Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat

Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat (1867 - November 20 1903, Paris) cite book
author=Robert Dick
title=Mercedes And Auto Racing In The Belle Epoque, 1895-1915
publisher=McFarland & Company
date=2004] cite journal
journal= NY Times
date=November 21 1903
title=Comte de Chasseloup-Laubat Dead] was a French race car driver. He is known for setting the first recognised automobile land speed record on December 18, 1898 in Achères, Yvelines, using a Jeantaud electric car.

The record was set as part of a competition organised by the French automobile magazine "La France Automobile". He completed a single flying convert|1|km|mi run in 57 seconds to give an average speed of convert|63.13|km/h|mi/h|0|abbr=on cite book
author=J.R. Holthusen
title=The Fastest Men on Earth
publisher=Sutton Publishing
date=1999
pages=p.6]

He further improved this record to convert|66.65|km/h|mi/h|2|abbr=on one month later on January 17, 1899 also at Achères in the first of a series of record setting duels with Camille Jenatzy. Ten days later Jenatzy managed to break this record although it would revert back to de Chasseloup-Laubat on March 4, 1899 when he increased it to convert|92.69|km/h|mi/h|2|abbr=on. Jenatzy finally took the record on April 29, 1899 with the first run over convert|100|km/h|mi/h|0|abbr=on with an average speed of convert|105|km/h|mi/h|0|abbr=on, a record that was to last 3 years.

References