3/4/1888 - 19/7/1936
Record updated 03-Apr-20
Lehoux was was born at Blois, South of Le Mans, France, though he lived in Algeria. He became a works ERA Voiturette driver 1936 and was killed later that year at the wheel of R3B at the Grand Prix de Deauville.
Known as a little man with the heart of a lion, Lehoux was was born at Blois, south of Le Mans, France. However he lived in Algeria, at the time a French Colony, where he was the founder and owner of a large trade company.
Lehoux started racing with a 1500 Brescia-Bugatti in Algeria 1924 at an age of 35 and won on his first try, the Casablanca GP. He drove Bugattis, Alfa Romeos, Maseratis and ERAs.
He won the 1928 Algerian and Tunis GPs, and 1929 he won the Algerian GP and placed second at the Grand Prix de la Marne at Reims in 1929, behind Zenelli and ahead of his friend, Philippe Étancelin, making a Bugatti sweep of the podium.
He carried on his winning way in 1930 winning the Dieppe GP and at the Algerian Grand Prix, he followed Étancelin home to second. In 1931 he won at Geneva and the Marne GPs and in 1932 he took wins at the Casablanca GP and in 1933 the Pau, Dieppe and Monza GPs.
In 1931 he raced together with Etancelin, sharing a Bugatti with him for both the Italian and French Grands Prix, events of 10 hours duration, run to Formula Libre rules, retiring on both occasions. Continued as Bugatti driver before becoming Scuderia Ferrari works driver in 1934 and raced a private Maserati 1935.
He became a works ERA Voiturette driver 1936 and was killed at the wheel of one of the works ERAs, R3B, powered by a Zoller-supercharged 2000 cm3 engine, the only car car of the marque present at the Grand Prix de Deauville. Towards the end of the race, Guiseppe Farina, driving a Ferrari Alfa Romeo, collided with Marcel Lehoux who he was overtaking.
Both cars were catapulted into the air and hurled clear out of the course. Lehoux was killed instantly. Both cars were wrecked and burned out. Farina had minor head injuries.
In a separate accident happened in the early stages of the race Raymond Chambost suffered injuries to which he succumbed three days later.
Lehoux was called by the contemporary press an "Algerian", this was a reference to the fact that he lived in Algeria and not a remark related to his citizenship. Algeria was then and until 1962, a French colony. Lehoux was a French citizen.
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