OldRacingCars.com

Grand Prix d'Albi

Albi, 5 Aug 1951

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Maurice Trintignant Simca-Gordini T15 [0014-GC] - T16C s/c 4
#16 Équipe Gordini (see note 1)
34 1h 51m 23.1s
2 Louis Rosier Talbot T26C-DA [110 053] 6
#2 Écurie Rosier (see note 2)
34 1h 53m 49.2s
3 Louis Chiron Talbot T26C [110 001] 6
#4 Écurie Rosier (see note 3)
33
4 André Simon Simca-Gordini T15 [0011-GC] - T16C s/c 4
#20 Équipe Gordini (see note 4)
32
5 Johnny Claes Talbot T26C-DA [110 052] 6
#12 Écurie Belge (see note 5)
32
6 Jean Behra Simca-Gordini T15 [0012-GC] - T16C s/c 4
#22 Équipe Gordini (see note 6)
32
7 Roger Laurent Talbot T26C [110 006] 6
#14 Écurie Belgique (see note 7)
31
8 Lance Macklin (F2) 2-litre HWM 51 ['2'] - Alta 4
#24 HW Motors (see note 8)
31
R Chico Landi Maserati 4CLT-50 [1612] - Speluzzi s/c 4
#32 Scuderia Milan (see note 9)
15 Oil pipe
R Pierre Bouillin ("Levegh") Talbot T26C [110 005] 6
#8 P "Levegh" (see note 10)
5 Piston
R Pierre Meyrat Talbot T26C [110 009] 6
#10 Y Giraud-Cabantous (see note 11)
5 Brakes
R Philippe Étancelin Talbot T26C-DA [110 054] 6
#6 P Étancelin (see note 12)
4 Magneto
R Robert Manzon Simca-Gordini T11 [0004-GC] - T16C s/c 4
#18 Équipe Gordini (see note 13)
4 Suspension
R Gianfranco Comotti (F2) 2-litre Ferrari 166 F2 [GP3-50] - V12
#28 Scuderia Marzotto
3 Carburettor
DNS Duncan Hamilton (F2) 2-litre HWM 51 ['4'] - Alta 4
#26 HW Motors (see note 14)
Did not start
(No suitable fuel)
DNP Stirling Moss (F2) 2-litre HWM 51 ['2'] - Alta 4
#24 HW Motors (see note 15)
Did not take part in official practice
(Alternative driver)
DNP George Abecassis (F2) 2-litre HWM 51 ['4'] - Alta 4
#26 HW Motors (see note 16)
Did not take part in official practice
(Alternative driver)
DNA Giannino Marzotto (F2) 2-litre Ferrari 166 F2 [GP3-50] - V12
#30 Scuderia Marzotto
Did not arrive
DNA Georges Grignard Talbot T26C-DA [110 051] 6
#34 G Grignard (see note 17)
Did not arrive
DNA Guy Mairesse Talbot T26C [110 002] 6
#36 Y Giraud-Cabantous (see note 18)
Did not arrive

