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Peking to Paris

Back in 1907, a French newspaper advertised an unusual race. The paper asked whether anyone would dare to drive a car from Peking (now called Beijing) to Paris. The distance between the two cities was about sixteen thousand kilometres. At that time in history, petrol-powered cars were still a new invention that few people owned. The newspaper was curious: were these new vehicles strong enough to complete a long journey across Asia and Europe? With few paved roads and no established route, the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge was an extreme adventure.

The newspaper’s ad received worldwide attention. Most people believed the challenge was impossible, but five brave teams agreed to participate. They travelled through China, Mongolia, Russia, Poland, Germany and Belgium before reaching France. Since they could not count on petrol stations for fuel, the drivers had to plan ahead. Camels carrying fuel were sent ahead to key locations that drivers could stop at along their route. After sixty days of driving, a team led by Prince Scipione Borghese of Italy finally crossed the finish line.

Ninety years after the first Peking to Paris Challenge, a racing organisation decided to hold the competition again. The event was so popular that the group now puts on the race every three years. However, the modern competition is a bit different from the original. Competitors now have route planners and GPS guidance systems to help them navigate. The race takes place over thirty-six days, and drivers stop at required checkpoints each night. Although the modern competition sounds less challenging, it is still a difficult race. The teams travel an average of 400 kilometres per day, following dirt tracks across rivers and over mountains. Each team is responsible for repairing its own vehicle if it breaks.

In 2019, one man decided to make the already challenging race even harder. Anton Gonnissen wanted to honour a man named Auguste Pons, who took part in the 1907 race. Pons wasn’t able to finish that race; he got lost in the Gobi Desert and ran out of petrol. So, Gonnissen decided to honour Pons by finishing the race using the same kind of car that Pons drove. Gonnissen couldn’t find the exact model, so he built a replica of Pons’s vehicle instead. After an exhausting journey, Gonnissen finished the race 112 years after Pons started it.

As Gonnissen understood, the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge has always been about more than just racing cars. The organisers never intended for winners to receive a lot of money or fame. Instead, the event gives racers a chance to test their limits by trying something difficult and new.