Russian motorsport history

[IRAO]

I. Pousireff sur Duerkopp

Adler... Attention! Russian old magazin wrote: driver Wilhelm, German old magazin fot the same photo wrote: driver Finke

[faksta]

Thank you very much, IRAO! Your help and your corrections are greatly appreciated!

Maybe you also have more pictures of Lessner cars?

[IRAO]

Lessner TB-4 - 28/32 PS SPb-Riga-Spb 1909

[IRAO]

Basil Wsewoloschsky, prezident of St.Petersburg Automobil-Club:
Here: ?. ?. ??????o???o? | ??????? ??????

[faksta]

1911 Coupe du Tsar (Sevastopol run)

The 1911 Coupe du Tsar has been organized with a new idea. The competition too place on worse roads than a year before to assess the possibility of using automobiles in such conditions. Every competitor was permitted to repair his car in a race, including engine replacement, but using only his own parts – nothing else could be applied. Having that in mind, every car must have arrived to a checkpoint in time and in a good condition. The imposing of off-road stages have had one more aim – disallow the participation of racing cars.
Moreover, this time it was a team competition – the winner was the one whose team received the least amount of point (divided by the team members number). Speed stages have been rejected, and the aim was a regularity. The route started in St.-Petersberg and went through Vyshnyi Volochek, Moscow, Tula, Kursk, Kharkov, Ekaterinoslav, Melitopol, Simferopol and ended up in Sevastopol – more than 2000 versts, including 750 versts of dirt roads. Entrants have been divided into five categories – above 9L (I cat.), 6-9L (II cat.), 4-6L (III cat.), 2.4-4L (IV cat.) and under 2.4L (V cat.).
57 cars took start in St.-Petersberg on September, 7 including 24 foreign equipages. 7 automotive clubs and 6 manufacturers were represented by them. Russo-Baltique drivers were E.Zigmunt on K12/20 and I.Purzhelis on C24/30. Both could not take part in a fight for a victory – Zigmunt retired in a middle of the distance, while Purzhelis bent a leaf spring of his car. However, three more Russo-Baltique cars were entered by non-factory drivers A.Nagel, V.Svistounoff and V.Shishkin, all three on C24/30 cars. Nagel managed to finish the race without penalty points, while Shishkin retired and Svistounoff scored some point for being late.
41 cars have successfully finishel in Sevastopol on September, 16. The winner was a team of First Russian Automobile Club from Moscow – I.Filippoff (Mercedes), N.Mironoff (Berliet), O.Follmann* (Minerva) and P.Iljin (La Buire). All the four team members scored no penalty points.
Among the others such companies as Horch, Komnick, Brennabor, Opel, Ford, Laurin & Klement, Lorraine-Dietrich, Loreley, Benz, Adler were represented, driven by some famous European drivers.
After the finish a little scandal took place – Rein automobile club director has made an appeal stating that Filippoff must get a penalty – he had a problem with a steering, which has been fixed during the race. But as a repair on a distance has been permitted, that appeal has been rejected. This story has had a negative influence on a future of Coupe du Tsar.

*I hope this is a right spelling.

Pictures:
1. One of the participants suffering from Russian dirt roads.

A number of other competitions were held in 1911, including Caucasus run, Moscow-Orel, Moscow-Riga and various verst races, but to get further with this thread I'd skip them.

[faksta]

Russians at the II Monte Carlo rally

In January 1912 a second edition of famous Monte Carlo rally took place on European roads. As similar competitions were quite popular in Russian Empire, Andrei Nagel and Vadim Mikailoff decided to take part in an International run. In 1912 in addition to last year starting cities – Paris, Boulogne, Geneva, Vienna, Berlin, Brussels – four more have been specified – Amsterdam, Turin, Havre and St.-Petersberg. Average speed allowed was up to 25 km/h on some stages, while any repair of engine and chassis during the run has been prohibited – they have been sealed.
St.-Petersberg, the outermost city, has become a starting place for Andrei Nagel and Vadim Mikailoff. Russo-Baltique factory has prepared a special car for them – C24/55. A handsome and light two-seater open body without a windscreen (Nagel was afraid it would freeze) allowed to keep the car’s weight within 1300 kg. The engine was bored from 4501 to 4939cc, while compression rate raised from 4,0 to 5,5. Instead of cast-iron pistons aluminium ones were used. It all resulted in 55hp @ 1800rpm as compared to a standard C24/30’s 30hp @ 1200rpm. Stated maximum speed was around 113 km/h.
On January 13, 1912 (December 31, 1911 according old Russian calendar) Nagel and Mikailoff started in St.-Petersberg at 17 below zero, together with 86 more equipages starting from other cities. Nagel and Mikailoff (with a broken right hand) became the first who arrived to Monte-Carlo, but were only ninth in final classification, as beside the average speed such factors as number of passengers, windows, seats and concours d’elegance results were counted. Still Russo-Baltique #6 has won a ‘route prize’ for a longest distance and scoring no penalty points and 600 franks for being 9 in general. After this race Nagel has received an Order of St. Anna (3 class).

