Did you know that the winner of the first Grand Prix was a Hungarian? His name was Ferenc Szisz. We stand here today to remember his victory. Szisz was born in Szeghalom Hungary. This was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the time.
Ferenc Szisz became the first man to win a Grand Prix in 1906. The race was held at Le Mans. Szisz drove a Renault AK 90CV. He beat the competition. The average speed was about 101 kilometers per hour.
But who was Ferenc Szisz before this historic win? He trained as a locksmith and coppersmith. In his early twenties, automobiles fascinated him. Szisz studied engineering and car design. He moved to Paris and found work at Renault.
At Renault, Szisz’s talent was quickly recognized. He became part of the testing department. When Renault started racing in 1902, Szisz was chosen as a riding mechanic. He worked alongside Louis Renault. Tragedy struck in 1903. Marcel Renault died in the Paris-Madrid race. Szisz then took over as a driver.
In 1905, Szisz finished fifth in the Gordon Bennett Cup elimination race. Later that year, he competed in the Vanderbilt Cup in Long Island New York. He finished fifth again. The winner was fellow Frenchman Victor Hémery.
Szisz’s main job was still head of testing at Renault. This limited the number of races he could enter. Yet, 1906 brought him lasting fame. He and his mechanic M Marteau won the first Grand Prix. His victory led to more Grand Prix races in Europe.
The following year, Felice Nazzaro won the French Grand Prix. Szisz competed in the 1908 race. Mechanical problems forced him to retire. He had similar problems in an American Grand Prize race in Savannah Georgia.
In 1909, Szisz left Renault. He opened his own garage in Neuilly-sur-Seine. In 1914, Fernand Charron convinced him to drive an Alda in the French Grand Prix. Szisz had the number 1 on his car. An injury forced him to retire early.
World War I ended European automobile racing. Szisz joined the French army. He served as head of transport troops in Algeria. He was later hospitalized with typhoid fever.
After the war, Szisz worked for an aircraft company. He retired to a cottage in Auffargis near Paris. Ferenc Szisz died in 1944. He and his wife are buried in Auffargis.
The Szisz Museum is part of the Renault Museum. It is located near the Le Mans racetrack. This museum celebrates his achievements.
Ferenc Szisz’s story is one of talent. It is a story of perseverance and innovation. He rose from humble beginnings to become a racing legend. His victory in the first Grand Prix remains a milestone. Szisz’s legacy lives on in the world of motorsport. Remember Ferenc Szisz the first Grand Prix winner.