspaper, one Edoardo (sic) Probst was in the entry list of the 1928 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, in a Bugatti. He was reported to be Italian ( ! )

 

The 1928 Italian Grand Prix was marred by the death of 23 people including Emilio Materassi. It was the worst motorsport tragedy up to date, and it would remain so until the ill-fated 1955 24 Heures du Mans.