Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler’s Best is a non-fiction book written by Neal Bascomb. The book tells the captivating true story of the 1938 Grand Prix season and the remarkable individuals who defied Hitler’s regime through their passion for racing.

The narrative revolves around three main characters: René Dreyfus, Lucy Schell, and the Mercedes-Benz racing team. René Dreyfus, a French Jewish driver, was considered an outcast in the racing world due to his heritage. Despite facing discrimination and prejudice, Dreyfus possessed exceptional driving skills and a determination to prove himself on the track.

Lucy Schell, an American heiress and racing enthusiast, played a crucial role in supporting Dreyfus’s career. She provided financial backing and became his biggest advocate, believing in his talent and potential. Together, they formed an unlikely partnership that would challenge the dominance of Hitler’s best drivers.

The book also delves into the history of the Mercedes-Benz racing team, which was closely tied to the Nazi regime. Under Hitler’s rule, German automobile manufacturers were heavily invested in motorsport as a means of showcasing their engineering prowess and promoting nationalistic pride. The Mercedes-Benz team was at the forefront of this endeavor, with their cars becoming symbols of German excellence.

As tensions rose in Europe leading up to World War II, the 1938 Grand Prix season became a battleground for political ideologies. The book vividly describes the intense competition between Dreyfus and the Mercedes-Benz drivers, particularly Rudolf Caracciola and Manfred von Brauchitsch. It highlights the contrasting motivations behind their participation in racing: while Dreyfus sought personal redemption and a chance to defy Nazi oppression, the German drivers aimed to uphold their country’s reputation under Hitler’s watchful eye.

The climax of the story takes place at the Pau Grand Prix in France, where Dreyfus, driving a Delahaye race car, faces off against the formidable Mercedes-Benz team. Against all odds, Dreyfus emerges victorious, delivering a blow to Hitler’s propaganda machine and proving that talent and determination can triumph over prejudice and discrimination.

• Racers: How an Outcast Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Challenged Hitler’s Best

• By: Neal Bascomb
• Narrated by: Jon Lindstrom

In the years leading up to World War II, Adolf Hitler wanted to prove the greatness of the Third Reich in everything from athletics to motorsport. The Nazis poured money into developing new racing cars, and Mercedes-Benz came out with a line of stable turbocharged cars called the Silver Arrows. Their drivers dominated the sensational world of European Grand Prix racing and saluted Hitler on numerous occasions when they returned home with victory.

As the Third Reich stripped the Jews of their rights and began to move towards war, one driver, René Dreyfus, a French Jew who had enjoyed some early success on the track, was banned from driving in any German or Italian racing team, the best in class, due to the rise of Hitler and Benito Mussolini. So in 1937, Lucy Schell, an American heiress and top driver of the Monte Carlo Rally, needed a driver for the new team she was forming to take on Germany’s Silver Arrows. Realizing the untapped potential in Dreyfus, she funded the development of an agile tiger of a new automobile built by a little-known French manufacturer called Delahaye. As the nations of Europe drew closer to war, Schell and Dreyfus faced Hitler’s top drivers, and the world held its breath to see who would win.

This is a good listen. I’ve never heard this story and it would be a shame if I didn’t know. Anyone interested in racing or European/world history should read/listen to this. It should also be noted that without a strong American woman this would not have happened. It ticks all the boxes. Will make a great movie

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