Émile Mayade

Émile Louis Mayade (21 August 1853 – 18 September 1898) (sometimes misspelled Mayard) was a French motoring pioneer and racing driver. He drove a Panhard et Levassor in the world's first 'city to city' motoring contest from Paris to Rouen in 1894 and went on win the world's first open motor race, the 1896 Paris–Marseille–Paris, where the first driver across the line was the winner.

Racing 1894 – Panhard et Levassor driven by Émile Mayade in the 1894 Paris-Rouen. Entrant No 64Mayade drove a Panhard et Levassor Phaeton 8 hp in the world's first motoring event from Paris to Rouen in 1894 where he finished seventh after eight hours and nine minutes. In 1895 he finished sixth in the Paris–Bordeaux–Paris race after 72 hours 14 minutes. Émile Mayade on the Panhard No. 6 on which he won the 1896 Paris-Marseille race. Photograph taken at the Hotel Metropole, Brighton, 14 November 1896, after taking part in the Emancipation Run His greatest success was the victory in the 1896 Paris–Marseille–Paris where he won three stages and finished in 67 hours 42 minutes 58 seconds, almost 30 minutes ahead of Merkel in another Panhard et Levassor 8 hp. The Panhard had been extensively upgraded for 1896, using their first four-cylinder engine which provided twice the horsepower of the 1895 model. It was equipped with tiller steering and candle lamps. The brakes were spoon-levers pressing on each solid rubber back tyre and a band brake on the counter-shaft in the transmission. This was the same vehicle in which Émile Levassor had won 2 of the first three stages before suffering an injury during stage 4 from which he died a year later.

On 14 November 1896 he finished 6th (or poss. 4th The car was subsequently sold to Charles Rolls for £1,200.