The Peking to Paris Motor Challenge is called the most punishing rally there is: classic cars driven from Peking to Paris.
First held in 1907, it is one of the oldest events in the history of motor racing.
At the time the motorcar was still developing, and a rally over that distance from Peking to Paris was an adventure in the fullest sense.
Five cars took part in the first event, from France, England, Germany, Italy and America.
The route ran roughly 14,000 km from Peking through Mongolia, Russia, Poland, Germany and France to a finish in Paris.
It is a rally where the punishing route and hard scrutiny are said to eliminate many entries; in that first running, four cars finished.
The winner was a French car, a Renault.
After that the Peking to Paris was held regularly through the 1920s and 1930s, until the Second World War forced it to stop.
After the war a fifth running was held in 1951, then it lapsed again, and it was revived in 2007 as a centenary event. In 2024 the tenth running takes place.
Because of the punishing route and the strict scrutiny, it is called one of the hardest rallies in the world. Several thousand classic cars from around the world have taken part, producing a great deal of drama and emotion.
A short history of the Peking to Paris
At the origin in 1907, five cars took part — Itala (Italy), Spyker (Netherlands), Contal (France), De Dion-Bouton (France) — and the history of the hardest rally there is began.
- 1907: held over roughly 14,000 km from Peking to Paris, as the world’s first transcontinental rally
- 1920s and 1930s: held regularly
- Interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War
- 1951: the fifth running
- After 1952: interrupted again
- 2007: revived as a centenary event
- 2024: the tenth running (18 May – 23 June 2024)
That is the history behind where it stands today.
What to watch for
The things worth watching in the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge:
- The punishing route and the strict scrutiny
- Classic cars gathered from around the world
- Teamwork and a spirit of adventure
The Peking to Paris is a rally over roughly 14,000 km.
The route runs from Peking through Mongolia, Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Germany and France to a finish in Paris, and takes in every kind of surface: tarmac, unmade roads and off-road.
Entries must be classic cars built from 1919 onwards with seating for two or more, so the field brings together cars of every era, from early motorcars to vintage and classic machines.
The result is decided not by finishing order but by a combination of factors: elapsed time, distance covered within the time limits, accuracy of navigation, the condition of the car, teamwork.
So what is worth watching is that crews need not only a good car and good teamwork but a spirit of adventure as well.
The Peking to Paris has played an important part in the history of motor racing. It contributed greatly to the development and spread of the motorcar, and carried its appeal around the world.
Some specific things to watch for:
- The sheer scale of the journey from Peking to Paris
- The courage of the crews taking on a punishing route
- The appeal of the cars of a good old era
- An international event that brings people together from all over the world
For anyone who loves cars, the Peking to Paris is not to be missed.