Marathon de la Route explained

The Marathon de la Route was a series of road rallies held in Europe between 1931 and 1971, including Liège–Rome–Liège and Liège–Sofia–Liège rallies held on public roads and closed-circuit races held at the Nürburgring from 1965 until 1971. It was reserved for so-called touring cars.[1] Many renowned drivers participated such as Olivier Gendebien, Willy Mairesse, Lucien Bianchi, and Jacky Ickx.

History

Liège–Rome–Liège

The race took place on an open road, an average distance of 3,500 km non-stop (sometimes more than 5,000 km as in 1959): departing Wednesday at 11 pm from Spa, and returning to the same place on Sunday around 4 pm. A Golden Cup was also sometimes awarded to three-year class winners such as Bill Bengry. The rally of August 1939 was the last major rally event before World War II. Belgium's Ginet Trasenster of Bugatti and France's Jean Trevoux in a Hotchkiss tied for first place, denying the German works teams shortly before their countries were overrun. This was one of five Liège wins for Trasenster.

The Liège continued as uncompromisingly an open road event run to an impossible time schedule, and remained Europe's toughest rally until it had moved to Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.

Liège–Sofia–Liège

From 1961 to 1964, the course was modified to Liège-Sofia-Liège. This reflected the desire of the organizer — the Royal Motor Union of Liège to diversify the route and to find traffic-free roads.

Despite the change in venue, the race still kept its reputation as a challenge of driver endurance and mechanical reliability.[2] [3] The 1961 race required 90 hours of driving with a 4 hour rest at Sofia. Only 8 cars finished out of 85 total entrants. Lucien Bianchi and Georges Harris won this event, driving a Citroën DS 19.[4]

Nürburgring

From 1965 to 1971, the Nürburgring race was held due to the refusal of some countries to cross their territory. The duration of the race was 82 hours to reach 96 hours in its last edition.

Afterwards

A revival was planned for 2011 but was cancelled.[5]

Winners

Record holder of number of victories: Ginet Trasenster, 5

Liège–Rome–Liège (1931-1939)

YearDriversCar Make/ModelRef
1931Bugatti[6]
1932Bugatti[7]
1933FN 3.2L[8]
1934*Mercedes-Benz[9]
Lancia
Bugatti
Bugatti
Bugatti
Alder
Renault
1935*Renault[10]
Bugatti
1936Cancelled
1937Hanomag[11]
1938Bugatti[12]
1939*Bugatti[13]
Hotchkiss
*Multiple teams finished without penalties or with equal points and were declared co-winners

Liège-Rome-Liège (1950-1960)

YearDriversCar Make/ModelRef
1950Peugeot 203 Speciale[14]
1951Jaguar XK120[15]
1952Porsche 356SL Gmünd Coupe[16] [17]
1953Lancia Aurelia B20 GT[18]
1954Porsche 356SL Gmünd Coupe[19] [20]
1955Mercedes-Benz 300 SL[21]
1956Mercedes-Benz 300 SL[22]
1957Porsche 356 A 1500 GS Carrera GT Speedster[23] [24]
1958Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce Zagato[25] [26]
1959Porsche 356 A 1600 GS Carrera GT Coupe[27] [28]
1960Austin-Healey 3000 Mk 1[29] [30]

Liège–Sofia–Liège

YearDriversCar Make/ModelRef
1961Citroën DS 19[31]
1962Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb W111[32]
1963Mercedes-Benz 230 SL[33] [34]
1964Austin-Healey 3000[35]

