Baron Pierre de Crawhez

3/8/1874 - 29/4/1925

Record updated 29-Apr-20

Pierre de Crawhez was man who came up with the idea of a closed circuit being used for racing.

Baron Pierre de Crawhez
Pierre de Crawhez was the first person to come up with the idea of closed circuit being used for racing. At the time all the major races were from city to city. The Circuit des Ardennes was 53.5-miles in length, in a triangular circuit. It ran along the highway from the town of Bastogne to Longlier, 16 miles to the east, then south to Habay-la-Neuve before joining the main road back to Bastogne.

Shortly before the First World War, the "Circuit" was transfered to Francorchamps.

  • 1899: Started career in a little De Dion.
  • 1899: 11th?? Brussel-Namur-Spa
  • 1901: did not finish Paris-Bordeaux (Mors)
  • 1901: 1st Ostende meeting
  • 1901: 3rd Nice-Salon-Nice
  • 1902: did not finish Circuit du Nord
  • 1902: 18th Paris-Vienna
  • 1902: did not finish Circuit des Ardennes (Mors Z)
  • 1902: World Speed Record 1 km (Oostende: 120.771 kmh) and later (15 May 1904: 156 kmh) both on Mercedes.
  • 1903: 27th Paris-Madrid(Bordeaux) in a Mercedes
  • 1903: did not start Circuit des Ardennes in a Mercedes
  • 1903: did not finish Gordon Bennett Race in a Mercedes
  • 1904: 4th Gordon Bennett Race in a Mercedes 60
  • 1905: 7th Gordon Bennett Race in a Mercedes
  • 1905: 3rd Coupe de Liedekerke
  • 1905: 6th Circuit des Ardennes
  • 1906: 5th Targa Florio (Itala)
  • 1906: did not finish Grand Prix de l'A.C.F. in a Itala 120 hp
  • 1906: 4th Coupe de Liedekerke
  • 1907: 27th Kaiserpreis heat 2
  • 1907: 1st Circuit des Ardennes open formula in a Mercedes 120 hp.







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