1908 Grand Prix season

Felice Nazzaro won the Coppa Florio for FIAT Sources:[1][2][3][4][5][6] At the end of 1907, at a meeting in Ostend, the AIACR (forerunner of the FIA) had set down new regulations for motor-racing.

So, the AIACR derived an international racing formula based on a maximum cylinder bore: 155mm for 4-cylinder engines and 127mm for 6-cylinders.

A minimum weight of 1100kg (not including tyres, tools and liquids) was also applied to enforce structural integrity.

Teams had service places built in a divided trench, from whence, subsequently, came the term “pits”.

Challenging the established Renault, Richard-Brasier, Clément-Bayard and Mors were FIAT and Itala from Italy, and Benz, Mercedes and Opel from Germany.

Then as he fell back with engine issues it was Nazzaro and Wagner (FIATs), Lautenschlager (Mercedes) and Hémery (Benz) who diced for the lead.

Hémery was caught by a stone thrown up that smashed his goggles and put glass splinters in his eye.

Even though Lautenschlager had to ease off to save his tyres he took the victory from Hémery, with René Hanriot third in another Benz.

[13][8][10] The day before, a huge field of 64 mostly French cars had entered for the inaugural Grand Prix des Voiturettes.

[14][9] A major meeting was held in on a high speed circuit in Bologna consisting of two races over two days, around two months after the French Grand Prix.

The roads were in good condition and on race-day were lined with armed police and soldiers to maintain crowd control.

Hémery and Hanriot were sent by Benz, as was Ferenc Szisz (Renault), Arthur Duray (Lorraine-Dietrich) and Alessandro Cagno (Itala).

The French and American cars lost ground leaving it to be a contest between FIAT and Benz.