Monoposto
Chassis number: 110 006
Engine number: 45109

Ex-military Major Tony ('Antoine' and 'Antonio') Lago spent most of his professional life within the motor industry. He produced 'LAP' overhead valve engine conversion in London, England, during the 1920s. He then moved on to the Wilson Self-Changing Gear company where he aided in the manufacturing of semi-automatic pre-selector gearboxes. He later became an executive of the Franco-British Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq (S-T-D) combine.

This large manufacturing group collapsed in the post-Depression aftermath of 1935. Major Lago organized funding to set up SA Automobiles Talbot in the S-T-D factories at Suresnes, Paris, France.

Major Lago was a strong proponent of racing, especially for the promotion of up-market cars. The companies' ex-Fiat engineer Walter Becchia designed a 4-liter six-cylinder overhead-valve sports car which in 1937 won the French, Tunis, and Marseilles Grand Prix races, and also dominated the British RAC Tourist Trophy at Donington Park.

On the heels of this success, Major Lago went aggressively after more Grand Prix victories. He had Becchia design both a supercharged 3-liter V16 cylinder racing engine and an alternative un-supercharged 4.5-liter power unit for the company's high-performance sports car line.

Though a few V-16-cylinder engines were produced, the program soon came to an end. For 1939, three entirely new single-seat Grand Prix cars were commissioned using Becchia's latest 4.5-liter six-cylinder engine. These new cars made their racing debut in 1939. They re-appeared after World war II with one winning four times in 1947.

This new success encouraged Marjo Lago to produce no fewer than 20 Formula 1 Talbot-Lago T26Cs for customer sale. Mounted under the carefully sculpted bonnet was a twin-camshaft version of the reliable six-cylinder engine. The engine rocker covers bore the title 'TALBOT-LAGO.'

Louis Rosier gave the first Talbot-Lago T26C its racing debut at Geneva in 1948, and four T26Cs were completed and race-ready in time for that year's French Grand Prix at Reims. As the season came to a close, seven of the cars had been built. One of those seven examples was chassis number '110 006'. It made its racing debut, driven by its owner Georges Grignard in the Coupes du Salon at Montlhéry, that October.

Grignard's first major win was in the Paris Grand Prix and followed by the Doullens and Ars hill-climbs. He finished 7th in the major Penya Rhin Grand Prix in Barcelona, Spain, and co-driving with Charles Pozzi to an impressive 8th place at Pau.

In 1951, the car was sold to the Belgian racing syndicate of Jacques Swaters, which included Baron Charles de Tornaco, Roger Laurent, and André Pilette. This Belgian racing team campaigned this Talbot-Lago wearing a national livery of bright yellow and riding under the banner of 'Ecurie Belgique.' The car was entered in the Belgian, Dutch, German, Italian, and Albi Grand Prix races. Their most successful race was in their home Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchampes where it finished 6th with Pilette at the wheels. Roger Laurent placed 7th at Albi.

In early 1952, Baron de Tornaco drove '006' to 6th place in the Turin Grand Prix in Italy. Roger Laurent piloted it to victory in the Finnish Grand Prix around Elaintaharnajo Park in central Helsinki. Jacques Swaters then used the car for the last time in Europe during practice for the Albi GP in southern France on May 31, 1953.

In the 1960s, the car was acquired by American Ray Dubois, who later sold it to Gerry Sherman of Pennsylvania. Mr. Sherman performed a long and difficult restoration where he sought original spares from Monsieur Grignard himself. Upon completion, the car was raced at Watkins Glen, NY, in October 1973, after which it was acquired by Henry Wessels.

The present owner commissioned a complete, no-expense-spared engine rebuild and cosmetic refurbishment. The cost of the project was estimated at $150,000.

In 2009, this freshly-restored racer was offered for sale by Bonhams Auction at the Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club in Carmel, CA. As bidding came to a close, the lot had been sold for the sum of $557,000, inclusive of the buyer's premium.

In 2010, the car was offered for sale at the Gooding & Company auction held in Pebble Beach, CA. The car was estimated to sell for $650,000 - $850,000. As bidding came to a close, the car had been sold for the sum of $616,000, inclusive of the buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Obscured by the haze of the Alfa Romeo 158's dominance of the first three places in Formula One's first season was a car from France that made its statement from the other side of the spectrum. While the 158s of the Alfa Romeo SpA team would utilize their superior horsepower and disappear into the distance, the Talbot-Lago exercised a different strategy reminiscent of the tale 'The Tortoise and the Hare'. Although often overlooked because it didn't have the power of many other cars it competed against, the Talbot-Lago T26C forced teams to think beyond power and speed. In its own way, the T26C helped define what a successful race car was and is.

