Set against the background of pre-World War II, Faster is the story of how René Dreyfus, a Jewish driver, Lucy O’Reilly Schell, an American heiress and car owner, combined to beat the mighty Mercedes backed by Hitler in the 1938 Pau Grand Prix.
Dreyfus started racing autos at 18. Blessed with natural ability, he won the La Turbie hill climb for his engine class at age 20. He soon became one of the top drivers in Europe on the Grand Prix circuit.
In France, Schell caught the racing bug and by the early 1930s was one of the top female drivers in Europe. Schell started participating in the Monte Carlo Rally, which tested the competitors’ mettle, in 1929 and was among top women drivers. The competitors chose from where to start the race and points were awarded based upon the times and distance traveled. For example, in the 1932 Monte Carlo Rally, Schell and her husband, Laury Schell, started from Sweden and traveled 2300 miles non-stop to Monte Carlo.
Hitler rose to power in Germany in 1933. When opening the Berlin auto show, Hitler promised to dominate international motorsports, to revitalize Germany’s automobile industry and to build the Autobahn. The opportunity for German automakers to survive the Great Depression was closely linked to Hitler’s goals. Daimler-Benz and fellow German auto maker Auto Union benefitted by 1 million marks which Hitler promised to jump start the companies’ Grand Prix efforts.
Hitler was also determined to rearm the military even though that was not permitted by the Versailles Treaty signed at the end of World War I. Daimler-Benz and Auto Union became essential in this effort, building engines for the airplanes and navy, and producing military trucks, armored vehicles, aircraft frames and tanks.
Mercedes hired Rudi Caracciola as their lead driver. While practicing for the 1934 Monaco Grand Prix, Caracciola struck the wall completely crushing his thighbone. While people believed that his driving career was over, Caracciola was determined to race once again. Through sheer determination and fighting through the pain of his leg injury, Caracciola participated in the 1934 German Grand Prix.
The monies poured into auto racing by Hitler resulted in the German car manufacturers dominating auto racing. When a French car did not finished the 1934 French Grand Prix, the Auto Club of France changed the rules for the 1935 French Grand Prix limiting the participants to sports cars and banning the use of superchargers.
At age 40, Schell knew that her driving days were over. She decided to run her own team, Écurie Bleue (Blue Team) to challenge the German dominance of European motorsports. From her inheritance, she financed the entire operation and hired French manufacturer Delahaye to build the racing car.
Auto racing had become dominated by international politics. Because of his Jewish heritage, Dreyfus found himself a man without a team unless he drove for a French manufacturer, none of whom were competitive. From her years in racing, Schell knew Dreyfus had the skill and temperament to win. Dreyfus and Schell joined forces with the intent of challenging the Mercedes Silver Arrows.
The first goal was to win the Million Franc prize offered by the French Government. The fastest French auto manufacturer to go 200 kilometers with a minimum speed of 146.5 kph (91 mph) from a standing start at the Montlhéry road circuit, would be awarded 400 francs. Driving the Delahaye 145, Dreyfus won the prize despite a last-minute challenge from auto maker Bugatti in August 1937.
Schell and Dreyfus then set their sights on the 1938 Grand Prix season. The first race of the season was at Pau, France. With a 200-horsepower advantage, the Mercedes team with Caracciola at the wheel, was favored to win despite the course being filled with many turns on a hilly route. During the practice sessions, Dreyfus noticed that going in the turns, Caracciola’s rear wheels would lose traction. With much better fuel mileage, Dreyfus knew the Mercedes would need to make a pitstop while he would not. He developed the strategy that if he could stay close, when Caracciola stopped for fuel, he would take the lead and hopefully hang on to win.
For the first several laps, Caracciola was in the lead with Dreyfus following closely. Over time, Caracciola’s lead widened. When he pulled in for fuel, Caracciola got out of his car and said that he just couldn’t go on because there were issues with the gears and his leg, which had been shattered several years before, was extremely painful. The Mercedes’ substitute driver tore out of the pits and made a valiant but failed to close the gap.
This fast-paced book takes the reader back to the glories of the 1920s and then into the darkness of the 1930s as world politics began to dominate racing. It reveals the power of the human spirit to overcome seemingly overwhelming obstacles.