Marathon de la Route
Car race in 1931–1960
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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 Trévoux in a Hotchkiss 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 this event, driving a Citroën DS 19.[4]
Nürburgring
By the mid 1960s, some countries refuses to have rallyes cross their territory. Thus, from 1965 to 1971, the race was held on the full layout of the Nürburgring, combining both loops. The duration of the race was 82 hours, and reached 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
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
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 | 86 hours | [43][41] |
| 1971 | Jacques Henry (FRA) Jean-Luc Thérier (FRA) Maurice Nusbaumer (FRA) |
Alpine A 110 1600S | 96 hours | [44] |