Florio went to great lengths to promote the event, commissioning a solid gold trophy[7] and having an elaborate grandstand installed for VIPs at Petralia Sottana, overlooking the valleys.
Interest from manufacturers was high and in October 1905, promoted by the sports newspaper L'Auto, tenders were opened to the French auto clubs for hosting rights.
The newly formed Automobile Club de la Sarthe, forerunner of the ACO, won the contract, starting construction on a 103 km triangular circuit to the east of Le Mans.
Cars had a maximum weight of 1000 kg (excluding lights, wings and upholstery) and sufficient gasoline was allocated for a fuel consumption of 30 litres per 100 km.
[12] The fastest cars were the Brasier team,[7] but at the end of the first day, it was the 13-litre Renault AK of Ferenc Szisz – a Hungarian émigré now resident in France – that led.
All three teams were greatly helped by the installation of the new Michelin detachable-wheel units that saved about ten minutes at each pit stop for changing tyres.
[6] A large contingent of European drivers, including Nazzaro, Cagno and Louis Wagner, had entered the American Vanderbilt Cup race in October.
A new circuit through New York city was set up, but yet again, crowd control was a constant problem with one spectator run over and killed when crossing the track during the race.
Frenchman Louis Wagner won in a Darracq, but yet again the crowd surge onto the track after the race endangered the remaining speeding cars.