Auto racing has legions of fans around the world. Even Malaysia, with its Sepang International Circuit, has played host to several races from 1962 until 2017.

Racing, in and of itself, is an ancient pastime, with humans having engaged in horseback and chariot racing since the dawn of civilisation.

Fun fact: in ancient Rome, it was taken so seriously that riots would regularly break out between fans of rival teams. Some things never change.

So, how did the love for auto racing begin, and how did the Grand Prix come to be? As it turns out, June 26 is an important date for motorsport fans.

Once the automobile was invented in the late 19th century, it was inevitable that someone would decide to see how hard they could push their foot against the pedal.

Sure enough, in 1906, the first-ever Grand Prix took place, heralding a new era of motorsport and setting the stage for future Formula One events.

But why was it organised to begin with, apart from giving people an adrenaline rush? Well, one could blame capitalism, in a way.

You see, the automobile industry was exploding back then, and every car manufacturer wanted to put themselves out there as the best engineers on the scene.

A car race, therefore, was deemed by the Automobile Club de France (ACF) as the best way to put their inventions to the test.

So, a brief 117 years ago, the first Grand Prix took place on a 103km triangular circuit near the town of Le Mans in France. The location was apparently chosen because of the population’s love for the sport, its leaders having been drivers themselves.

Some 32 entrants from various countries, including France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, signed up for the race. No doubt each of them, plus the car manufacturers, was eager to be part of the groundbreaking journey that would shape the future of motorsport.

Compared with the laundry list of rules for modern races, race regulations back then were relatively simple and light. For instance, participating cars could not exceed 1,000kg in total weight, and each driver was given 30 litres of fuel per 100km.

Spectators were charged 20 francs per ticket, while folks who wished to get a numbered seat had to pay an extra fee. Many just chose to stand by the race track.

Thankfully for them, basic safety features such as wooden palisades along the track were implemented to keep them safe from accidents, which were frighteningly common in the early days of the sport.

All in all, the public response was overwhelmingly positive, with the official expectation of 300,000 visitors quickly exceeded. It got to the point that the organisers had to warn locals not to overcharge visitors for accommodation! (Many of them opted to camp out in the open.)

Like today, eateries had a field day selling snacks and refreshments to spectators – although at that time, chocolate, tea and champagne were sold instead of hotdogs, fries and soft drinks (the lucky ducks).

And on June 26, at precisely 6am, the first car roared into action, with each subsequent vehicle made to depart in 90-second intervals.

You know how Malaysians always complain about the heat? As it turned out, that day was also particularly blistering. Temperatures reached up to an astonishing 49°C, which didn’t bode well for the tarred road that served as the race track.

Not only were sharp stones littered across the way, the tar actually melted in the heat. Some of it even got onto the exposed skin of the racers!

Needless to say, several men were injured, such as Renault driver J Edmond, who was nearly blinded by hot tar.

The conditions were just as unpredictable for the cars as well, with many racers dropping out owing to vehicle failures.

Plus, unlike the modern-day Grand Prix which unfolds over a single day, the first one actually took place across two days.

As such, it was only on June 27 that the race was officially won by Hungarian driver Ferenc Szisz, who reached a top speed of 154km/h in his Renault AK 90CV.

The press would later capture his anxiety when he was recorded to have said: “I feared something small which would take away victory at the moment when it had seemed to be won.”

Fast forward over a century later, and the Grand Prix has naturally undergone significant changes. Yet it remains an integral part of motorsports – which is quite the achievement for what was originally a glorified marketing ploy by the ACF.