Grosser Preis der Schweiz

Bremgarten, 18 May 1952

All cars are 2-litre 4.5 F1 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Gordini T16 [0032-GC] (Jean Behra): Works car 1952-57, 2500 engine from 1954. Driven by Behra and Manzon 1952, Mieres and Schell 1953, Pollet (once) and Behra 1954, Manzon, da Silva Ramos and Pollet 1955, Manzon 1956 (winning Naples GP), Simon 1957. In Musée Henri Malartre at Rochetaillé 1961-90.
2. Maserati-Platé 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.
3. Gordini T15 [0011-GC] ("B Bira"): 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.
4. Maserati-Platé 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.
5. Gordini T16 [0031-GC] (Robert Manzon): The first six-cylinder car, run by the works from 1952 until 1957, with 2300 engine in early 1954 and 2500 engine after that. Driven by Manzon and Behra 1952, Schell and Trintignant 1953, Pilette, Berger and Guelfi 1954, Pollet and Sparken 1955 and Burgraff 1957. In Collection Huet 1983. More recent history unknown.
6. Veritas RS ['GM'] (Toni Ulmen): The identifier 'GM' is used here to denote the Großmutter (grandmother), a converted open-wheel Veritas RS first seen in 1951 when driven by Toni Ulmen. The origins of this car are unclear but Veritas historian Markus Neugebauer believes it may be the original works RS which was sold to Ulmen in 1949. The car was fitted with a sports car wings for the 1952 German GP. The Großmutter was still in existence in 2002.
7. Gordini T15 [0002-GC] (Max de Terra): The second Simca-Gordini single-seater, driven by Amedée Gordini at Turin in September 1946. Campaigned by Prince Igor Troubetskoy 1947 and with Alfred Dattner (Switzerland) 1949/50, later to Germany, then rebodied and fitted with a Stanguellini-Fiat engine, in which form it competed in Italian events in the 1960s. At the Stanguellini factory for many years until returned to France in the mid 1980s and restored to original, though with 1500 engine. In Brooks auctions 1996 and 1997 and in 2000 in the ownership of Jean-Jacques Bally.

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.