"Bugatti tank, Tours Grand prix 1923" - oil painting on Canvas

In 1923, Ettore Bugatti fielded three truly remarkable cars at the French Grand Prix. He intuited that aerodynamics could compensate for the modest power output of his 90 hp, 2-liter engine. The "Bugatti Type 32" - nicknamed the "Tank"  - and the "Voisin Laboratoire" were the oddities of the race. Alas, despite the efforts of driver Ernest Friederich, the leading Bugatti finished only third. Handling was poor: with a short chassis and aerodynamic downforce concentrated at the front, the rear end became unstable at high speeds. Major Segrave (pictured here in third place) won the race at the wheel of his Sunbeam, in front of 300,000 spectators.