Pictures:
1. Russo-Baltique C24/55.
2. Russo-Baltique C24/55 - Nagel and Mikailoff before the start in St.-Petersberg.
3. Russo-Baltique C24/55 in snow.
4-5. Russo-Baltique C24/55 on a participants parade in Monte Carlo after finish.

[faksta]

1912 Coupe du Tsar (Warszawa run)

The third edition of Coupe du Tsar in 1912 has become the last one, partly because of a last year’s post-finish scandal. Only 19 cars have been entered with just 9 foreign equipages. Even a domestic Russo-Baltique did not attend the race with its works team.
Just like before, a new route has been chosen – St.-Petersberg – Reval – Riga – Warszawa – Kiev – Moscow. Again this year the rally was held with a personal classification. 11 cars have successfully finished in Moscow, with only 3 finishers without penalty points. Fedor Shorygin from Moscow has won the last of IRAO long distance races on a small 24hp Loreley.

Pictures:

1. Kendall on Austin driving into Reval.
2. Von Luecke on Komnick at the start in Reval.

[faksta]

SPAK International circuit race

This significant event happened on May 26, 1913 and became known as a first ever circuit race in Russian Empire. St.-Petersberg Automobile Club (SPAK) wanted to organize a Russian Grand Prix, but it was decided not to hurry and to assess the possibility of a GP race. The track was made on public roads near St.-Petersberg between Krasnoe Selo, Ligovo, Pulkovo and Alexandrovskaya. Circuit length has not been measured, but was stated to be 30,5 km. It was planned that a seven lap race should last about 4-5 hours. Every 1.5 verst a controller officer has been standing – an alternative to what we call a race marshall today.
21 cars attended the first circuit race. The starting list looked like this:

#1 – Meller (D?) Mercedes 4 cyl.
#2 – Slubsky (R) Excelsior 6 cyl.
#3 – Rychkov (R) Berliet 4 cyl. (the car was driven by two Rychkov’s drivers)
#4 – Oganesov (R) Bianchi 4 cyl.
#5 – Suvorin (R) Benz 29/60PS 4 cyl.
#6 – Ghisser (R) Benz 4 cyl.
#7 – Shishkin (R) Stoewer B4 19/45PS 4 cyl.
#8 – Nothombe (R) Metallurgique 27/80 4 cyl.
#9 – Ivanov (R) Russo-Baltique C24/58 4 cyl.
#10 – Birkigt (CH) Hispano-Suiza 4 cyl.
#11 – Rietti (I) Lancia 4 cyl.
#12 – Novikov (R) Vauxhall 4 cyl.
#13 – Effron (R) Vauxhall A 4 cyl.
#14 – Hollowell (GB) Vauxhall 4 cyl.
#15 – Jossa (?) Excelsior 4 cyl.
#16 – Ovsiannikoff (R) Vauxhall 4 cyl.
#17 – Pluim (R) Hupmobile R 32hp 4 cyl.
#18 – Duray (F) Metallurgique 15/20 4 cyl.
#19 – Donier (F) Opel 4 cyl.
#20 – Grebenschikoff (R) Hupmobile R 22hp 4 cyl.
#21 – Koliar (?) Wanderer 2 cyl.

Meller, Novikov and Jossa did not start, so only 18 entrants took start at 11.30 every minute. The novelty of this type of racing caused some funny situations. Thus, two Rychkov’s drivers stopped on a finish line after the very first lap, but fortunately remained in the race, thanks to controller officers and public. During a second lap of the race heavy rain has begun, which caused many problems to drivers on the smallest automobiles. Many drivers retired during the seven laps, others have had some problems. Within Krasnoe Selo it was decided to impose a 10-minute time neutralization to avoid speeding in a settlement. As any car arrived to Krasone Selo, controller officer gave the driver a switched on stopwatch. On the exit from Krasnoe Selo driver had to wait until 10 minutes pass and only then could continue the race. When Ivanov, who was among the leaders, arrived to the village, controller gave him a switched off stopwatch, which has been noticed only four or five minutes later, so the driver had to stop on the exit and wait until the stopwatch showed 10 minutes. Pissed off, he started to risk - set a best lap time twice, showed an average speed of 126,1 km/h on a wet road and drove to a second place, three minutes behind the winner – Suvorin. The same thing with timing happened to Effron and Shishkin.
Only 8 competitors finished that race. The results were following:

