Paris-Madrid inter-city road race, 1903
No windscreen, no cockpit coaming, no protection from flying stones or airborne debris – the madcap, murderously dangerous Paris-Madrid would be the last of the top-level city-to-city road races governments would permit. Having just checked in at the stage finish line in the background, Darracq driver ‘Edmond’ and his weary riding mechanic make their way to overnight parc fermé. Their travel-stained jackets, caked and bruised faces and, above all, the state of their hands bear testament to what a challenge to human endurance – never mind the car’s – this type of pioneer racing posed.