DISCLAIMER: This is something i’ve wanted to do for a while, but never got around to getting it off the ground. I am still working through how it’s going to be run, what the rules will be, how it progresses etc, but creating this thread to capture the concept & flesh it out over the Dec/Jan holiday period.
Challenge Background:
Motor racing’s origins are rooted in the very first days of the automobile, but it wasn’t always the controlled and polished sport we recognize today. In the beginning, these cars were far from efficient machines; they were ungainly, difficult to control, loud, unreliable, and dangerous, and the often eccentric drivers behind the wheel were seen as fearless adventurers, addicted to the rush.
This (ambitious but hopefully ongoing) challenge seeks to explore how motor racing has transformed dramatically over the years, experiencing the change from what once was a wild, untamed challenge to a more organized, rule-bound competition, governed by strict regulations.
Challenge Details (PRELIMINARY CONCEPT):
What i’m thinking is this:
- Starting from 1900 until ???.
- There will be a series of races that occur as time progresses (time period between races TBD).
- Races may be different styles / classes / etc (e.g. Endurance, Closed-Circuit, Road, Rally, etc).
- People can enter these races as they see fit (each race is optional)…
- I will attempt to come up with period-realistic rules for each race (I’m not an expert, so these will be roughly correct in spirit, not in the exact letter of the rule)…
- Some races will allow multiple entries, whereas others might limit to only 1.
- I want to have some sort of ‘bonus’ for people that enter the same car / series of cars / series of races, to simulate getting experience and R&D (details TBD) & help keep an older car competitive & build up a story / reputation with particular iconic vehicles (also so people don’t necessarily need to build a new car ground-up each race).
- There will be much more variability / variety in the races than what is often done in challenges, so that it’s not simply a case of 1 car being faster therefore always winning. There should be an element of chance and unpredictability in it. (details TBD)
- I will potentially enter my own cars into the competition to see how they stack up, but will never win (mostly because I’m not that good, but also as a hard and fast rule).
- I am primarily interested in running this with a combination of fun and realism. This means that I will not unreasonably penalise / exclude / bin a car if it isn’t 100% accurate to the time period, however I will definitely reserve the right to discard an entry if it is completely unrealistic.
- I’m not an expert, so if your car has orange indicators 5 years before they were introduced, I really do not care. Similarly, if you are running with four exhaust pipes on your 3-cylinder luxury barge I won’t exclude it (although I will make fun of you).
- For situations that are a bit more debatable whether you are bending vs breaking the rules in order to get an unfair advantage, then it will be more case-by-case. I will always try to err on the side of giving cautions / penalties (that outweigh the advantage) rather than outright disqualification.
- If not covered by rules, I will try to post up some general guidance for each race as to what sort of performance is expected / realistic.
- I will be happy to answer questions on whether things are within rules / realistic enough / etc before each race, and will publicly post up both question and answer to be transparent to all.
- It would make me very happy if people used this challenge to build up their brand’s lore / history / achievements, but that’s obviously not a requirement!
Race #1 Background:
The challenge begins at the turn of the century, with the launch of the world’s first international racing series - modelled off an actual historic event, run by the eccentric James Gordon Bennett Jr. (owner of the New York Herald).
In 1899, Bennett challenged European automobile clubs to compete for a trophy in an annual race, with the rule that each car club’s entry had to be entirely made in the country it represented. The inaugural race took place in 1900, with a grueling 568 kilometer journey from Paris to Lyon, setting the stage for a new era in competitive motorsport.
Race 1 Details:
Course:
Details: TBD
Rules:
- Min weight 400kg
- Max weight 1000kg
- Min seating: 2 (Driver & Mechanic)
- Fuel: TBD
- Quality slider: probably -15 everything lol…
- Other rules TBD (likely very little!)
Performance Guide:
- Cars of this era varied immensely in both design and performance! Go wild! But also remember that this is really really really early days in motorcar development and racing, so the power output is going to be ridiculously low compared to what is now ‘normal’.
- As examples:
- The 1900 Panhard that won ran with a 5.3L four cylinder, producing 24HP.
- Karl Benz’s son, Eugen Benz, almost entered in 1900 with a 2-cylinder 15HP car (potentially didn’t enter because he realised it wasn’t competitive!).
- Alexander Winton, from USA, entered in 1900 with his own car powered by a 3.7L 1-cylinder producing 16HP.
- Power massively increased in later years but I’m looking for lower powered cars to start this challenge with…
- (the 1902 Napier had a 100HP 11.1L four cylinder, and the Mercedes Simplex that won in 1903 had a 90HP 12.7L OHV four cylinder engine).
- REMEMBER: This is a long race, and in these early years, cars were harder to drive and more unreliable, as well as the fact that roads and infrastructure were far more agricultural and less developed. This means that the reliability and drivability stats will be very important if you want a chance at even getting to the end - between 1900 and 1903, only 8 out of 26 cars managed to finish!
Submission Dates: TBD
Please let me know if you have questions / ideas / concerns / comments / anything else constructive to share!
Max weight is too low to allow interesting engines.