The research

Researching F1 in this early period is very different to researching the 1960s and 1970s. Before the late 1960s, there were no neat tables of chassis numbers available as a start point in contemporary publications and it was quite common for even the model of the car to go unmentioned in a report. Although Ferrari, Gordini, Maserati and Talbot-Lago numbered their cars in a reasonably consistent fashion, HWM, Alta and others did not and Alfa Romeo numbered frames and engines separately, assembling a car as required for each race and only labelling it with the entry number for that race.

However, we have the advantage that no two cars were ever identical - no two Ferraris are quite the same and Maserati 4CLTs and HWMs each have features that are unique to them. A trained eye can spot these differences in contemporary pictures and construct a race history for each car. The other major resource we have for this period is Denis Jenkinson's Racing Car Review, in which he covered each team in considerable detail, often giving important clues to individual car identities.

We also have the advantage of the excellent work of the historians who have gone before us. The F1 Register's A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing Volume 5 covers the 1950 and 1951 seasons and has been the primary source for race results. Also of enormous help were Talbot-Lago de Course by Pierre Abeillon, Les Gordini by Robert Jarraud, Gordini – Un Sorcier, Une Equipe by Christian Huet and The History of English Racing Automobiles by David Weguelin.

The results used here were initially compiled by Rob Ryder from a range of sources including Autocourse, Autosport and the F1 Register book mentioned above. Individual car identities were then meticulously checked and corrected by Adam Ferrington using his own enormous library of books and photographs. Maserati 250F author David McKinney has also contributed extensively from his notes on car identities compiled over 40 years of research, Michael Müller has contributed immaculately researched histories of all the 1948-1950 Ferrari 125s, and Doug Nye, both through his books and his personal assitance on HWM, has also been of great help.

Email Allen (allen@oldracingcars.com) with any further additions, corrections or comments.