The Rothschild families in both England and France have had a long association with motor racing and motor events. Martin Harper in his memoirs recalls a race from Paris to Monte Carlo between Lionel de Rothschild and Baron Henri de Rothschild, with both teams driving '60' Mercedes. From 1901 Henri de Rothschild (1872-1947) sponsored the Coupe Rothschild for the Nice motor race. Between 1901 and 1903 the race was won by Léon Serpollet, and at the race in April 1902 he reached 120.8 kph, breaking the world speed record. His car, a 100hp Serpollet, was nicknamed 'the Easter egg'.
In the ‘roaring twenties’, Phillipe de Rothschild was a highly successful racer, under the pseudonym 'Georges Philippe'. For one short season he drove Bugatti Grand Prix cars with some notable successes. In 1928 he came second at the Bugatti Grand Prix at Le Mans in a Bugatti 37, and in a Bugatti 35C he competed throughout 1929, coming fourth at the first Monaco Grand Prix, first at the Bourgogne Grand Prix, second at the Grand Prix de Nations held at the Nurburgring, and second at the Saint Sébastien Grand Prix. Driving a Stutz he came fifth at the Le Mans 24 Hours, also in 1929.
In his memoirs Milady Vine, Philippe claims to have invented the windscreen wiper, as part of some improvements to his sports car to protect the coiffure of a lady friend.
The exhibition ends here.
