7 replies to this topic

[ChrisD]

Can anyone recommend a good book (or books) on the early history of motor racing? I am particularly interested in the attitudes of European countries to motor racing in the early days - especially the tolerance (or otherwise) of road racing. 

 

Britain seems to have banned road racing early on - hence (I understand) the development of Brooklands.  France seems to have banned road events after the 1903 Paris - Madrid race, and I have read that Germany also banned road racing early days.  Italy seems to have allowed road racing right up to the '70s when the Targa Florio finally ceased.  Was it banned in Italy or did it just die out?

 

I am looking for anything that will give me more detail on this topic, and where hillclimbs fitted into this picture.

 

 I have Chris Jones 'Road Race' which gives a lot of information about Italy, but am keen to learn more on other European countries.

 

Any pointers on where I might find this would be very much appreciated.

[Ray Bell]

Peter Helck's book is excellent...

And there's a book about the ARCA in the thirties which will give you a lot of information.

[Vitesse2]

Not easy to find these days, but there's quite a good overview in Henry Serrano Villard's 'The Great Road Races 1894-1914' (Arthur Barker 1972, ISBN 0 213 99430 5). I have an ex-library copy which I think I paid 50p for. Cheapest copy currently on ABEbooks is £15! Or there's an ex-library one on Amazon UK at £8.95.

[Allan Lupton]

How about Ten Years of Motors & Motor Racing by Charles Jarrott?

Original first ed about £100 but later Foulis reprint quite affordable.

[Vitesse2]

How about Ten Years of Motors & Motor Racing by Charles Jarrott?

Original first ed about £100 but later Foulis reprint quite affordable.

Hathi Trust scanned version even more so! https://babel.hathit...;view=1up;seq=7

[Vitesse2]

Robert Dick's 'Mercedes and Motor Racing in the Belle Epoque' (McFarland) is another excellent one to consider. Now in paperback, although still not all that cheap in the UK - Amazon appear to have converted the price at $1=£1.

[Roger Clark]

Can anyone recommend a good book (or books) on the early history of motor racing? I am particularly interested in the attitudes of European countries to motor racing in the early days - especially the tolerance (or otherwise) of road racing. 

 

Britain seems to have banned road racing early on - hence (I understand) the development of Brooklands.  France seems to have banned road events after the 1903 Paris - Madrid race, and I have read that Germany also banned road racing early days.  Italy seems to have allowed road racing right up to the '70s when the Targa Florio finally ceased.  Was it banned in Italy or did it just die out?

 

I am looking for anything that will give me more detail on this topic, and where hillclimbs fitted into this picture.

 

 I have Chris Jones 'Road Race' which gives a lot of information about Italy, but am keen to learn more on other European countries.

 

Any pointers on where I might find this would be very much appreciated.

I think this depends on what you mean by road racing.  The great inter-city road races did stop after Paris-Madrid, but the use of public roads closed for the event continued to be the mainstay of French motor racing for many years and still exists today.

[ChrisD]

Thanks for all the information.  In respect of Roger's point, it depends on what I mean by road racing, I am interested in why so many road races, the best known probably  being the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio, were something of an institution in Italy from the late 1890s right up to the 1970s but seemingly not in the rest of Europe.  In Italy there were literally dozens of others in addition to the MM and Targa Florio, held on public roads over distances that must have made road closures and marshalling impossible.