It is the philosophy of most automakers that investing, if able, in motoracing will also benefit production cars. This was the viewpoint of Anthony Lago when he took over SA Automobiles Talbot. In that day and age, building a car and then entering it in some races to be tested and beat up was the equivalent of today's car companies and their vast proving grounds. In fact, Lago used his experiences designing and building grand prix cars to then apply that technology to the company's road cars. Lago started out building and designing the grand prix cars around the parts and features that worked or showed promise.

Using Talbot's existing 3 liter, 6 cylinder engine, Lago was able to improve upon this base and produced a 4 liter version for competition purposes. This engine would be widely used throughout the 30s. After World War II, Lago, helped by a new designer Carlo Marchetti, developed a 4.5 liter version of the 6 cylinder, but this engine was only able to produce 165bhp. This engine was later revised and able to produce around 240bhp. One interesting aspect of the design of the Talbot-Lago engine was that the pushrods that operated the valves were shorter due to the lateral camshafts located about midway up the engine block. This helped efficiency.

Before Formula One's first season in 1950, Lago further refined his 6 cylinder engine until it became capable of producing 260bhp. The horsepower increase, however, was going to be no match for the Alfa Romeos and others that were capable of producing well in excess of 300hp. However, the Talbot-Lago team found there were other ways that made themselves competitive. Talbot-Lago found that gas economy and reliability made up much of the difference.

Lago designed a chassis to be mated with his 6 cylinder engine for competition with Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Ferrari. The T26C chassis was a low-slung bobsled-shaped roadster. The overall oval shaped chassis was dominated on the nose by the radiator inlet due to the inline engine in front of the driver—an arrangement that was the norm of the day. The front suspension had a wishbone arrangement that utilized transverse leaf springs and friction dampers to help the car negotiate the bumps and to help with the all-important stability.

Travelling back from the nose the overall shape turned more triangular as the body design had to compensate for the height of the engine head. This, like most roadsters, led to the triangular shape because it helped aerodynamically with the engine but also with the driver that sat up into the airflow quite a bit. On the right side of the chassis up by the engine the air induction tube stuck out. The engine cowling was flattened out on the right side to cover the induction pipes as they connected to the engine. On the other side, exhaust pipes flowed from each cylinder, out through an opening and blended into two vertically stacked pipes that travelled the length of the car to behind the left rear wheel.

The T26C utilized a reliable 4 speed Wilson pre-selector gearbox, but the gearshift location was rather interesting for a racing car. Due to its compact size, the cockpit was rather tight, in many cases the driver's knees were in his chest. Therefore, like many automatic vehicles of today, the gearshift was located behind the steering wheel.

Snuggly fitted behind the large steering wheel with a small windshield, and with the mirrors attached to the chassis and located on either side of the steering wheel, this truly was the epitome of a Formula One roadster of the day, including the dangers the drivers faced. With the fuel tank located in the teardrop-shaped rear of the car, and the engine up in front, the driver was in a precarious situation driving a grand prix car of this era.

Despite the obvious performance deficiencies there were a couple of factors that always kept the T26C in contention. The T26C had superior gas mileage due to not being supercharged and only 6 cylinders. This meant that over greater distances, like a grand prix race, the fact the car could go the entire distance without stopping for fuel or tires meant the advantage gained by the more powerful cars practically disappeared. The other important factor the T26C used in its favor—and this makes all the difference for any team's aspirations—was reliability. While Luigi Fagioli had a consistent 1950 season with Alfa Romeo SpA having only failed to finish once, the underpowered T26C did as well. The car just did not break. This allowed Talbot's driver Louis Rosier to stay in the points. And despite never winning a race, Rosier was able to achieve fourth in the final championship standings. In fact, at three of the seven races Rosier was either fourth or better and this with a car notably short on power!

Within the grand prix racing circle the T26C's innovative contributions were much larger than the results of Formula One's first season would suggest. The Alfa Romeo 158 and the Alfa Romeo SpA team swept the first three spots in the 1950 championship. The car and the team apparently dominated. The achievement of the SpA team would easily overshadow any contributions of other teams. However, Louis Rosier's fourth place tremendously impacted the Formula One world. Many teams, based upon the achievements of Talbot-Lago, had to do some rethinking, expanding the definition of 'performance'. In fact, it is the same today in grand prix racing—the search, the longing, for the balance between the speed of the Alfa Romeo 158 and the strength and stamina of the T26C.