Nürburgring

YearDriversCar Make/ModelLength Ref
1965Ford Mustang82 hours[36]
1966MG MGB84 hours[37]
1967Porsche 911R Sportomatic84 hours[38] [39]
1968Porsche 911 E84 hours[40] [41]
1969Lancia Fulvia 1.6 HF84 hours[42]
1970VW-Porsche 914/684 hours[43]
1971Alpine A 110 1600S96 hours[44]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Delsaux, Jean-Paul. Marathon de la Route 1931/1971 (Jean-Paul Delsaux, 1991)
  2. October 1962 . Matters of Moment . Motorsport Magazine . 38 . 10 . 9.
  3. Davenport . John . October 1964 . Rally review . Motorsport Magazine . 40 . 10 . 63.
  4. Jenkinson . Denis . October 1961 . Continental Notes . Motorsport Magazine . 37 . 10 . 13.
  5. Web site: Liège-Rome-Liège Revival. 2018-12-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20090906051431/http://www.liege-rome-liege.com/. 2009-09-06. dead.
  6. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2017-11-24 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1931 . 2023-03-21 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  7. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2017-11-24 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1932 . 2023-03-21 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  8. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2017-11-24 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1933 . 2023-03-21 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  9. Web site: Bruno . Thomas . 2020-06-26 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1934 . 2023-03-21 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  10. Web site: Bruno . Thomas . 2020-06-23 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1935 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  11. Web site: Bruno . Thomas . 2020-06-03 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1937 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  12. Web site: Bruno . Thomas . 2020-05-27 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1938 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  13. Web site: Bruno . Thomas . 2020-06-01 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1939 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  14. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-08-07 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1950 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  15. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-08-07 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1951 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  16. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-08-07 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1952 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  17. Web site: Lamm . John . 2020-02-01 . 1951 Porsche 356SL Gmünd Coupe . 2023-03-24 . Collier Automedia . en-US.
  18. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-08-07 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1953 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  19. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-08-09 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1954 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  20. Web site: 1954 Glöckler-Porsche 356 Carrera 1500 Coupe Monterey 2021 . 2023-03-24 . RM Sotheby's . en.
  21. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-08-09 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1955 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  22. Web site: Hejčl . Jiří . 2020-10-20 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1956 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  23. Web site: Costales . Pablo . 2017-11-23 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1957 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  24. Web site: Dellis . Nicolaos . 2010-02-02 . Porsche 356 A 1500 GS Carrera GT (1957 - 1958) . 2023-03-24 . Stuttcars . en-US.
  25. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-07-23 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1958 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  26. Book: Anselmi, Angelo Tito . Alfa Romeo Giulietta . 2004 . Giorgio Nada . 88-7911-340-2 . 1st English . Milan . 181 . 56454139.
  27. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-07-23 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1959 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  28. Web site: Hientzsch . Heike . 2021-09-24 . The Porsche 356 on the road to Rome . 2023-03-24 . Porsche Newsroom . en.
  29. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-09-01 . Final results Liège-Rome-Liège 1960 . 2023-03-24 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  30. News: Dirs . Ben . 2015-03-05 . Pat Moss: The racing legend's sister who beat the men . en-GB . BBC Sport . 2023-03-24.
  31. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-07-23 . Final results Liège-Sofia-Liège 1961 . 2023-03-27 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  32. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2020-07-23 . Final results Liège-Sofia-Liège 1962 . 2023-03-27 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  33. Web site: Bos . Juha . 2017-11-23 . Final results Spa-Sofia-Liège 1963 . 2023-03-27 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  34. Web site: 2013-08-08 . 50 years ago: Eugen Böhringer drove the ‘Pagoda’ to victory in the 1963 Spa–Sofia–Liège rally . 2023-03-27 . Mercedes-Benz Group Media . en.
  35. Web site: Juha . Bos . 2017-08-23 . Final results Spa-Sofia-Liège 1964 . 2023-03-27 . eWRC-results.com . en.
  36. Web site: de Jong . Frank . 1965 Nürburgring 82 hours . 2023-03-27 . www.touringcarracing.net.
  37. Web site: de Jong . Frank . 1966 Nürburgring 84 hours . 2023-03-27 . www.touringcarracing.net.
  38. Web site: de Jong . Frank . 1967 Nürburgring 84 hours . 2023-03-27 . www.touringcarracing.net.
  39. Web site: Elford . Vic . June 2013 . The power of persuasion . 2023-03-27 . Motor Sport Magazine . en-GB.
  40. Web site: de Jong . Frank . 1968 Nürburgring 84 hours . 2023-03-27 . www.touringcarracing.net.
  41. Web site: 1970 Marathon de la Route – one, two, three for the 914/6 . 2023-03-27 . 70 years of Porsche Sports Cars . en.
  42. Web site: de Jong . Frank . 1969 Nürburgring 84 hours . 2023-03-27 . www.touringcarracing.net.
  43. Web site: de Jong . Frank . 1970 Nürburgring 84 hours . 2023-03-27 . www.touringcarracing.net.
  44. Web site: de Jong . Frank . 1971 Nürburgring 96 hours . 2023-03-27 . www.touringcarracing.net.

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