German Grand Prix

Nürburgring, 3 Aug 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. Veritas RS ['K1'] (Fritz Riess): The identifier 'K1' is used here to denote the first of two Veritas RS-BMWs built by Karl Kling in 1947 and 1948. It went to Karl Bossong in 1948 and then to Fritz Riess (Rieß) for 1949. It was raced with great success by Reiss through 1952. Veritas historian Markus Neugebauer believes it may have gone to Karch for 1953 but its subsequent history is unknown.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Gordini T16 [0033-GC] (Maurice Trintignant): Works car 1952-55, driven by Trintignant 1952, Behra 1953, Bayol, Loyer, Simon, Frère, Bucci and Pilette 1954, Pollet and Hamilton 1955. Crashed by Hamilton at Silverstone in 1955 and apparently written off, though a car numbered '33' was in the Pantin museum in 1993.

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.