Laury, Lucy O’Reilly and Harry Schell were father, mother and son. They were all larger than life characters who made their very distinct contribution to the colorful playboy image that some aspects of motor racing projected before the Second World War and immediately after it. At first, the main culprit was Lucy. She once announced that she wanted to be to France what Ferrari was to Italy! Her American husband, Laury, went along for the extremely eventful ride. Both were…

During practice for the 1947 Grand Prix of Switzerland at Bremgarten in Berne, Harry Schell’s Cisitalia D46, entered by his mother’s Ecurie Lucy O'Reilly Schell, runs ahead of Achille Varzi’s works Alfa Romeo 158. In the race, Schell’s car broke after seven laps, while Varzi finished 2nd
Photo: Author’s Collection