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French racing driver From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Smaragd Marie Charles Henry Jullien "Gérard" de Courcelles (21 May 1889, Paris - 2 July 1927, Paris)[1] was a French racing driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the French Lorraine-Dietrich automobile company, along with teammate André Rossignol.
 Gérard de Courcelles in 1926 | |
| Nationality | French |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 May 1889 Paris (9e arrondissement) |
| Died | 2 July 1927 (aged 38) Paris (15e arrondissement) |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
| Years | 1923–1926 |
| Teams | Lorraine-Dietrich |
| Best finish | 1st (1925) |
| Class wins | 2 (1923, 1925) |
De Courcelles was a decorated fighter pilot during the First World War, receiving several citations and the Médaille militaire.
De Courcelles began his career driving cyclecars in Grands Prix, but was eventually hired by Lorraine-Dietrich to enter the inaugural 24 Hours. The two drivers ran together for the next two editions of the endurance event until they succeeded in 1925. The following year the two drove separate cars, with De Courcelles assigned to Marcel Mongin. Rossignol however, and new teammate Robert Bloch, went on to win the event once again, with De Courcelles and Mongin in second.
De Courcelles died on 2 July 1927 due to an accident during a Formule Libre race supporting the Grand Prix de l'ACF.
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1923 |  Société Lorraine De Dietrichet Cie |
André Rossignol |
Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 Sport [15CV] | 5.0 | 108 | 8th | 1st |
| 1924 | Société Lorraine De Dietrich et Cie |
André Rossignol |
Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 Sport | 5.0 | 119 | 3rd | 2nd |
| 1925 | Société Lorraine De Dietrich et Cie |
André Rossignol |
Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 Sport | 5.0 | 129 | 1st | 1st |
| 1926 | Société Lorraine De Dietrich et Cie |
Marcel Mongin |
Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 Le Mans | 5.0 | 147 | 2nd | 2nd |
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