Rally Monte Carlo 1938 - The Route Napoleon brings a new dimension
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Summary
Despite a protest which was rejected by the stewards, Gerard Bakker-Schut and Karl/Ton from Holand were crowned winners of the 1938 Monte Carlo Rally in a heavy Ford V8.
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Fifty of the 125 teams at the start reached the Mediterranean without penalty points - an unprecedented number. What happened? Most of the teams reached Lyon from their starting locations without any major problems and then headed for Monaco together. The traditional, common final stretch Avignon - Nice - Monaco is replaced by the route Grenoble - Col de la Croix-Haute - Gap - Sistéron - Col des Leques - Castellane - Col de Pillon - Nice - Monaco, the N 85 or more popularly - the Route Napoleon - finds its baptism of fire and how. The 345-kilometre Route Napoleon is narrow, winding, leads over various passes and must be driven at an average speed of at least 50 km/h and a maximum of 60 km/h. The target times are monitored. The target times are monitored. Those who stay within the tolerance times are awarded 200 points. The most challenging section is the 1,146 meter high Col des Leques. Especially the Clue de Taulanne with its poisonous, barely secured hairpin bends. Most teams pass the first time check within the prescribed time. Conditions at the Col des Leques are wintry. The rally organizers decide to lift the time control before Castillane and so 50 teams manage to reach the finish without any stress or penalty points. The rally drivers were confronted with the pitfalls of snow-covered and icy roads in the Alpes Maritimes and the Alpes de Haute Provence for the first time. In the 1950s and 1960s, these mountain roads made dramatic headlines.
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