Dieppe was one of the First Grand
Prix circuits, it was the scene of the second French Grand Prix in
1907. In 1906, the ACF (Automobile Club de France) organised the
First ever Grand Prix at the 129 km long, 'Circuit de la Sarthe' at
Le Mans which was won by Francois Szisz in his Renault.
Here was start/finish in 1908 and 1912, the 1907 race was
started at another straight.
In these years there was a battle
between the French car manufacturers, who had been dominated the
sport so far, and the rising Italian manufacturers. The battle
between the French and the Italians reached his top during the
French Grand Prix at Dieppe in 1907.
About 8 km (5 Mile) after the start the track crossed the railway
bridge at Ancourt
Eleven French teams appeared at the
start while Italy, Belgium, Germany, Great Brittan and the United
States were represented by only one team each. The regulation that
year had no restriction on engine capacity but on fuel consumption,
30 litres at 100 km was the maximum. The cars should also be painted
in the national colours. The Grand Prix was won by Nazzaro who
finished with his FIAT seven minutes in front of Szisz in his
Renault. The French dominance and proud where badly hurt.
Trough the village Envermeu, 8 km after Encourt.
Also the next year there was little
success for the French manufacturers at Dieppe. The victory went to
Mercedes and the second and third place were claimed by the men from
Benz (then two different car manufacturers). After this the French
manufacturers could not longer justify the high costs they spend for
racing. When also the European economy comes in a crisis they decide
collective to leave Grand Prix racing. As a result from this the
Grand Prix from 1909 was cancelled.
Londinieres, the first angle points of the triangular track.
In 1910 and 1911 Grand Prix's where
held in America and the ACF decided to organize a Grand Prix in 1912
again. This was the last Grand Prix at the original street circuit
from Dieppe. The race was won Georges Boillot in his Peugeot which
brought back the honour to France.
Short after the village Eu, the second angle point,
the track crossed this impressive railway bridge.
The 'Circuit de la Seine-Inférieure',
which was the official name of this version, was 76,987 km (47,840
Miles) long and was driven anticlockwise. With its very long
straights, interrupted by twisty sections trough the villages, it
was rather a test for the machine than for the driver.
Passing the church in Criel.
After the Grand Prix of 1912, the
Grand Prix moved to Amiens and the old course was no longer used for
racing. From 1929 till 1935 a new 8,146 km (5.062 Miles) long street
circuit south of the city was used for the Dieppe Grand Prix.
Nowadays the public roads who once formed the Grand Prix circuit are
almost the same, with some new buildings beside. Sometimes rally
cars use a part from the old course for the Rally of Normandy.
