Sunbeam threw all it had at the 1923 French GP but innovative Fiat was still 30sec per lap faster. Its unlikely win with Henry Segrave — the first British GP victory, 100 years ago today — is a classic racing tale of strategy, determination and panicked rivals
Britain's best had never been so well placed. Works driver Henry Segrave vowed to make the most of the opportunity this afforded him in the season's most important race. He resolved to hold back in the early stages to save his machinery. Not that he could match the Fiats in any case.
The Italians had again arrived late and with by far the fastest car: a straight-eight this time, boosted by a supercharger – a GP first – driven from the nose of the crankshaft. The Sunbeams had been training assiduously for three days by the time Pietro Bordino finally ventured onto the triangular, often narrow and heavily cambered, 14-mile road course: his fastest was more than a half-minute under Segrave's.
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