On TGN and his split with Alfa Romeo, here is something from the October 1999 entry I sent in to 8W:
So, we finally arrive in Pau in April 1938. The entries for the race organized by the Auto Club Basco-Bearnais looked like a simply splendid way to not only kick off the new formula, but welcome Grand Prix racing back to France. The race was to be 100 laps of the twisty 2.769 km circuit, 276.900 kilometers. The entry for the race looked like this:
No. Entrant, machine, driver
2 Ecurie Bleue, Delahaye 145, Rene Dreyfus
4 Ecurie Bleue, Delahaye 145, Gianfranco Comotti
6 Daimler-Benz AG, Mercedes-Benz W154, chassis no. W154/2, werks nr. 189 432, Kommission Nr. 275 829, engine M154 – block H4, Rudolf Caracciola
8 Daimler-Benz AG, Mercedes-Benz W154, Chassis no. W154/5, werks nr. 189 435, Kommission Nr. 275 832, engine M154 – block H6, Hermann Lang
10 Automobiles Ettore Bugatti, Bugatti 59 or 50B, Jean-Pierre Wimille
12 Alfa Corse, Alfa Romeo 308, Tazio Nuvolari
14 Alfa Corse, Alfa Romeo 308, Emilio Villoresi
16 Rene Le Begue, Talbot 150C, engine Darracq, Rene LeBegue
18 N. Embiricos, Talbot 150C, engine Talbot, “de Maris”
20 Scuderia Torino, Maserati 6CM, chassis 1556, “Raph” (Marquis George Raphael Bethenod de las Casas or more simply George Raph)
22 Scuderia Subauda, Maserati 6CM, engine 6C-1500, Antonio Negro
24 Scuderia Subauda, Maserati 6CM, engine 6C-1500, Discoride Lanza
26 “Danniell,” Delahaye 135S, “Danniell”
28 Maurice Trintignant, Bugatti 35C or most likely Bugatti 51, Maurice Trintignant
30 Yves Matra, Bugatti 51, Yves Matra
32 Francois Bayard, Bugatti 51, Francois Bayard
As usual, there were those who did not appear for the race. At Pau, this group included the following: the Wimille Bugatti; the Le Begue Talbot; the “de Maris” Talbot; the “Daniell” Delahaye; and, the Bayard Bugatti. The Auto Union team, still recovering from the loss of its great driver, the incomparable Bernd Rosemeyer, did not enter any cars for Pau.
However, prior to the race, the numbers were reduced even more in a series of incidents during practice. The new Alfa 308 was really flying in the hands of Nuvolari. However, the saddle fuel tank, which had been relocated in the 12C 37 and the follow-on 308 cars, started to flex as fuel was used and it lost some of its rigidity. As the tank chafed against the bodywork, it soon started to leak. It then caught fire. Needless to say, this was a complete surprise to Nuvolari who then crashed the flaming race car and emerged with some serious burns. From his hospital bed, Nuvolari fired off a telegram announcing his retirement, soon rescinded, but also stating to all within earshot his intention to never drive an Alfa Romeo ever again. This he did not change his mind about. The other Alfa 308 of Villoresi was withdrawn as a precaution.
