Rétromobile Celebrates 100 Years of Montlhéry

The upcoming Rétromobile show in early February will host a special tribute to the Linas-Montlhéry racetrack — a French track with a long history in international motorsport.

The track, founded by Alexandre Lamblin in 1924, was the setting for world-famous races and world record attempts. It saw some of the best drivers in the world strive for victory on its 54-degree surface and across its 2,500-meter speed ring.

The track is no longer used for motor racing due to modern safety requirements, but the UTAC Linas-Montlhéry Autodrome is still used by for manufacturers and remains a popular venue for events dedicated to classic motoring.

At the 2024 Rétromobile show, the track will be honored with over 500 square meters of exhibition space featuring 20 special vehicles — vehicles that have strong connections to the track. These range from pre-war models such as a 1925 Bugatti Type 36/35A Grand Prix and 1928 Amilcar MCO Grand Prix to more recent racers, such as the McLaren F1 GTR and the BPR Global GT Ferrari F40.

“The UTAC Linas-Montlhéry autodrome remains a living witness of the history of the automobile: a place where passion, speed and innovation coalesced for a century,” says Romain Grabowski, Exhibition Director at Rétromobile. “This racetrack furthermore brings back memories of my own childhood when, from the edge of the track, I would look out for my father who raced in the French super-touring car championship in the 1980s. For its 100th anniversary, joining forces with UTAC and Vintage Revival Montlhéry, we will take our visitors on a journey back through time. Rétromobile will be a truly vibrant tribute to this magical venue which continues to captivate enthusiasts from all over the world.”

Retromobile takes place in Paris from January 31 to February 4, 2024. Learn more here. 

Images: Vintage Revival Montlhéry.

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Jim Pickering

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