Pau Grand Prix - History - Grand Prix Du Sud-Ouest 1901

Grand Prix Du Sud-Ouest 1901

In 1901, the Automobile-club du Béarn held the same race on the same circuit but not with the same title, the race name changed from Circuit du Sud-Ouest to Grand Prix du Sud-Ouest and this was the first event ever to be called Grand Prix in motor racing, it was the ancestor of the Pau Grand Prix. Some anglophone sources wrongly list a race called the 'Pau Grand Prix' in 1901. This may stem from a mistranslation of the contemporary French sources such as the magazine La France Auto of March 1901.

The Grand Prix du Sud-Ouest comprised four prizes for the different classes of entrants.

• The Grand Prix de Pau was awarded to Maurice Farman (Panhard 24 hp).
• The Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver (400 à 650 kg 'Light car' class) was awarded to Henri Farman (Darracq).
• The second Grand Prix du Palais d’Hiver for the under 400 kg Voiturettesclass was awarded to Louis Renault (Renault).
• The Prix du Béarn was awarded to Osmont in a 'De Dion' tricycle.

(Autosport, The Nostalgia Forum, Robert Dick quoting (translating) from La France Automobile, March 1901 (Grand Prix Winners 1895–1949 by Hans Etzrodt Part 1 1895–1916)

La France Automobile, March 1901 reports the results for the 'Semaine de Pau'. There were two discrete events, the 140 km Course des touristes from Pau-Peyrehorade-Pau and the second edition of the Grand Prix du Sud-Ouest on 17 February 1901 around the same 300 km road course as 1900.

The Course des touristes was one of this meeting support race, comprised six prizes for the different classes of entrants. The Prix de la Presse was won by Barbereau (De Dietrich); the Prix du Commerce Palois was awarded to Henri Farman (Darracq); the Prix des Cercles was awarded to Rudeaux (Darracq); the Prix de l’Automobile Club Béarnais was won by 'Bergeon' (De Dietrich); the Prix de l’Automobile Club de France was awarded to Demeester (Gladiator) and Edmond (Darracq); the Prix de Palmarium was awarded to Cormier (De Dion).(Autosport, The Nostalgia Forum, Robert Dick quoting (translating) from La France Automobile, March 1901

In L’Histoire de l’Automobile/Paris 1907 Pierre Souvestre described the 1901 event as : “... dans le Circuit du Sud-Ouest, à l’occasion du meeting de Pau... ” (...in the Circuit du Sud-Ouest, at the meeting in Pau...)