Sommer was born in Mouzon in France, to a wealthy Sedan carpet-making family. His father, Roger Sommer, broke the Wright Brothers' record for the longest flight in 1909. It was not until 1931 that Raymond started to display daredevil tendencies of his own, entering motor races in a privateer Chrysler Imperial. The following year, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, despite having to drive over 20 hours solo after his teammate, Luigi Chinetti, retired ill. During the 1930s, Sommer was to dominate the French endurance classic, winning again in 1933 driving an Alfa Romeo alongside Tazio Nuvolari. He also led every race until 1938, only to suffer a mechanical failure, once when 12 laps in the lead. Sommer traveled to Long Island, New York, to compete in the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup where he finished fourth behind the winner, Nuvolari.^[3]

Although a regular top-10 finisher in Grands Épreuves Sommer never won a race. At the time, the German manufacturers Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union were the dominant force in Grand Prix racing, together with the French Bugatti team. Sommer turned to sports cars once more, and in 1936 he won the French Grand Prix with Jean-Pierre Wimille, and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race with co-driver Francesco Severi. More wins came his way including at the "Marseilles Three Hours" at Miramas, the Grand Prix de Tunisie and La Turbie hill climb competition in 1938 and 1939 with Alfa Romeo 308 until the outbreak of World War II, where he played an active part in the French Resistance movement.

Following the war, Sommer claimed victory in the 1946 René Le Bègue Cup race at Saint-Cloud. At the 1947 Turin Grand Prix in Valentino Park he won the first ever Grand Prix for Enzo Ferrari as an independent constructor. The following season, Sommer switched from the Ferrari team, again for a privately owned car, this time a Talbot-Lago. In 1950, the Formula One World Championship began and Sommer drove in two Grand Prix races for Ferrari and three in a privately entered Talbot-Lago, retiring in all but one.

In July 1950 he won the Aix les Bains Circuit du Lac Grand Prix with a Ferrari 166.

In September 1950, he entered the Haute-Garonne Grand Prix^[4] in Cadours, France, where the steering failed on his 1100 cc Cooper and the car overturned at a corner. Sommer, wearing his traditional canvas helmet, was instantly killed.

Notable career wins edit

• French Grand Prix 1936
• Grand Prix de Marseilles 1932, 1937, 1946
• Grand Prix de Tunisie 1937
• Grand Prix de L'U.M.F. 1935
• Gran Premio del Valentino 1947
• Madrid Grand Prix 1949
• Spa 24 Hours 1936
• Turin Grand Prix 1947
• 24 Hours of Le Mans 1932, 1933

European Championship results edit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Post-WWII Grandes Épreuves results edit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

FIA World Drivers' Championship results edit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Formula One non-championship results edit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)(Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

24 Hours of Le Mans results edit

• Raymond Sommer profile at Grand Prix encyclopedia