1931 in Sports - Motor Racing

Motor Racing

Grand Prix racing

• The Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR) introduces a European Championship for Grand Prix drivers on a points system. The first winner is Ferdinando Minoia (Italy), driving for Alfa Romeo in its 8C-2300 and 6C-1750 models, even though he does not win a race.
• 19 April — the 3rd Monaco Grand Prix is run at Monte Carlo. The winner is Louis Chiron (Monaco) in a Bugatti T51. He covers 318 km (198 mi) (100 laps) in 3:39:09.2.
• 24 May — the 9th Italian Grand Prix is run at Autodromo Nazionale Monza. The winners are Giuseppe Campari and Tazio Nuvolari (both Italy), sharing an Alfa Romeo 8C2300. The race is 10 hours, covering 1,550.03 kilometres (963.14 mi) (155 laps). It is officially titled the IX Gran Premio d'Italia and is given the honorary designation of European Grand Prix.
• 21 June — the 17th French Grand Prix, organised by the Automobile Club de France (ACF), is run at the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry. The race is 10 hours, covering 1,268.825 km (788.411 mi) (101 laps). The winners are Louis Chiron (Monaco) and Achille Varzi (Italy), sharing a Bugatti T51. The race is retrospectively referred to as the XXV Grand Prix de l'ACF.
• 12 July — the 3rd Belgian Grand Prix is run at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The race is 10 hours, covering 1,320.399 km (820.458 mi) (88 laps). The winners are William Grover-Williams (Great Britain) and Caberto Conelli (Italy), sharing a Bugatti T51.

Indianapolis 500

• 30 May — 19th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is won by Louis Schneider (USA) in the Bowes Seal Fast Special Stevens-Miller in 5:10:27.93.

Le Mans 24 hours

• The 9th Le Mans 24 hours race is won by Earl Howe and Tim Birkin (both Great Britain) driving an Alfa Romeo 8C2300. They cover 184 laps (3,017.654 km (1,875.083 mi)).