
It’s late June, and Hungarian Ferenc Szisz has just taken victory in the French Grand Prix. After two days, and just shy of 780 miles of clattering around a race track comprised of public roads in the LeMans region, Ferenc (and his ‘riding mechanic’ M. Marteau) brought their two-seat, 90bhp Renault home for the win; half an hour ahead of nearest rival Felice Nazzaro.
The year was 1906, and Grand Prix racing was officially a go.
Since then drivers, teams, fans and organisers have all enjoyed a near 114 year run of wheel-to-wheel action, which, save for temporary hiatuses caused by two world wars, has raced from season-lights to final-flag largely uninterrupted; attracting ever growing numbers of teams and crowds along the way.