The Delahaye years
1938: Delahaye wins the Pau and Cork GPs and comes 1, 2, 4 at Le Mans
Author
- André Vaucourt
Date
- October 17, 2013
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Who?René Dreyfus What?Delahaye 145 Where?Cork When?1938 Cork GP |
Why?
1938 was the best year ever for Delahaye. After a modest start, with fifth place at Le Mans in 1935, it gradually climbed to nearly reach the top, scoring major wins in 1937 and 1938. But the V12s were very disappointing, despite the wins at Pau and Cork, the Million Prize Car was way ahead of the three others in top speed and reliability.
Halfway through the season, Delahaye decided to sell all the V12s, and this is why the cars were very slow towards the end of the season, the drivers having received instructions "not to break" them. From them on, Delahaye saw a steady decline in the sporting world.
The only photo we have of the two identical cars entered by Joseph Paul/Philippe Maillard-Brune (no.98) and Laury Schell/René Dreyfus (no.97). On the left are Paul and his wife, on the right is Maillard-Brune, waving. The photo was taken in Athens before the start.
Maurice Varet and René Dreyfus at the Mille-Miglia, in the Schell car, no.48772. They came fourth.
date | event | no. | chassis | driver | result |
25/30 Jan | Monte Carlo Rally | 97 | ? | Schell/Dreyfus | DNF |
98 | ? | Paul/Maillard-Brune | 35th | ||
15/20 Feb | Paris/St.Raphael Rally | ? | 47192 | Rouault | 1st |
? | 46810 | Lucy Schell | 5th | ||
02 Apr | Coronation Trophy (final) | 20 | 47192 | Gerard | 11th |
9 | 46094 | Paul | DNF | ||
03 Apr | Mille Miglia | 152 | 48772 V12 | Dreyfus/Varet | 4th |
147 | 48773 V12 | Comotti/Roux | DNF | ||
? | 47194 | Mazaud/Quinlin | ? | ||
09 Apr | British Empire Trophy | 24 | 46094 | Paul | 9th |
25 | 47188 | Viale | DNF | ||
10 Apr | Pau GP | 2 | 48771 V12 | Dreyfus | 1st |
4 | 48775 V12 | Comotti | 3rd | ||
26 | 46084 | “Danniell” | DNS |
René Dreyfus driving to victory in car no.2, his 48771, at the Pau GP.
Gianfranco Comotti driving car no.4, 48775, at the Pau GP, where he came third.
The fourth and last 145 V12, engine and chassis no. 48775, bodied by Lecanu in a very different style to the three preceding ones, was entered by the Schells in the Pau GP, its first race. As car no.4, driven by Comotti, it finished third.
It ran in just two more races in 1938, and took part in three in 1939. It was then seen again at the Saint Cloud GP, still with the same Lecanu bodywork.
Rebodied in 1949 by Valta, it was entered in five races during 1949-'50. Motorised by Delahaye with a 4.5-litre 6-cylinder 175S engine, it won the Comminges GP at the hands of Charles Pozzi.
After its racing career, it was rebodied as a town car with a Ford Comete body and a 235 engine, then sold to Serge Pozolli, who partially reconstructed it into a racing car and sold it on to Jim Hull and Peter Mullin in 1987. It is now in the Peter Mullin museum in California.
Dreyfus, driving the winning car at the Cork GP, no.14, 48771.
Comotti's car, no.12, 48775, at the Cork GP. He didn't finish.
“Le Bolide”, seen for the first and last time at the Tripoli GP, car no.12, 48773, was driven by Dreyfus instead of Schell, when his own car, 48771, broke down.
22 Apr | Cork GP | 14 | 48771 V12 | Dreyfus | 1st |
15 | 46094 | Paul | 5th | ||
12 | 48775 V12 | Comotti | DNF | ||
16 | 47188 | Viale | DNF | ||
11 | V12? | Laury Schell | DNA | ||
08 May | Coupe de Paris, 2nd series | 96 | 47194 | Mazaud | 2nd |
58 | 46625 | Benazet | 5th | ||
68 | 46084 | «Danniell» | 7th | ||
101 | ? | Divo | ? | ||
103 | ? | ? | ? | ||
07 May | Junior 200 Miles Trophy | 11 | 46094 | Mongin | DNF |
12 | 47188 | Viale | DNF | ||
15 May | Tripoli GP | 12 | 48773 bolide | Schell no Dreyfus | 7th |
40 | 48772 V12 | Comotti | DNF | ||
60 | 48771 V12 | Dreyfus | DNF | ||
22 May | Antwerp GP | 14 | 47194 | Mazaud | 1st |
6 | 47190 | Tremoulet | 3rd | ||
18 | 47188 | Willing | 4th | ||
16 | 6047RK4 | Snow | 5th | ||
10 | 46094 | Viale | DNF | ||
20 | 46084 | «Danniell» | DNF | ||
05 June | GP des Frontières, Chimay | 14 | 47194 | Mazaud (1st Sport) | 2nd |
12 | 45497 | Tremoulet | 4th | ||
18 June | 3 Hours Light Car Club | 15 | 47188 | Willing/Jarvis | 1st |
18/19 Jun | 24 Hours Le Mans | 15 | 47190 | Chaboud/Tremoulet | 1st |
14 | 46084 | Serraud/Giraud-Cabantous | 2nd | ||
10 | 46626 | Villeneuve/Biolay | 4th | ||
1 | 48772 V12 | Dreyfus/Chiron | DNF | ||
2 | 48773 V12 | Comotti/Divo | DNF | ||
11 | 46094 | Mongin/Mazaud | DNF | ||
12 | 45497 | Monneret/Loyer | DNF | ||
19 June | Ars Hill Climb | ? | 46625 | Benazet (Sport) | 1st |
03 Jul | ACF GP | 30 | ? | Dreyfus | DNA |
32 | ? | Comotti | DNA | ||
9/10 Jul | Spa 24 Hours | 8 | 47194 | Mazaud/Ravenet | accident |
12 | 47190 | Chaboud/Tremoulet | accident | ||
24 Jul | German GP | 20 | 48771 V12 | Dreyfus | 5th |
22 | 48772 V12 | Comotti | DNF | ||
20 | 48774 mono | Dreyfus | DNS |
They are practically all there, at the Antwerp GP. Mazaud in car no.14, 47194, won the race.
