1911 Grand Prix season

But the organisers wanted something greater and had the idea of holding a single 500-mile race offering the biggest prize-money in the country.

The regulations were adapted from the current AAA rules: a maximum of 600 ci (9.8-litres) and a minimum weight of 2300 lb (1044 kg).

On lap 13, Arthur Greiner’s Simplex lost a wheel, spun and slammed into the wall on the back straight.

Ralph Mulford in a Lozier was second, although he protested that he had not been scored a lap in the confusion during the big accident and was in fact ahead of Harroun.

Run over twelve laps (650km) Maurice Fournier (Corre La Licorne) led initially from Arthur Duray (1906 Lorraine-Dietrich) until he had to pit with over-heating to add water.

When Duray then had gearbox problems and retired, it left Hémery an easy drive to victory (despite being stuck in top gear[13]) after seven hours.

This left Paolo Zuccarelli without a job, until he was soon hired by Lion-Peugeot, joining Georges Boillot and Jules Goux.

[7] The squat 4-cylinder engine of the Hispano-Suiza provided far better stability than the tall 2-cylinder in the faster Peugeots, and the team to tap into Zuccarelli's ideas.

Although the other managers called them “The Charlatans”,[7] Robert Peugeot recognised the innovative ideas and skill the drivers could bring to racing design.

With a maximum engine size of 3-litre,[15] ranged against the Peugeots now was a variety of manufacturers that included new models from Delage and Grégoire from France, Arrol-Johnston and Calthorpe from Great Britain.

But when all four Peugeots had issues with engines, tyres or, in Zuccarelli's case, crashing, it allowed the Delages of Paul Bablot and René Thomas to establish a gap.

Although Boillot was able to make up time and pass Thomas, it was Bablot who won giving Delage a surprise victory at first attempt over the Lion-Peugeot team.

Ralph DePalma and Spencer Wishart drove the Mercedes, and 21-year old David Bruce-Brown led the team of three 14-litre FIAT S74s.

Harry Grant had won the previous two Vanderbilts with ALCO but this year drove a new Lozier, joining Ralph Mulford.

At the beginning, Bragg led the sixteen starters but a close race saw this contested as Bruce-Brown, Hémery and Patschke's Marmon also vied for the lead.

Entrants started from various European capitals all driving through rough winter weather to meet in the mountains by Monaco.

Pietro Bordino took the second prototype to do a Land Speed Record attempt at Brooklands, but it proved too unstable for the circuit.