April 29
April 29
According to historical sources, Georges Bouton "won the world's first motor race" on this day, April 29, 1887. But it was a hollow victory, and there was no champagne toast. What's the reason? Bouton and his co-driver were the sole participants. The unusual event was a test organised by the newspaper "Le Velocipede" to determine if Bouton's machine, which promised speeds of 60kmph, could cover the 29-kilometer distance between Paris' Neuilly Bridge and the Bois de Boulogne. Bouton, who was born in 1847, was an engineer who scraped a living by creating and selling mechanical toys alongside another engineer, Charles Trépardoux. They had long wished to construct a steam automobile but lacked the necessary funds to do so.
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