The winner of the first ever motor race was Jules-Albert de Dion. He would later go to jail for hitting the President of France with his walking stick. After, he founded L'Auto, a newspaper that in 1902 started a small cycling race to boost its circulation: the Tour De France.

de Dion was disqualified for using a stoker to keep his steam tractor running, so the winner was Albert Lemaître in a Peugeot. In 1906, he murdered his wife and turned the gun on himself. He survived and put on trial.

The jury ruled it a crime of passion and he was acquitted.

So, either the first motor race was won by:
1) A steam tractor going 12mph driven by a dude who founded the Tour de France; or
2) A Peugeot going 11mph driven by a murderer.

Welcome to 1894 France, everyone.