1. Suvorin (2:23.54,6)
2. Ivanov (+2.56,4)
3. Nothombe (+5.24,4)
4. Duray (+26.21,8)
5. Effron (+41.15,4)
6. Shishkin (+53.40,4)
7. Birkigt (+1:04.25,0)
8. Grebenschikoff (+1:27.47,2)
DNF Rychkov (7L)
DNF Oganesov (7L)
DNF Slubsky (5L)
DNF Ghisser (4L)
DNF Pluim (4L)
DNF Ovsiannikoff (3L)
DNF Donier (2L)
DNF Koliar (2L)
DNF Hollowell (1L)

Beside from common classification two more criteria have been imposed – average speed on each lap (won by Grebenschikoff, then Duray and Rietti) and engine, which was based on such indicators as car weight, average speed, number of cylinders, bore and stroke (won by Duray, then Ivanov and Nothombe).
In the end I’d like to say something about two cars competing in a SPAK International race which had a connection with Russian automotive industry. First of all, the winner’s car – Benz 29/60PS. This car had a Russian lightweight body installed on an original German chassis – it was a body made by either a St.-Petersberg Benz department or Russo-Baltique technical center in St.-Petersberg – historians mention both versions.
The second interesting car was a Russo-Baltique C24/58. It was nothing but a car which took part in Monte Carlo rally a year ago. It’s current owner, Ivan Ivanov, has modified an engine and replaced an old touring body with a new racing one, painted green, which was the reason why the car has been nicknamed Ogurets (‘cucumber’ in Russian). Driving the C24/58 Ivanov has set an absolute speed record for a Russian car on May 14, 1913 – 143,4 km/h on one verst distance, although it was significantly less than a new absolute Russian record set by Franz Hoerner in the same year on his mighty Benz – 202,1 km/h. His record remained unbeaten until 1952.

Pictures:

1. Track scheme (I have it only in this scale).
2. The winners - Suvorin and his Benz with a special body.
3. Arthur Duray (right) with his almost production Metallurgique.
4. Grebenschikoff and his Hupmobile.
5. Nothombe in a Metallurgique 27/80.
6. Ivanov's Russo-Baltique C24/58.

[faksta]

SPAK International race pictures #2:

1. Ivan Ivanov (right) with a cup for his second place in front of a C24/58.
2. Ghisser (left) and Suvorin (right) in their Benz cars. As far as I know this picture has been taken during a St.-Petersberg International autoshow in 1913, a couple days before the race.

[faksta]

Two verst race with obstacles near Moscow.

In the same 1913, on September 29, First Russian Automobile Club together with a military office have organized a very unusual competition near Moscow. Drivers had to cover two versts through a cross country with natural obstacles. The route has been kept in secret until the very start – it has been only known that there should have been a hill somewhere. Any cars with 4 seats, headlamps, fenders and mufflers were allowed to start with an equipage of 2-4 people, and there was no division on categories. In case of a breakdown only competitors’ own equipment could have been used.
14 entrants decided to try themselves and their cars (from 7 to 28hp) in this discipline. When the track has been uncovered, it turned out that they have to overcome a bulgy road, a ravine with a river on its bottom, a sharp rise and a river again, this time to be passed lenghtwise its bed, then a sharp turn and a rise on a slick forest road. In general - only two versts and 30 minutes to finish. Many competitors used chains and ropes, which were put on their wheels. First cars have broken the already bad road, and the following competitors had to run in even more difficult conditions. That didn’t prevent Teffersfeld from winning the event on his 12hp Ford within 4 minutes 42 seconds. The best woman in the race was E.Samsonova, who has completed the distance in 8 minutes 13 seconds in a Hupmobile.

[dilettante]

Thanks "faksta" for this new chapter of Russian motorsport history !

