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03/09/2025 10:50 am
The 1925 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 3rd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 20 and 21 June 1925. It was the last of the three races spanning 1923 to 1925 to determine the winner of the Rudge-Whitworth Triennial Cup, as well the second race of the inaugural Biennial Cup.
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) was pleased with how the 1924 regulations had worked. They adjusted the hood-test so that all cars could do it at the same time. The start was the logical point and to stop drivers from jumping the gun they would be lined up on the opposite side of the track. When the flag fell, they would run across, put the hood up and then start the car and get away as quick as possible. This became the origin of the famous “Le Mans start” that was an institution of the race until 1969, when safety concerns led to its end.
The hoods now had to stay up for at least the first twenty laps. Another important change was that every car had to cross the finish line and take the chequered flag to be classified.
In 1923 and 1924, the race had been run near the town of Le Mans on mostly unpaved roads. For 1925 the race was moved just outside town, about where it is today. A temporary pits, lighting and grandstands were set up on the Mulsanne Straight. The French national roads board assisted by widening and sealing the track around the new pits area to assist with the new start procedure.
Of the 68 submitted, 55 arrived for scrutineering. But this included 15 cars from outside France. Sunbeam, AC and Austin joined Bentley, last year’s winner from Great Britain, and there were teams from Italy (Diatto and OM) and the USA (Chrysler).
Bentley returned with a full works car to support John Duff’s privateer entry. Duff had the same car as last year. The works car had an uprated 3.3-litre engine and was driven by Bertie Kensington-Moir and Dr.Dudley Benjafield. John Duff was a Canadian, the first Canadian to win Le Mans.
Chenard-Walcker 1923 winners arrived with four cars split over two engine-sizes to hedge their bets. After coming very close to victory in 1924, La Lorraine-Dietrich arrived with three of their B3-6 cars. The cars had been lightened, and the troublesome steel “artillery” wheels were replaced by Rudge-Whitworth wire ones. All three cars were now on Englebert tyres.
It was a hot, sunny weekend for the race and over twice as many spectators as the previous year arrived for the event. John Duff Bentley won the prize for being the first to put his hood up on his Bentley and get away first.
At the end of the first lap it was Segrave in the Sunbeam in the lead, chased by the Bentleys, Saint-Paul's Lorraine and the two large Chenard-Walckers.
Duff’s Bentley #9 ran dry of fuel on his 20th lap. Just after that Duff too ran out. He got back to the pits and illegally secreted a bottle of petrol back to the car to get it back to the pits, but losing seven laps and was disqualified. The two Bentley entries are shown below.
Then at dusk a serious accident occurred, The Amilcar of Marius Mestivier was just about to be overtaken by André Pisart's Chenard-Walcker just after the new finish-line approaching the Mulsanne corner. It suddenly slewed sideways off the track and rolled. Mestivier was crushed and killed instantly – the first fatality at the endurance race.
The remaining 4-litre Chenard also retired in the morning hours when it too overheated from a ruptured water-hose.
The works Bentley went out at the dawn pit stop. That Bentley's engine caught fire. Despite Clement dowsing it with his seat-cushion, the damage was too severe to carry on.
It was the first race for an American team. The first Chrysler-badged car had only been unveiled in 1924. ThisChrysler Six Model B-70had a 3.3-litre straight-6 engine that produced 70 bhp capable of over 110 kp/h (70 mph). Chrysler set out to outset its American rivals by racing in Europe. The Chrysler had been having a strong reliable race run that had got it up to 7th on distance. Then with less than two hours to go,It ended up in a ditch avoiding a slower car. They finished just two laps short of their qualifying distance. See the Chrysler image below.
At the end of 24 hours, Andre Rossignol and Gerard de Courcelles in the #5 Lorraine-DietrichB3-6 Sport finished four laps (129 in total) ahead of the next opposition and ten laps ahead of their target. Chassagne and Davis in their #16 Sunbeam 3 Litre Super Sports held on to second, just ahead of the other#4 Lorraine of Brisson/Stalter.
Here is the #5 Lorraine-Dietrich driven by Rossignol/de Courcelles in 1/43 white metal by MCM of France.
25/09/2025 5:52 pm
I have the MCM model too, a 'factory' build with a lot of differences. Was yours a kit David? Mine is several shades darker, has no taillight, and the windshield is cast, not p/e. I have never glued the wheels on - they are so frail and exquisite that harm might come to them should I decide to sell the model and ship it someday.
This post was modified 6 months ago by Harv Goranson
David Green reacted
Topic starter
25/09/2025 6:52 pm
Interesting differences, Harv. No, mine also was ‘factory’ built. As you know, these were hand made and I have to believe by different builders with obviously some initiative used. I have two other models of this car, one by Altaya. Your colour shade is similar to those.
Harv, I’m wondering if these are two different castings. My spotlight is black and attached to the body while yours is part of the windscreen. Yours has a leather strap on the bonnet and the tonneau is a different shape.
II have several other of their LeMans models and wonder if these have similar variations.
Karl Schnelle and Christopher Moroni reacted
25/09/2025 8:18 pm
@david-green Weird. Got mine in 1992 if that helps.
Christopher Moroni and David Green reacted
Topic starter
25/09/2025 8:41 pm