It was between the two world wars that Robert Benoist amassed a fantastic record. In 1925 and 1927, he won with Delage the Grand Prix of the Automobile Club of France. After Delage withdrew from competition, he found himself temporarily without wheels, racing intermittently. He participated in his first 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1928 and 1929, finishing eighth then sixth. After a brief break, he returned with Bugatti in 1934. Three years later, for his third and final participation in the 24 Hours, he led - along with Jean-Pierre Wimille - the French marque to victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After that win he ended, this time definitively, his career as a driver.

Benoist won his greatest victories (Grand Prix of the ACF, 24 Hours of Le Mans) with two French constructors (Delage and Bugatti), like a a symbol of patriotism that reached its full potential during the two world wars. During World War I, he first served in the infantry prior to becoming a reconnaissance pilot, a fighter pilot and then a flight instructor. When World War II broke out, he rallied with England (namely with Jean-Pierre Wimille, his teammate for his win at Le Mans in 1937) and entered the S.I.S,, the secret service created in 1940 by Winston Churchill when he became Prime Minister. Benoist returned to France where he organized sabotage groups and received weapons airdrops in the Rambouillet forest. Captured in Paris in June of 1943, he managed to escape by jumping from the vehicule taking him to Gestapo headquarters, and returned to England. He then went back to France in late 1943 to pursue his activities for the Resistance. Arrested in Paris on June 18, 1944, Benoist was deported to the Buchenwald camp where he was executed by hanging three months later.

Jean-Philippe Doret / ACO - Translation by Nikki Ehrhardt / ACO

Photo: LE MANS (SARTHE, FRANCE), CIRCUIT DES 24 HEURES, 24 HOURS OF LE MANS, SATURDAY & SUNDAY JUNE 19 & 20 1937. Thanks to Robert Benoist and his teammate Jean-Pierre Wimille, Bugatti clinched the first of two wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.