Chaboud and Tremoulet, in car no.15, 47190, with Serraud and Giraud-Cabantous, car no.14, 46084, after their victory and second place at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The crashed 47190 of Chaboud/Tremoulet at Spa.
No photo of the Delahaye 155 at the German GP, since the monoplace only practiced. This is what it looked like.
The new monoplace, type 155 V12 no.48774, designed by Jean François at the request of the Schells, was a big disappointment. At the German GP, it could hardly hold the road and didn't take the start. It had a few owners after the war and was engaged in a dozen races, but it only completed one race, in 7th and last position, driven by its owner André Simon. It ended up in a scrapyard and was never seen again.
Here are the two V12s before the race for the Coppa Acerbo. They always travelled in the Delahaye truck and trailer, never by road. Unlike most of the 135S racing cars they weren't road-registered.
Dreyfus driving no.18 at the Swiss GP, he only came 8th.
2-6 Aug | Paris-Nice Rally | 9 | 47192 | Rouault | 4th |
21 | ? | Chaboud | 9th | ||
25 | 45497 | Tremoulet | 12th | ||
10 | ? | Laury Schell | DNF | ||
05 Aug | La Turbie hill climb | 23 | 48773 V12 | Dreyfus, Course | 2nd |
24 | 48772 V12 | Dreyfus, Sport | 4th | ||
07 Aug | Coppa Ciano, Livorno | 48 | 48771 V12 | Dreyfus | 5th |
58 | 48772 V12 | Comotti | DNF | ||
14 Aug | Coppa Acerbo, Pescara | 48 | 48773 V12 | Comotti | 4th |
36 | 48772 V12 | Dreyfus | DNF | ||
36 | 48774 mono | Dreyfus | DNS | ||
21 Aug | Swiss GP | 18 | 48775 V12 | Dreyfus | 8th |
20 | 48772 V12 | “Raph” | 11th | ||
11 Sept | Paris 12 Hours | 12 | 46626 | Villeneuve/Biolay | 2nd |
10 | 47192 | Rouault/Itier | 3rd | ||
28 | 46635 | Chotard/Grignard | 4th | ||
2 | 48772 V12 | Dreyfus/Divo | DNF | ||
4 | 48773 V12 | “Raph”/Schell | DNF | ||
8 | 46084 | Seraud/Giraud-Cabantous | DNF | ||
6 | 47189 | Trevoux/Matra | DNF | ||
17 Sept | BRDC Race Brooklands | 22 | 47188 | Charlie Dodson | 5th |
24 Sept. | Dunlop Jubilee | ||||
First race | 1 | 48772 V12 | Dreyfus | ? | |
Third race | 14 | 47188 | Dodson | 2nd | |
2 | 48771 V12 | “Raph” | ? | ||
3 | 48772 V12 | Dreyfus | ? | ||
Fourth race | 6 | 47188 | Dodson | ? | |
Eighth race | 14 | 47188 | Dodson | 4th? | |
15 | 47192 | Rouault | ? | ||
1 | 48771 V12 | “Raph” | ? | ||
Tenth race | 4 | 47192 | Rouault | ? | |
24 | 48771 V12 | “Raph” | 7th | ||
25 | 48772 V12 | Dreyfus | 4th | ||
25 Sept | Lapize hill climb | 120 | 46625 | Benazet | 1st |
123 | Berlinette? | Tremoulet | ? | ||
15 Oct | Brooklands Handicap | 1 | 47188 | Dobson | 3rd |
9 | 6047RK4 | Snow | DNA | ||
22 Oct | Donington GP | 9 | 48774 mono | Dreyfus | DNF |
10 | 48772 V12 | “Raph” | DNF |
Mesdames Rouault and Itier getting their 47192 attended to during the gruelling Paris 12 Hours. They came in third.
Dreyfus and his monoplace V12, 48774, its first race at the start of the Donington GP. He didn't finish.