THE WAY OF THINGS.

REMOVE THE RESTRICTIONS

HE benefit of the pure racing car to the sport and the industry has never been seriously denied except by those who wish for an excuse

to avoid progress. To save expense there has been, in the last few years, a tendency to suppress races for such cars and to have

races for standard models only. This move was bound to fail as the demand of progress cannot be denied, and however much cars may be intended to be standard, the rules must allow for considerable departures, if the races are to serve any purpose other than as an elaborate window display, which provides no useful knowledge. Thus, in spite of every thing, the temporary screen which was drawn over the pure racing car to hide its utility has soon been aside, and makers in this country are realising more than ever that unrestricted development is the most economical method in the

end. We have now passed the stage in automobile engin eering where the road-racing car is anything in the nature of a freak, and therefore the fewer restrictions on design that are imposed in race regulations, the better for

all concerned. The R.A.C. regulations for this year’s Tourist Trophy, show the way we are gradually going

back to the racing car. On On the continent, the opening races of the season have shown the great popularity of motor racing, which is steadily increasing, but the reason for this success is

not only due to the growing public interest in the sport.

which is becoming more evident than ever, but to the races themselves and the cars that take part. Two things are absolutely essential before motor racing can ever grip the public of this country as it has the people of France, Italy and Germany. One is that the races must be scratch races, where all start together, and the first man home is the winner. The other is that the cars must be really fast, and by free dom of development be come evenly matched. On another page is our full re port of that m ignificent the Grand Prix of Monaco. Imagine that race run on handicap for cars of varying size and per formance,—what a fiasco it would be in compari

s on ! It is plain that we must soon return in this country to the race where the fastest car wins, and run the smal ler classes as separate events. Then the country as a whole may understand what it is all about, the value of a victory will be enhanced, and Britain will stand with the Continent as a true exponent of the

sport of motor racing.