Marathon de la Route

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.

Porsche 356SL Gmünd coupé. This model won the Liège-Rome-Liège in 1952 and 1954.

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) car tied for first place, denying the German works teams shortly before their countries were overrun.[1] 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.[1]

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.[1]

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 the this event, driving a Citroen 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.[1]

Afterwards

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

Winners

Record holder of number of victories: Ginet Trasenster, 5

Bugatti Type 49, the winning model of the first edition of the Marathon

Liège–Rome–Liège (1931-1939)
Year Drivers Car Make/Model Ref
1931  Willy Toussaint (BEL)  Alphonse Evrard (BEL) Bugatti [6]
1932  Baron Orban de Xivry (BEL)  L. Havelange (BEL) Bugatti [7]
1933  George Télesphore (BEL)  Collon (BEL) FN 3.2L [8]
1934*  Hans-Joachim Bernet (GER)  Max Sailer (GER) Mercedes-Benz [9]
 Van Naemen (GER)  Ferruccio Canciani (ITA) Lancia
 Max Thirion (BEL)  Georges Bouriano (ROM) Bugatti
 Alphonse Evrard (BEL) Ginet Trasenster (BEL) Bugatti
 Peeters (BEL)  Collins (BEL) Bugatti
 Paul von Guilleaume (GER)  Lotte Bahr (GER) Alder
 Charles Lahaye (FRA)  René Quatressous (FRA) Renault
1935*  Charles Lahaye (FRA)  René Quatressous (FRA) Renault [10]
 Ginet Trasenster (BEL)  Franz Breyre (BEL) Bugatti
1936 Cancelled
1937  Karl Haeberle (GER)  Wilhelm Glöckler (GER) Hanomag [11]
1938  Ginet Trasenster (BEL)  Franz Breyre (BEL) Bugatti [12]
1939*  Ginet Trasenster (BEL)  Franz Breyre (BEL) Bugatti [13]
 Jean Trévoux (FRA)  Marcel Lesurque (FRA) Hotchkiss

*Multiple teams finished without penalties or with equal points and were declared co-winners

Olivier Gendebien (left) and co-driver Pierre Stasse with their Ferrari 250 Europa during the 1956 Liège-Rome-Liège

Liège-Rome-Liège (1950-1960)
Year Drivers Car Make/Model Ref
1950  Claude Dubois (BEL)  Charles de Cortanze (FRA) Peugeot 203 Speciale [14]
1951  Johnny Claes (BEL)  Jacques Ickx (BEL) Jaguar XK120 [15]
1952  Helmut Polensky (GER)  Walter Schlüter (GER) Porsche 356SL Gmünd Coupe [16][17]
1953  Johnny Claes (BEL)  Ginet Trasenster (BEL) Lancia Aurelia B20 GT [18]
1954  Helmut Polensky (GER)  Herbert Linge (GER) Porsche 356SL Gmünd Coupe [19][20]
1955  Olivier Gendebien (BEL)  Pierre Stasse (BEL) Mercedes-Benz 300 SL [21]
1956  Willy Mairesse (BEL)  Willy Genin (BEL) Mercedes-Benz 300 SL [22]
1957  Claude Storez (FRA)  Robert Buchet (FRA) Porsche 356 A 1500 GS Carrera GT Speedster [23][24]
1958  Bernard Consten (FRA)  Jean Hebert (FRA) Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce Zagato [25][26]
1959  Robert Buchet (FRA)  Paul-Ernst Strähle (GER) Porsche 356 A 1600 GS Carrera GT Coupe [27][28]
1960  Pat Moss (GBR)  Ann Wisdom (GBR) Austin-Healey 3000 Mk 1 [29][30]

Liège–Sofia–Liège
Year Drivers Car Make/Model Ref
1961  Lucien Bianchi (BEL)  Georges Harris (BEL) Citroën DS 19 [31][4]
1962  Eugen Böhringer (GER)  Hermann Eger (GER) Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb W111 [32][2]
1963  Eugen Böhringer (GER)  Klaus Kaiser (GER) Mercedes-Benz 230 SL [33][34]
1964  Rauno Aaltonen (FIN)  Tony Ambrose (GBR) Austin-Healey 3000 [35][3]

Nürburgring
Year Drivers Car Make/Model Length Ref
1965  Henri Greder (FRA)  Johnny Rives (FRA) Ford Mustang 82 hours [36]
1966  Julien Vernaeve (BEL)  Andrew Hedges (GBR) MG MGB 84 hours [37]
1967  Hans Herrmann (GER)  Jochen Neerpasch (GER)  Vic Elford (GBR) Porsche 911R Sportomatic 84 hours [38][39]
1968  Herbert Linge (GER)  Dieter Glemser (GER)  Willi Kauhsen (GER) Porsche 911 E 84 hours [40][41]
1969  Harry Källström (SWE)  Sergio Barbasio (ITA)  Tony Fall (GBR) Lancia Fulvia 1.6 HF 84 hours [42]
1970  Gérard Larrousse (FRA)  Helmut Marko (AUT)  Claude Haldi (CHE) VW-Porsche 914/6 84 hours [43][41]
1971  Jacques Henry (FRA)  Jean-Luc Thérier (FRA)  Maurice Nusbaumer (FRA) Alpine A 110 1600S 96 hours [44]

See also

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