Smaragd Marie Charles Henry Jullien "Gérard" de Courcelles (21 May 1889, Paris - 2 July 1927, Paris) was a French

racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...

who won the

24 Hours of Le Mans The 24 Hours of Le Mans () is an endurance-focused Sports car racing, sports car race held annually near the city of Le Mans, France. It is widely considered to be one of the world's most prestigious races, and is one of the races—along with ...

for the French

Lorraine-Dietrich Lorraine-Dietrich was a French language, French automobile and aircraft engine manufacturer from 1896 until 1935, created when railway locomotive manufacturer ''Société Lorraine des Anciens Etablissements de Dietrich et Cie de Lunéville'' (k ...

automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...

company, along with teammate

André Rossignol André Rossignol (9 August 1890, Paris - 5 December 1960, Paris) was a French racing driver who became the first driver to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, winning in consecutive years. Career Rossignol was a driver for the French Lorraine-Diet ...

Career

De Courcelles was a decorated fighter pilot during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, receiving several citations and the

Médaille militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

. De Courcelles began his career driving

cyclecar A cyclecar was a type of small, lightweight and inexpensive motorized car manufactured in Europe and the United States between 1910 and the early 1920s. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle and the c ...

s in Grands Prix, but was eventually hired by Lorraine-Dietrich to enter the inaugural 24 Hours. The two drivers ran together for the next two editions of the endurance event until they succeeded in . The following year the two drove separate cars, with De Courcelles assigned to Marcel Mongin. Rossignol however, and new teammate

Robert Bloch Robert Albert Bloch (; April 5, 1917September 23, 1994) was an American fiction writer, primarily of crime fiction, crime, psychological horror fiction, horror and Fantasy Fiction, fantasy, much of which has been dramatized for radio, cinema and ...

, went on to win the event once again, with De Courcelles and Mongin in second. De Courcelles died on 2 July 1927 due to an accident during a

Formule Libre Formula Libre, also known as Formule Libre, is a form of automobile racing allowing a wide variety of types, ages and makes of purpose-built racing cars to compete "head to head". This can make for some interesting matchups, and provides the oppo ...

race supporting the Grand Prix de l'ACF.

Racing record

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

References

External links

Gérard de Courcelles
at ''racingsportscars.com''. 1889 births 1927 deaths French racing drivers 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers 24 Hours of Le Mans winning drivers Racing drivers who died while racing {{france-autoracing-bio-stub Racing drivers from Paris