Paul Baras was a road racing cyclist and racing driver from France. He competed in several early Grand Prix motor races, and held the world land speed record between November 1904 and January 1905.

Born in Orchies, France, Baras originally competed in cycling events including placing third in the 1894 Grand Prix de Paris Sprint. He switched to racing cars, initially in hill-climbs.

Baras set the world land speed record on November 13, 1904. Driving a Darracq 100hp, he completed the flying kilometer in twenty-one and two-fifths of a second to give an average speed of 104.34 mi/h.

In 1906, he participated in the inaugural French Grand Prix

1906 French Grand Prix

The 1906 Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France, commonly known as the 1906 French Grand Prix, was a motor race held on 26 and 27 June 1906, on closed public roads outside the city of Le Mans...

, and led the early stages of the race. He eventually finished seventh, although he also had the fastest lap of the race. The following year, he finished third in the French Grand Prix. In 1908 he retired after three laps of the race.