Starting in T4 – the nerves were on the edge – With Maseratis and Mercedes in the back, we started the race on Reims this Saturday. The first fear was already out of the window after the starting shot – Happe didn’t stall his car and went on the way to lap 1. His underpowered car and his careful foot on the throttle made Happe drop down in the places before we even reached the first harsh turn at Gueux. The nervous Happe applied the handbrake on the cold tyres and started spinning.

Last place at turn 1 – that could’ve started better – but it opened the door for a run to the top after that. The driver that survived the harsh crash at Sigtes last week got struck by unfortunate yet again – A talbot tapped Evadne Cleos car in the breaking zone at Thillois spinning both cars, giving Happe a few places in the process.

Will the tyres hold? The discussion about the tyre choice

Happe was unsure in practice, which tyre would be the best, or if a tyre change halfway through the race was even necessary. The valuable time of not changing tyres could’ve been the edge between P7 and P6, but in the race, Happe had to surrender to the laws of nature:

“After the first 10 laps, our pitstop was up, there wasn’t much more fuel in the tank, so it was now or never. The tyres were still driving me around the track, but especially the fast pace turns made it difficult. We probably could’ve run with one set of the light studs, but the risk was just too high.”

And so the battle after the pitstop ensued. Happe vs. Fontaine in the Bugatti T59, Happe vs Felice in the Maserati 8CM, everyone encountered problems or made mistakes, but Happe kept on going. It was the last lap, when Happe got curious. The last Bugatti T51 to overtake in his class was in front of him and the suprise: He was losing time.

Starting the next lap, the clocks showed 10 seconds in difference and it meant: The battle was on. Happe kept it cool, trying to not overpush the car – a mechanical failure by overdriving would’ve been a disaster on the last lap. As Happe got closer and closer, it was clear: Carlevaro had issues with the car. Happe was about 4 seconds away from the T51 at the open right hander, at the next turn it was 3 seconds. The sharp turn leading onto the long straight called Virage de la Garenne was the finals straw, Carlevaro misses the turn and spins out – 3 seconds later, Happe is in front – Carlevaro would lose another place to Sebastian Gunderson – the Maserati driver that gave Happe so much advise during the practice.

“I’m truly happy to achieve such a result today. We put a lot of faith into the car and it held until the end, we underdrove it slightly, but still met the times, we wanted. I am eager to prove myself and hopefully i can show results like that more often. As for the new cars from the manufacturers next year, i havn’t decided yet, but I want to push every millisecond out of the car, no matter which one.”

Bugatti and ERA stir interest for the 1935 Season

Whispers in the paddock suggest that Bugatti remains keen on supplying cars to select drivers next season. The most promising among them may even earn the coveted title of official Bugatti driver.

Meanwhile, English Racing Automobiles (ERA) has announced intentions to enter cars of their own in the upcoming year. Whether Happe will secure a seat with ERA remains uncertain, though sources close to the matter indicate that a decision may be imminent.