Grand Prix du Comminges
The Grand Prix du Comminges was an automobile race held in France.
The race was named after the Comminges, one of the former Provinces of France in ancient Gascony in what is now the Haute-Garonne department of the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. The race began as part of a week-long festival organized by local officials in the town of Saint-Gaudens designed to attract tourists.
Grand Prix motor racing was at its zenith when the first race was first held in 1925 on a Template:Convert course from Saint-Gaudens to the town of Montréjeau and back again via a different route. The hilly terrain allowed for excellent viewing close to the beginning and end of the race from atop a hill at the outskirts of Saint-Gaudens. The course layout was modified a few times beginning with changes made to accommodate holding the official French Grand Prix in 1928.
At the 1932 race René Dreyfus was leading in his Bugatti going into the final lap. Rain fell and on the wet road he spun out on a sharp curve. Dreyfus was thrown from the vehicle as it somersaulted through the air but suffered only minor injuries. However, his car hurtled directly towards a large group of spectators gathered off to the side of the road but hit a small tree and smashed to the ground without injuring anyone.
Due to a controversy over vehicle regulations, both the 1937 and 1938 races had to be cancelled when major factory teams boycotted the event. After World War II, the creation of Formula One saw the Grand Prix du Comminges modified to a Formula Two event but, with the top drivers no longer competing, economics dictated cancellation after the 1952 race.
Winners
- 1925 – Template:Flagicon M Goury (Bignan B)
- 1926 – Template:Flagicon Louis Chiron (Bugatti T35)
- 1927 – Template:Flagicon François Eysermann (Bugatti T37)
- 1928 – Template:Flagicon William Grover-Williams (Bugatti T35C)
- 1929 – Template:Flagicon Philippe Étancelin (Bugatti T35C)
- 1930 – Template:Flagicon François Miquel (Bugatti T37A)
- 1931 – Template:Flagicon Philippe Étancelin (Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 'Monza')
- 1932 – Template:Flagicon Goffredo Zehender (Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 'Monza')
- 1933 – Template:Flagicon Luigi Fagioli (Alfa Romeo Tipo-B 'P3')
- 1934 – Template:Flagicon Franco Comotti (Alfa Romeo Tipo-B 'P3')
- 1935 – Template:Flagicon Raymond Sommer (Alfa Romeo Tipo-B 'P3')
- 1936 – Template:Flagicon Jean-Pierre Wimille (Bugatti T59/57)
- 1939 – Template:Flagicon René Le Bègue (Talbot MD90)
- 1947 – Template:Flagicon Louis Chiron (Talbot Monoplace C39)
- 1948 – Template:Flagicon Luigi Villoresi (Maserati 4CLT/48)
- 1949 – Template:Flagicon Charles Pozzi (Delahaye 145)
- 1952 – Template:Flagicon André Simon / Template:Flagicon Alberto Ascari (Ferrari Tipo 500)