1. Charles Pierre Elie Montier was a French racing driver and automotive engineer whose race entries included the inaugural 24 Hours of Le Mans.
17 Facts About Charles Montier
1. 2.
Charles Montier went into the business of selling and servicing cars, becoming one of the two agents of the Ford Motor Company in France.
3.
Charles Montier entered the Belgian Grand Prix on three occasions, his 1931 entry earning him 20th place in the first European Championship.
4.
Charles Montier's last recorded Grand Prix entry, and finish, was the 1935 Lorraine Grand Prix; he was 56 years old at the time.
5.
An experienced racer and hillclimber, Charles Montier entered the Grand Prix d' Endurance de 24 Heures, known as the 1923 24 Hours of Le Mans, alongside Albert Ouriou.
6.
The "dainty" Charles Montier-Ford has since been called "perhaps the best Model T-based speedster ever created from the pedestrian farmer's fliver".
7.
Charles Montier returned to Le Mans in 1924 with his modified Ford special, now fitted with 4-wheel brakes.
8.
Again Charles Montier drove it himself with his brother-in-law Albert Ouriou.
9.
The Charles Montier Special was last away as it proved difficult to start.
10.
Alongside the Le Man entries, Charles continued hillclimbing; and he and his son Ferdinand raced Montier Specials in the Coupe de la Commission Sportive event, a support race to the 1927 French Grand Prix.
11.
Charles Montier Senior finished 6th in the 1930 Belgian Grand Prix, but was not classified in the 1930 French Grand Prix and retired from the 1930 San Sebastian Grand Prix.
12.
Charles Montier entered the 1931 Belgian Grand Prix championship event with co-driver "Ducolombier", finishing 8th, 30 laps down.
13.
Charles Montier ran in two non-championship rounds that year: the 1931 Casablanca Grand Prix, which he did not finish, and the 1931 Dieppe Grand Prix where he finished 10th.
14.
Charles Montier entered only one Grand Prix as a driver in the 1932 season, the 1932 Picardy Grand Prix where he finished 9th.
15.
Charles Montier entered the Belgian Grand Prix for the third and last time in 1934, at the age of 55.
16.
Seven cars qualified, but only five completed the race; Charles Montier came home 5th in his Ford V8-powered Special.
17.
Charles Montier placed 10th of the 16 entrants and 12 finishers.