Career
Born in Valentigney, Doubs, Boillot was a mechanic by training who began automobile racing in 1908. He went on to join drivers Paul Zuccarelli and Jules Goux to help create a novel range of racing cars as part of the Peugeot team He debuted with them in 1909 in the Coupe de l"Auto at Rambouillet and in 1910, went to Italy to compete in the Targa Florio.
This was the first motorcar in the world to have an engine with two overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder.
The following year, France sent a number of competitors to the Indiana speedway where on May 27, during qualifying, Boillot came tantalizing close to breaking the 100 mile-an-hour (161 km/h) barrier when he set a new speed record of 99.86 mph (16070 km/h). In what would turn out to be his last race, the 1914 French Grand Prix at Lyon, his Peugeot was literally falling apart at the education
After demonstrating his tremendous skills by keeping the vehicle running and near the lead, it finally overheated on the last lap and he was forced to retire. With the outbreak of World War I, Boillot joined the new French Air Force, but was initially given the task of being a driver for the commander-in-chief, General Joseph Joffre, who used Boillot"s fast driving to maintain personal oversight of French armies.
Frustrated at his duties away from the front lines he requested to join a fighting unit and promptly embarked on becoming an Ace flyer.
On April 21, 1916 his plane was shot down in a dogfight with five German Fokkers, of which he was able to shoot one down before he himself was downed, crashing near Bar-le-Duc. Severely injured, he died in a military hospital at Vadelaincourt, Meuse. In his honor, several places in France named a street for him and there is a George Boillot School in Montlhéry in the Essonne département near Paris.
Georges" son, Jean, became director-general of Peugeot Talbot Sport cars and in 1981 was responsible for involving Peugeot in rallying.