Despite being inferior in power by practically 100hp, the T26C threatened the more powerful teams by using greater gas mileage and reliability as its tactics. Through these tactics other teams came to truly realize their vulnerability. Other teams needed to seriously address these important issues to stay competitive. Therefore, for all intents and purposes, in Formula One, Talbot-Lago's T26C ushered in the balance between speed and endurance. This is why Talbot-Lago is probably even more famous for its endurance racing. Lago would design a wider version of the T26C, complete with fenders and headlights, to meet the rules and would actually go on to win the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1950. The 24 hour race was made for the Talbot-Lago chassis and engine combination and was one of the team's most notable victories.

by Jeremy McMullen

Ecurie Belge

In 1950, there were many independent teams that took part in Formula One's inaugural season. These teams were comprised more of one driver and his own car, more than anything else. Often times, gentlemen of society would form teams to go race. One of those teams was the Ecurie Belge team.

Octave John 'Johnny' Claes was born of a Scottish mother and Belgian father and was educated in England. After World War II, Johnny decided to get involved in grand prix racing. This desire, however, didn't start on a whim. In 1947 Claes served as an interpreter for British drivers at the French Grand Prix. This exposure to grand prix racing birthed a passion within Claes. The very next year Johnny made his debut.

Johnny bought his own Talbot-Lago T26C (see article on the Talbot-Lago T26C) and raced under the Ecurie Belge name that Johnny himself founded. After competing throughout 1948 and 1949, Claes never scored a victory, but Johnny remained very active in grand prix racing. Despite his lack of success, Claes competed in every event of Formula One's first season.

At Formula One's first race, the British Grand Prix, Claes qualified dead last for the race at Silverstone. Johnny would end up the race finishing 11th, 6 laps behind the winner Farina. Claes was the last car in the field still running.

The Monaco Grand Prix was the next race. Johnny ended up qualifying in the 19th spot. This was an improvement, but little consolation since the other two drivers that started worse did not have a qualifying time. Johnny made it through the melee on the first lap that claimed many of the other teams. Once again, Johnny would be the last car still running. But that consistency netted Johnny a 7th place finish at the prestigious race.

After the Indianapolis 500, the Formula One season moved on to Switzerland for the Swiss Grand Prix held at the 4.5 miles course in Bremgarten. Claes made an improvement in qualifying. Claes would end up starting the race from 14th on the grid, almost 17 seconds off of Juan Manuel Fangio's pace. In the race, Johnny would not be the last car still running. Claes drove a steady race, showing improvement as a racer. Johnny would end up finishing 10th, only four laps behind winner Farina.

Claes headed home for the next race in Spa, Belgium. The Grand Prix of Belgium touted a small entry of cars. Only 14 cars made the trip for the race, but to be sure, Johnny was not going to miss his home grand prix. Claes would end up not posting a time during qualifying, so he ended up starting the race from the last position on the grid. Johnny had experience starting from the back and coming up through the field, and this race would end up being no exception. Despite starting last, Johnny climbed all the way up to finish the race in 8th place, and only 3 laps behind the leader. Up to this point, despite qualifying rather poorly at each race, Johnny drove steady, controlled races and always finished higher than where he had qualified. Claes tried to keep this going into the last two races of the Formula One season.

The French Grand Prix was next on Formula One's calendar. During qualifying there were a slew of cars that didn't post a qualifying time, Claes being one of them. As a result, Johnny was relegated to starting the race from the 15th starting spot. It ended up that despite not posting a time Claes would end up starting the race from a far better spot than for most of the races he actually posted a time. The Belgian's race didn't fair well though. Throughout the season, Claes drove steady races to finish well, but not much can be done when it is the car that fails, not the driver. The engine on Johnny's Talbot-Lago started to overheat and, finally on lap 11 of the race, Claes parked his T26C…his race was done. Despite this bad result, Claes continued his streak of finishing better than where he started. Though he did not finish the race, unofficially, Claes finished 11th.

Johnny was hoping to end the first season of Formula One on a high note as it travelled to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix. The race would be contested by a large number of drivers. Johnny would qualify 22nd, beating out five other drivers. The race was one of attrition, breaking cars left and right. Many cars would end up suffering engine, gearbox and overheating issues. Claes would end up being one of those that suffered from car troubles. Claes' engine began to overheat again, just like during the French Grand Prix. Finally, on the 22nd lap, the car was brought to a stop. However, due to the problems suffered by many of the other drivers, Claes would end up finishing, though retired, better than he had started. Unofficially, Johnny would end up finishing the race 16th.

