During the Paris-Madrid race, Marcel missed a corner at Couhé-Vérac, south of Poitiers, and was fatally injured. He died two days later. The high number of serious accidents led organisers to stop the race at Bordeaux. Battered and bruised, Louis Renault decided to stop motor racing.
On arriving at Bordeaux, Louis Renault learns of his brother Marcel's accident.
His brother's death had changed his situation. He moved from being an employee of the company Renault Frères to being his brother Fernand's partner. He acquired half the company capital. He soon became Head of the Billancourt factory, which he managed energetically in order to fulfil the orders which came flooding in. In 1903, he was already offering 6 car models and would soon be employing 800 staff.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...
Book : Jean-Robert Dulier, la grandiose et meurtrière course Paris-Madrid 1903. clôture tragique des courses automobiles sur route (The grand and murderous Paris-Madrid 1903 race. Tragic end to motorized road racing), 1966