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Lord Montagu de Beaulieu , à propos de La course Gordon Bennett de 1900... "...the allocation of national racing colours-blue for France, yellow for Belgium, red for the United States, and white for Germany. This was not a complete innovation, for on the occasion of Paris-Bordeaux in 1898 the ’official’ Panhard team of de Knyff, Charron, and Girardot had turned out in blue, white, and red respectively, symbolic of the French tricolore. Nor did this immediately establish a rigid precedent outside the Gordon Bennett series ; Mors cars were still painted red in 1901, and as late as 1902 the Renault, with which Marcel Renault won the light car section of Paris-Vienna, was red, and not blue." La Napier de 1902... "The car was painted green-Mr Henry Knox remembers it as an olive shade, and it is possible that the colour was selected at the instigation of Charles Jarrott. The 40 h.p. Panhard driven by Jarrott in the 1901 Paris-Berlin Race had been assigned the unlucky nymber ’13’ and Panhards sought to cancel the hoodoo by painting the car an equally unlucky colour-green. In spite of this (or perhaps because of it) Jarrott had finished tenth. Even in 1902, however, green as the colour was becoming associated with Napier touring cars." "All the 1903 Napier racing cars were painted emerald green-this was a gesture of respect to Ireland suggested by Count Zborowski shortly before his tragic death in the La Turbie Hill Climb, and the green motif was carried to extremes by the Napier équipe, the pit staff in Ireland sporting neckties of this hue. Green has remained Britain’s official racing colour from that day onwards, though the shade has varied with different makes down the years." Leinster Leader, Samedi 24 janvier 1903
THE GREAT MOTOR RACE.
START AND FINISH AT NAAS. The Committee of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland have decided to hold the race for the Gordon-Bennett Cup in Ireland, provided they can obtain the necessary authorisation from Parliament. The first race was run in France, and was won by a Frenchman. The same result occurred in 1901, but in 1902 Mr. Edge an Englishman, won the coveted trophy. There can be no question but that the success of the French cars gave a great stimulus to the motor car industry in France. In 1900 the value of exported motor cars from France was 290,360 ; in 1902 the figure had reached the sum of 1,062,040. It is calculated that 180,000 workmen are engaged in France in this industry. From these figures it will be easily understood why English motorists are anxious that the next race should be run in the United Kingdom. They have selected Ireland because an open course was more easy to be found. The course suggested forms a rough isosceles triangle, with Naas at the apex, and Maryborough and Carlow at the base angles... The race will start at 3 a.m., and end about 1 oclock in the afternoon. Elaborate precautions we understand will be taken to prevent accidents.
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