[faksta]

Grand Prix de SPAK

The finest hour of Russian motorsport and the most significant event up to the date has come on May 18, 1914, when Saint-Petersberg Automobile Club organized an International Grand Prix on the same roads near St.-Petersberg which accepted a SPAK International race a year before. In the beginning of 1914 invitations have been sent to many European clubs and manufacturers.
Unfortunately, the event turned out to be not so great as it could be – most manufacturers have been preparing to an ACF Grand Prix which had to start within a month and a half, and the only works driver on GP de SPAK was Aquila Italiana’s Beria d’Argentine (apart from Russo-Baltique's own Ivan Ivanov), but even his car was basically a sportscar with a racing body. The only two racing cars were a 15-liter Benz entered by Willy Scholl and Slubsky’s Excelsior, which he drove a year ago in SPAK International race – the latter was a car bought from Joseph Christiaens after he has finished a Brussels-St.-Petersberg run in 1913. This time two classifications have been imposed – an ordinary one, in a finish order, and depending on a regularity with a most mechanical impact, which was counted by a very moderate formula.
The distance, which was planned to be 360 versts (12 laps) has been cut to 210 versts (7 laps) because of the governor’s ban to take the road for more than 5 hours.
Starting list for the first and still the last Grand Prix race in Russia looked like this:

#1 – Scholl (D) Benz
#2 – Slubsky (R) Excelsior
#3 – Ghisser (R) Benz
#4 – Ivanov (R) Russo-Baltique C24/60
#5 – Ovsiannikoff (R) Vauxhall 30/98E
#6 – Sadyker (R) Sunbeam
#7 – d’Argentine (I) Aquila Italiana
#8 – Samsonova (R) Hupmobile
#9 – Boboshko (R) Hupmobile
#10 – Wern (R) Hupmobile
#11 – Rashevsky (R) Vauxhall
#12 – Neugebauer (?) Rochet-Schneider
#13 – Grebenschikoff (R) Buick
#14 – Sokoloff (R) Argyll
#15 – Jamoida (R) NAG

Three of fifteen entrants – Ghisser, Neugebauer and Jamoida - did not start, so the race consisted of only 12 cars. Scholl started first and didn’t let anyone to overtake him during the whole race, along the way setting a new lap record – 13 minutes 55,6 seconds – almost half a minute faster than Ivanov a year before. Slubsky could have had a chance of getting Scholl, but spent some 20 minutes trying to fix the clutch. 7 cars have finished that race, with 6 classifed, as Sokoloff drove his Argyll to a finish already after the timing was closed.
Final classification:

1. Scholl (1:48.32,2)
2. Ovsiannikoff (+10.29,6)
3. d’Argentine (+13.08,6)
4. Slubsky (+28.38,0)
5. Rashevsky (+40.59,8)
6. Boboshko (+1:10.24,8)
7. Sokoloff (not classified)
DNF Samsonova (3L)
DNF Sadyker (2L)
DNF Ivanov (1L)
DNF Wern (1L)
DNF Grebenschikoff (1L)

This year Ivanov has once more modified his Russo-Baltique. The engine was bored again and the output rose to about 60hp. A new body has been installed with a German-esque sharp radiator. This was the last modification of a Monte Carlo car.
Six weeks after the race Franz Ferdinand d’Este was killed in Sarajevo, in 1917 the socialist revolution happened in Russia, which led to a civil war and motor racing has been nearly forgotten for quite a long time.

Pictures:

1. Willy Scholl - the winner of the only Grand Prix race in Russian history.
2. Ovsiannikoff's Vauxhall 30/98E (note that Vauxhall is written with cyrillic letters, which was a common practice those days).
3-4. The only foreign works driver - Beria d'Argentine and his Aquila Italiana.
5-6. Next generation of Ivanov's car - Russo-Baltique C24/60.

[IRAO]

Nothombe was a Russian citizen!!!
Who is Muller??? Hes name was Meller (other Meller, not from Moscow "Dux")

Here i the list of Mercedes-Victory in Russian Empire.

[faksta]

I'll check where I took this information from, I'm afraid I don't remember my source for these exact pieces of information from my head now.

[IRAO]

Here are my reports (new versions wroten in Russian with many pictures):

1. Peter Pousanoff (early race driver)
2. St. Petesburg Automobil-Club
3. Russian tyres "Prowodnik" and "Treugolnik"
4. Basil Wsewoloschsky (President of St Petersburg Automobil-Club)
5. Paul Beljajeff (first winner in Russia)
6. Bruno Fahrig (automobil-sportsman)
7. Jakob Drewitzki (automobil-sportsman)
8. Automobiles "Loreley" in Russia (also in sport)
9. Basil Soldatenkoff (automobil-sportsman, recordsman of Russia)
10. Emil Pluym (sporsman and dealer)
11. Family Beckel (automobile-dealers)
12. Nikolaus von Meck (automobil-sportsman)
13. Sofia Dolgorukaja (automobil-sportswuman)
14. Samuel Surmetz (early automobil-sportsman)
15. Alexander Wetchinine (automobil-sportsman)
16. Iwan Iwanoff (automobil-sportsman)
17. Baltische Atomobil- und Aero-Club


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