Fernand Charron
Encyclopedia
Fernand Charron was a French
pioneer
of motor racing. He started his sporting career as a successful cyclist.
Between 1897 and 1903 he took part in 18 car races, 4 of which he won: (Marseille–Nice and Paris–Amsterdam–Paris in 1898, Paris–Bordeaux in 1899 and the inaugural Gordon Bennett Cup
(Paris–Lyon) in 1900. He drove mainly Panhard & Levassor
cars.
On one occasion, he crashed into a St Bernard dog which became wedged between the right wheel and the suspension and jammed the steering, though he still won the race. He retired after an unsuccessful season in 1903 and worked as manager of Adolphe Clément's factory complex at Levallois-Perret.
Charron married and divorced Jeanne Clément, the daughter of cycle and motor manufacturer Adolphe Clément
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
pioneer
Innovator
An innovator in a general sense, is a person or an organization who is one of the first to introduce into reality something better than before. That often opens up a new area for others and achieves an innovation.-History:...
of motor racing. He started his sporting career as a successful cyclist.
Between 1897 and 1903 he took part in 18 car races, 4 of which he won: (Marseille–Nice and Paris–Amsterdam–Paris in 1898, Paris–Bordeaux in 1899 and the inaugural Gordon Bennett Cup
1900 Gordon Bennett Cup
The 1900 Gordon Bennett Cup, formally titled the I Coupe Internationale, was a motor race held on 14 June 1900, on public roads between Paris and Lyon in France. It was staged to decide the inaugural holder of the Gordon Bennett Cup, which was the first prize to be awarded for motorsport on an...
(Paris–Lyon) in 1900. He drove mainly Panhard & Levassor
Panhard
Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
cars.
On one occasion, he crashed into a St Bernard dog which became wedged between the right wheel and the suspension and jammed the steering, though he still won the race. He retired after an unsuccessful season in 1903 and worked as manager of Adolphe Clément's factory complex at Levallois-Perret.
Charron married and divorced Jeanne Clément, the daughter of cycle and motor manufacturer Adolphe Clément
Adolphe Clément
Gustave Adolphe Clément-Bayard was a French entrepreneur...
.