Grand Prix de Bordeaux

Bordeaux, 29 Apr 1951

All cars are 1.5-litre s/c F1 or 4.5-litre F1^† unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Talbot T26C-DA [110 053] (Louis Rosier): Built in 1950 using parts from '110 003' and raced for the works by Martin, Chaboud and Giraud-Cabantous in 1950 then by Rosier as a private entry in 1951. Driven by Trintignant for Ecurie Rosier in 1952, then Giraud-Cabantous 1952-53. Owned by Marceau Hauret 1955 and Houdayer (Paris) 1981. Raced from 1987-2000 by François d'Huart (Belgium) as '100105'.
2. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1607] ("B Bira"): To Enrico Platé for 1949 (dated 14 Nov 1949 in Maserati records) and raced by Bira up to Geneva 1950. Car fitted with a 4450cc OSCA V12 engine for Bira for the 1951 season. The OSCA was taken to Australia in 1955 by Bira as a spare car to his 250F and sold there to Alf Harvey who raced it from 1955 to 1959. The car then went to the UK for historic racing and was bought by Tom Wheatcroft in 1971. Subsequently in the Donington Museum.
3. Simca-Gordini T15 [0012-GC] (Maurice Trintignant): Works car 1949 to early 1952. Driven by Trintignant (and possibly Fangio) 1951. Rebuilt 1952 as sportscar 17S and raced at Le Mans with 2.3-litre 6-cyl engine. In Musée de Gérier 1983. More recent history unknown.
4. HWM 51 ['3'] (Louis Chiron): The number '3' is used to denote that this was the third 1951 car; its chassis number is not known. It is the 'third car' referred to in Denis Jenkinson's Racing Car Review and was usually raced by Heath and Abecassis. Subsequent history unknown but the chassis may have been used in another of the early HWM-Jaguar sports cars, such as "VPA 9", "XPA 748" or "2 BMF".
5. Simca-Gordini T15 [0011-GC] (André Simon): Works car 1949-53, driven by Pollet 1951-53, Simon 1951, and Behra, Bira and Schell 1952. Converted to T15S sports as chassis 16S in 1952. Subsequent history unknown.
6. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1598] (Harry Schell): Maserati records show this car going to 'B. Bira' 23 Sep 1948. Bira raced 1948 British GP, 1949 Argentine Temporada and 1949 European season. Retained 1950 being used as Platé team car from Pescara. Raced by Harry Schell for Enrico Platé in 1951 then becoming one of two cars extensively rebuilt as Platé-Maseratis for 1952. Probably raced by Giovanni de Riu in F2 in 1953. Then sold via de Graffenried to 20th Century Fox for film work and then acquired by Tom Carstens (Tacoma, WA). Subsequent history unknown.
7. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1601] (Emmanuel de Graffenried): To Enrico Platé for 1949 (dated 7 Mar 1949 in Maserati records) and driven by Emmanuel de Graffenried. Continued as de Graffenried's well-used car through 1950 and 1951. Probably one of two cars extensively rebuilt as Plate-Maseratis for 1952. Probably raced by Ottorino Volonterio in F2 in 1953. Sold with the sister car (probably 1598) by de Graffenried to 20th Century Fox for film work then sold again via Tom Carstens (Tacoma, WA). Subsequent history unknown.
8. Simca-Gordini T15 [0014-GC] (Robert Manzon): Completed late 1949 and run by works for Manzon in 1950 and 1951, including in F1 events with supercharged engine. Rebuilt 1952 as sportscar 0019 and raced by Bordoni in Mille Miglia with 2.3-litre 6-cyl engine. In Musée Nationale 1983 but apparently not by 1993. More recent history unknown.
9. Talbot T26C [110 009] (Yves Giraud-Cabantous): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 009' was Raymond Sommer's 1949 car and then passed to Yves Giraud-Cabantous for 1950. Driven by Giraud-Cabantous and Pierre Meyrat 1951 and next seen with Louis Girardot 1953-56 and then possibly via Serge Pozzoli to Fritz Schlumpf 1957. In Musée de l'Automobile in Mulhouse 2001, possibly numbered 110002.
10. HWM 51 ['2'] (Lance Macklin): The number '2' is used here just for convenience; the chassis number of this car is not known. This was one of the first pair of 1951 HWMs to appear and was Macklin's usual car that season. Subsequent history unknown but the chassis may have been used in another of the early HWM-Jaguar sports cars, such as "VPA 9", "XPA 748" or "2 BMF".
11. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1609] (Giuseppe Farina): Maserati records show this car going to Nino Farina on 14 Nov 1949. Driven by Farina in 1950 Argentine Temporada, at Albi 1950 and in 1951 non-championship F1 races. From Farina to the Schlumpf brothers and now in the Musée National de l'Automobile de Mulhouse. The car apparently wears the chassis plate 1602 (another Farina-owned 4CLT).
12. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1606] (Toni Branca): Shown in Maserati records as going to Louis Chiron in Monte Carlo 21 Sep 1949. Raced by Chiron through 1950 then to Toni Branca for 1951 and then de Walckiers (who entered Steve Watson and Pilette) for 1952. Reappeared Italy 1960s then via chain of Italian, Belgian, Swiss, German and French owners to 1998. Owned by Bernie Ecclestone from 1998.

Formula 1 events 1948-1953

The results published here were compiled by David McKinney and Adam Ferrington from a range of sources including Autocourse, Motor Sport and Autosport, as well as the F1 Register's A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing Volume 5 covering 1950 and 1951. Individual car identities were then meticulously checked against their enormous libraries of books and photographs, notably 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.

David 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 assistance on HWM, has also been of great help.

Please note that since David's sad death in 2014, Adam and Allen have agreed that these pages will remain unaltered from now on, as a lasting testimony to David's expertise.