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The Delahaye years
1936: Delahaye wins 9 out of 18 races

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Who?

Louis Villeneuve, René Le Begue, Georges Soulié, Eugène Chaboud

What?

Delahaye 135

Where?

Saint-Gaudens

When?

1936 Comminges GP

Villeneuve, Le Begue, Soulié, Chaboud, Delahaye 135, 1936 Comminges GP
Why?

Le Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France held at Monthlery was a major event for Delahaye. There should have been 11 cars lined up at the start, but “Helde”, who had entered his two new Delahaye 135S, 47193 for himself, and 47192 for Henri Stoffel, failed to turn up with either of them.

Paris/Mongin, Delahaye, 1936 ACF GP

After the ACF GP, the seven cars having completed the race are all lined up: the first car is 6047RK4 with "Michel Paris" standing behind "Monsieur Charles" in shirt sleeves and Marcel Mongin, on the other side of the car in a dark jacket.

date event car drivers results
28/06/36 ACF GP Monthlery 6047RK4 "Paris"/Mongin 2nd
9715RK3 Brunet/Zehender 3rd
46835 Schell/Carrière 4th
47189 Perrot/Dhome 5th
46626 Villeneuve/Vialle 7th
46084 "Danniell"/Marie 11th
47188 Divo/Girod 12th
47186 Maillard-Brune/Druck DNF
47187 Le Begue/Danne DNF
47193 “Helde”/”Nime” DNA
47192 Stoffel/Cadot DNA

47192: This is the third Delahaye racing car bought as new by “Helde”. He never raced it but sold it early 1937 to Count François de Bremont who had it registered as 7866YU3 in the Var department. After a few races, he sold it to the formidable lady driver Germaine Rouault, who obtained very good results in the 1938/'39 seasons. After the war, it was sold to Eugène Chaboud who raced it with success until 1951. It is now in the Philadelphia museum of Frederick Simeone, in its original 1951 configuration.

Louis Gerard, Delahaye, 1938 British Empire Trophy

Louis Gerard driving 47192 (no.20) lent to him by Germaine Rouault at the British Empire Trophy, Crystal Palace. London in 1938.

47193: This is the fourth and last Delahaye racing car bought as new by “Helde”, who never raced this one either and instead sold it early 1937 to Lucy O’Rilley Schell who had it registered as 6146YB7 in the Seine et Marne department. In 1939, the car was sold to Marcel Contet. After the war, it belonged to Marcel Trillaud and half a dozen other owners. It now belongs to Craig Davis in California.

Delahaye 135S, chassis 47193

The brand new 135S no.47193 sold by “Helde” to Lucy O'Riley Schell early in 1937.

The 24 hours of Spa-Francorchamps was open to almost anything on four wheels, from the mighty Buick to the tiny Adler, provided it had at least two seats. To please everyone, there were six classes: supercharged cars, over 4 litres and under 4 litres, 2 litres, 1500cc, and 1100cc.

46078, the Chaboud/Trémoulet car which had never raced before, didn't race this time either, blowing up its engine during practice .As one would expect, a supercharged car won the race.

date event car drivers results
11-12/07/36 24 hours of Spa-Francorchamps 47187 Le Begue/Mongin 2nd
46835 Schell/Carrière 3rd
46084 "Danniell"/Paul DNF
6047RK4 Brunet/Zehender DNF
46626 Villeneuve/unknown DNS
46078 Chaboud/Trémoulet DNS

The Grand Prix du Comminges at Saint-Gaudens on August 9 was the last big race in France for the year, and once again, Delahaye came out in force with ten cars but failed to be present on the podium…

Delahayes at the start of the 1936 Comminges GP

The start of the 1936 Comminges GP, with Villeneuve (no.28), Le Begue (no.20), Soulié (no.34) and Chaboud (no.30). Le Begue came fourth with his 48187.

date event car drivers results
09/08/36 Comminges GP, Saint-Gaudens 47187 Le Begue 4th
6047RK4 Mongin 5th
9715RK3 Brunet 6th
45513 Soulié 7th
47194 Jeannin 8th
46626 Villeneuve 11th
46810 Carrière DNF
46835 Schell unknown
46084 "Danniell" unknown
unknown Chaboud unknown

The Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy held at Ards near Belfast on September 5 proved to be a real disaster for Delahaye, the first one since the firm had gone into racing two yeas earlier. Alan Selborne, the Delahaye agent on the British Isles and in the Brirish Empire, had sponsored the venue with five cars from France plus the one in England owned by Tommy Clark. The surroundings and regulations were unfamiliar to the French drivers, and the cars were unfamiliar to the British drivers. This probably explains why the results were so bad.

Robert Brunetin, Delahaye, 1936 RAC TT

Robert Brunet in his 47191 during practice at the 1936 RAC TT.

Robert Brunetin, Delahaye, 1936 RAC TT

Another shot of Brunet, this time during the race. He was the only one to finish.

The Blue Buzz Team of Lucy O’Riley Schell was out in full force with Laury Schell in BBI, George Field in BBII and René Le Begue in BBIII. One consolation however, Le Begue set the fastest lap at 137.64 km/h.

date event car drivers results
05/09/36 Tourist Trophy, Belfast 9715RK3 Brunet 8th
46835 Schell DNF
46810 Field DNF
47187 Le Begue DNF
47188 Clark DNF
6047RK3 Mongin accident

date event car drivers results
06/09/36 GP de France MCF, Montlhéry 46626 Villeneuve 2nd

date event car drivers results
20/09/36 Coupes d’Automne, Monthléry 46094 Paul 1st, Sport class
46626 Villeneuve 2nd, Sport class
46084 "Danniell" 3rd, Sport class
unknown Chaboud 6th, Sport class
46094 Paul 1st, Course class

date event car drivers results
20/09/36 Mont Ventoux Hillclimb, Avignon 46810 Carrière 1st
46835 Schell 2nd
47194 Jeannin 3rd
47187 Le Begue accident

date event car drivers results
26/09/36 Lapize Hillclimb, Monthléry 46094 Paul 1st
7442RJ4 Rouault unknown

Another big disappointment for the last race of the season but nevertheless, Delahaye won nine races out of 18 entered, also taking four second places. Not a bad result at all for a full motoring year!

The Blue Buzz team's Delahaye cars, 1936 Donington GP

The Blue Buzz team getting ready for the last race of the year: Le Begue and Kay Don (no21), Carrière and Fields (no.22) and Schell and Selborne (no.23).

date event car drivers results
03/10/36 Donington GP 46810 BBII Carrière/Fields 8th
47188 Clark/Faulkner 11th
46835 BBI Schell/Selborne 12th
47187 BBIII Le Begue/Kay Don 15th