Due to having only been racing for two years previously, it could be said the inaugural Formula One season was more of a time for learning and improving for Claes. Johnny ended up proving to be a quick learner and very adept. This point is only further reinforced by the fact Claes would end up winning the 1950 Grand Prix of Frontieres, a non-Formula One race. Although Claes showed great improvement throughout the Formula One season, he would end up without a championship point in the six starts he made.

There were perhaps more famous 'gentleman' racers during the period, like Prince Bira, Johnny Claes, however, proved a competent and competitive racer. He proved he wasn't just there because he had the means. He wanted to race, and he wanted to win. Though relatively obscure and unknown in Formula One history, Ecurie Belge was just another one of those small, privateer teams that helped shaped and flavor the early years of Formula One's history.

by Jeremy McMullen

Anthony Lago had taken over control of the Talbot factory in Suresnes after the merger with Sunbeam and Darracq had collapsed in 1936. By 1937 he had introduced a new line of vehicles, two of which were entered in the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans. He continued his racing endeavors by moving to single-seat racers, and by 1939, a purpose-built Grand Prix car had been completed. The onset of World War II slowed the racing endeavors, but after the war, and with the assistance of Carlo Marchetti, an overall win at Le Mans was achieved.

Marchetti and Lago created a 4.5-liter version of the six-cylinder engine and used it in the T26 Record and T26 Grand Sport cars. The 4.5-liter displacement size was selected because it meant requirements for Grand Prix competition. A 1.5-liter displacement size limit was placed on vehicles that were aided by superchargers.

The 4.5-liter engine produced 165 horsepower, which made it inadequate in comparison to the competition, which was producing over 300 horsepower from their engines. The engine would require more tuning if it were to compete in Grand Prix Competition. Marchetti and Lago began work on a revised head for the engine. The new design had two lateral camshafts partway up the block, and shortened pushrods to operate the twelve valves. The modifications improved the engine output to 240 horsepower. Further improvements pushed that figure to around 260 and in range of its competition.

In 1948, the Talbot Lago T26C made its racing debut at the Monaco Grand Prix. The car was fitted with large drum brakes, a Wilson Pre-Selector four-speed gearbox, and a conventional box-section chassis. Shortly after the race began, it became clear that the Talbot Lago was no match for the Maserati's and their two-stage supercharged 4CLTs. The main advantage that the T26C employed was its ability to run the entire race without refueling or changing tires. The Maserati cars pitted halfway through the race, which gave the Talbot-Lago T26Cs a chance to regain some ground. As the checkered flag fell, Nino Farina and his Maserati were in the lead, followed closely by a T26C driven by Louis Chiron.

The Talbot-Lago T26C competition career continued during the 1949 season. Their superior fuel mileage and reliability gained them two major Grand Prix victories. In 1950, the T26C's did well in non-championship competition.

For the 1950 running of the 24 Hours of LeMans, Anthony Lago entered a T26C for competition. The LeMans race is a grueling race that tests driver, car, and team for 24 hours of competition. Just finishing the race is a victory in itself. Anthony was convinced that the T26Cs proven reliability would reward them with a strong finish. The car was slightly modified for the race to comply with regulations; it was given lights, fenders, and a wider body to allow for a driver and co-driver.

At the 1950 24 Hours of LeMans, the T26C was driven by Louis Rosier and his son Jean-Louis Rosier. At the end of the race, the T26C had captured the most important victory of its career.

The T26 road-going cars were powered by a six-cylinder, DOHC Cam engine with triple carburetors that produced nearly 200 horsepower. There was a four-speed Wilson Preselector gearbox, four-wheel drum brakes, and a live-axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs rear suspension. This setup provided the necessary power, performance, and comfort required by cars of this caliber.

The Talbot-Lago T26 models were exquisite creations outfitted with coachwork provided by some of the world's greatest coachbuilders. Never produced in large numbers, these T26 models are extremely rare and exclusive by today's standards. In total, there were around 750 examples of the T26 constructed, with only 23 being the T26C version. There were about 30 examples of the T26 GS (Grand Sport) constructed with eight built atop the short chassis of 2.65M. This was the same chassis used for the Grand Prix cars.

by Dan Vaughan