Liège–Rome–Liège was a rally road race over some of Europe's toughest mountain roads held from 1931 to 1971. It was reserved for so-called tourism cars.
Background
The race took place on an open road, an average distance of 3,500 km non-stop : departing Wednesday at 11 pm from Spa, and returning to the same place on Sunday around 4 pm. A Golden Cup was also sometimes awarded to three-year class winners such as Bill Bengry. The rally of August 1939 was the last major rally event before World War II. Belgium's Ginet Trasenster of and France's Jean Trevoux in a car tied for first place, denying the German works teams shortly before their countries were overrun. This was one of five Liège wins for Trasenster. The Liège continued as uncompromisingly an open road event run to an impossible time schedule, and remained Europe's toughest rally until it had moved to Yugoslavia and Bulgaria. From 1961 to 1964, the course was modified to Liège-Sofia-Liège. Indeed, this reflected the desire of the organizer — the Royal Motor Union of Liège to diversify the route and to find traffic-free roads. From 1965 to 1971, the Nürburgring race was held due to the refusal of some countries to cross their territory. The duration of the race was 82 hours to reach 96 hours in its last edition. A revival was planned for 2011 but was cancelled. Many renowned drivers participated such as Olivier Gendebien, Willy Mairesse, Lucien Bianchi, and Jacky Ickx.
Awards
Record holder of number of victories: Ginet Trasenster, 5
Liège–Rome–Liège, 1930s
1931: Willy Toussaint – Alphonse Evrard ; 1932: Baron Orban de Xivry -L.Havelange ; 1933: Télesphore George -Collon, and Paul von Guillaume -Mrs L.Bahr ; 1934: Alfonso Evrard – Jean Trasenster and Peter Collin – M me Collin and Charles Lahaye – René Quatresous and Paul von Guillaume -Mme L.Bahr, and Van Naemen- Ferruccio Canciani, and Max Thirion – Georges Bourianou, and Hans-Joachim Bernet – Max Sailer ; 1935: Jean Trasenster – Franz Breyre, and Charles Lahaye – René Quatresous ; 1936: Cancelled, by contestation of dates by the Belgian authorities ; 1937: Karl Haeberle 3 – Walter Glökler ; 1938: Jean Trasenster – Franz Breyre ; 1939: Jean Trasenster – Franz Breyre, and Jean Trévoux – Marcel Lesurque ;
Liège-Rome-Liège, 1950s and 1960s
1950: Claude Dubois – Charles of Cortanze ; 1951: Johnny Claes – Jacques Ickx ; 1952: Helmut Polensky – Walter Schlüter ; 1953 : Johnny Claes – Jean Trasenster ; 1954: Helmut Polensky – Herbert Linge ; 1955: Olivier Gendebien – Pierre Stasse 1956: Willy Mayor – Willy Genin ; 3rd Olivier Gendebien – Pierre Stasse 1957: Claude Storez – Robert Buchet 1958: Jean Hébert – Bernard Consten 1959: Robert Buchet – Paul Ernst Strähle, and Jacques Féret – Guy Monraisse 1960: Pat Moss – Ann Wisdom
Liège–Sofia–Liège (via Sofia in Bulgaria)
1961: Lucien Bianchi – George Harris 1962: Eugen Böhringer – Hermann Eger 1963: Eugen Böhringer – Klaus Kaiser 1964: Rauno Aaltonen – Tony Ambrose Eighty-Two Hours of the Nürburgring : 1965: Henri Greder – Johnny Rives, and Rainer Ising – Bernd Degner Eighty-four hours of the Nürburgring : 1966: Julien Vernaeve – Andrew Hedges, and Jacky Ickx – Gilbert Staepelaere 1967: Edgar Herrmann – Jochen Neerpasch – Vic Elford 1968: Herbert Linen – Dieter Glemser – Willi Kauhsen 1969: Harry Källström – Sergio Barbasio – Fall Tony Eighty-Six Hours of the Nürburgring : 1970: Gerard Larrousse – Marko Helmut – Claude Haldi Four-Twenty-Six Hours of the Nürburgring : 1971: Jacques Henry – Maurice Nusbaumer – Jean-Luc Therier
