on their highly tuned racing engines. The ACO provided the teams with 20-litre churns of Standard Oil's "Eco-Essence" gasoline. A chemist analysed the residual fuel of each car at the end of the event and confirmed that no fuel-modification had occurred. Entries Across Europe political unease and high inflation were having an impact. The automotive industry was heavily affected with mergers, bankruptcies and other financial worries amongst competitor manufacturers. After 41 cars started the previous year only 25 arrived this year. Peugeot, Chenard-Walcker, OM and Lorraine-Dietrich (winners of the event for the previous two years) all stayed away, and Rolland-Pilain withdrew a few weeks before the race. It was brought home when Ariès was the only French company now in the big-engine end of the field. Of the 13 places reserved for the qualifiers from the Biennial Cup only six were re-taken. However, there were three new teams from the small French manufacturers Fasto, SCAP and Tracta. Note: The first number is the number of entries, the second the number who started. Thus, with a dearth of competition, Bentley were the pre-race favourites and they arrived with three cars. After a humiliating run of retirements since their victory in the event, W.O. Bentley decided to enter a strong team, despite the weakened opposition. Dudley Benjafield and Sammy Davis were again paired in the same 3-litre car, nicknamed "Old Number 7", which they had crashed just an hour from the finish in the race. Woolf Barnato's financial investment had meant over 1400 3-litre models had now been built and a second 3 litre was entered for the French Baron André d'Erlanger and George Duller. A new prototype was also entered. The 4½ litre, (later nicknamed Old Mother Gun), had a four-cylinder version of the new Straight-Six model put into the long-wheelbase 3-litre chassis. While the 3-litre engines were now capable of 88 bhp the new model put out 115 bhp. The car was entrusted to the works driver, 1924-winner, Frank Clement with Leslie Callingham as co-driver. The drivers made a point of practicing putting up their car-hoods and the team filmed their pit-stop routines to further improve them. Automobiles Ariès returned with its streamlined 3-litre "tank", making up a much-reduced large-engine field. Once again it was driven by the experienced pairing of Jean Chassagne and Robert Laly. The company also entered two 1100cc cars – a 2-seater CC2 and a new