Raymond Sommer

Race car driver, Deceased Person

1906 – 1950

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Who was Raymond Sommer?

Raymond Sommer was a Grand Prix motor racing driver.

Sommer was born into a wealthy Sedan, France carpet making family. His father, Roger, broke the Wright Brothers record for the longest flight in 1909. It was not until 1931 that Raymond started to display daredevil tendencies of his own, entering motor races in a privateer Chrysler Imperial. The following year, he won the 24 hours of Le Mans, despite having to drive over 20 hours solo after his teammate Luigi Chinetti retired ill. During the 1930s, Sommer was to dominate the French endurance classic, winning again in 1933 driving an Alfa Romeo alongside Tazio Nuvolari. He also led every race up until 1938, only to suffer a mechanical failure, once when 12 laps in the lead. Sommer traveled to Long Island, New York to compete in the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup where he finished fourth to the winner, Tazio Nuvolari.

However, his tendency to run in privately entered cars did him no favours on the Grand Prix scene, winning just one major international race, the 1936 French Grand Prix. At the time, the German manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union were the dominant force in GP racing, together with the French Bugatti team.

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Born
Aug 31, 1906
Mouzon
Also known as
  • Соммер, Раймон
Nationality
  • France
Profession
Lived in
  • Champagne-Ardenne
Died
Sep 10, 1950
Circuit de Cadours

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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