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

Qualifying
1 Maurice Trintignant (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Simca-Gordini T15 [0014-GC] - Simca-Gordini T16C s/c 4 3m 08.8s
2 Louis Rosier (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C-DA [110 053] - Talbot 6 3m 09.5s
3 André Simon (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Simca-Gordini T15 [0011-GC] - Simca-Gordini T16C s/c 4 3m 10.4s
4 Philippe Étancelin (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C-DA [110 054] - Talbot 6 3m 19.3s
5 Johnny Claes (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C-DA [110 052] - Talbot 6 3m 21.4s
6 Robert Manzon (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Simca-Gordini T11 [0004-GC] - Simca-Gordini T16C s/c 4 3m 24.7s
7 Chico Landi (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Maserati 4CLT-50 [1612] - Speluzzi s/c 4 3m 25.9s
8 Louis Chiron (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C [110 001] - Talbot 6 3m 26.9s
9 Pierre Bouillin ("Levegh") (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C [110 005] - Talbot 6 3m 26.9s
10 Jean Behra (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Simca-Gordini T15 [0012-GC] - Simca-Gordini T16C s/c 4 3m 28.3s
11 Roger Laurent (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C [110 006] - Talbot 6 3m 32.3s
12 Pierre Meyrat (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C [110 009] - Talbot 6 3m 34.5s
13 Duncan Hamilton * (F2) 2-litre HWM 51 ['4'] - Alta 4 3m 46.8s
14 Lance Macklin (F2) 2-litre HWM 51 ['2'] - Alta 4 No time
15 Gianfranco Comotti (F2) 2-litre Ferrari 166 F2 [GP3-50] - Ferrari V12 No time
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Simca-Gordini T15 [0014-GC] (Maurice Trintignant): 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.
  2. 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'.
  3. Talbot T26C [110 001] (Louis Chiron): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 001' was raced by Louis Rosier from 1948 to 1950 and then under the Ecurie Rosier banner by Pozzi in 1950; by Henri Louveau and Louis Chiron in 1951; and by Giraud-Cabantous, Chaboud and Mairesse in 1952. It was acquired by the Musée Henri Malatre at Rochetaillé, France, in 1956 and was still on display in 1990.
  4. 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.
  5. Talbot T26C-DA [110 052] (Johnny Claes): Built in 1950 using parts from '110 012' and raced for the works by Giraud-Cabantous, Sommer and, in Argentina, Gonzalez. To Claes for 1951 and then Ecurie Belgique (Claes and Pilette) 1952. Some differences of opinion over its ownership in the 1950s but then via UK and German owners until 1987. Next seen with Peter Mullin (USA) in 2001. Raced by Mullin at 2007 Monterey Historics.
  6. Simca-Gordini T15 [0012-GC] (Jean Behra): 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.
  7. Talbot T26C [110 006] (Roger Laurent): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 006' was raced by Georges Grignard in 1948, by Giraud-Cabantous in 1949, Pozzi and Levegh in 1950 and by Jean Blanc in one 1951 hillclimb. Then to Ecurie Belgique in 1951 and retained to 1952. Reappeared in US ownership in 1964 and then via two further US owners to Dean Butler in 1998. Retained 2003. This car was on display at the 2006 Brussels Retro Festival honouring Ecurie Francorchamps.
  8. 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".
  9. Maserati 4CLT-50 [1612] (Chico Landi): Listed in Maserati records as going to Officine A. Maserati and then Scuderia Milan. It is not clear if this car ever raced.
  10. Talbot T26C [110 005] (Pierre Bouillin ("Levegh")): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 005' was raced by 'Levegh' from 1948 to 1951 and by Grignard once in 1951. Retained by the works until it was sold to Otto Zipper in the US in 1957. Then to the Briggs Cunningham museum via two other US owners to Tony Wang 1988.
  11. Talbot T26C [110 009] (Pierre Meyrat): 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.
  12. Talbot T26C-DA [110 054] (Philippe Étancelin): Built for 1950 and raced for the works by Etancelin and Rosier, then Etancelin as a private entry 1951-54. To Terry Hall (US) 1955-57 (also driven by Ernie McAfee and Ignazio Lozano) before conversion to sportscar 1957 and then via a chain of US owners to Peter Giddings who had restored and rebodied by Steve Griswold. Raced by Giddings 1978-96 (and possibly later).
  13. Simca-Gordini T11 [0004-GC] (Robert Manzon): Works car 1947 to early 1952. Possibly raced by Fangio in Argentina in 1948. Driven by Aldo Gordini and André Simon 1950. Rebuilt 1952 as sportscar 0018 and raced by works with 1500 engine. Possibly then by Bordoni (Italy) with 6-cylinder engine. In Collection Hamoniaux 1983 and Musée Nationale 1994.
  14. HWM 51 ['4'] (Duncan Hamilton): The number '4' is used to denote that this was the fourth 1951 car; its chassis number is not known. It is the 'fourth car' referred to in Denis Jenkinson's Racing Car Review as first appearing at Mettet in July. 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".
  15. HWM 51 ['2'] (Stirling Moss): 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".
  16. HWM 51 ['4'] (George Abecassis): The number '4' is used to denote that this was the fourth 1951 car; its chassis number is not known. It is the 'fourth car' referred to in Denis Jenkinson's Racing Car Review as first appearing at Mettet in July. 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".
  17. Talbot T26C-DA [110 051] (Georges Grignard): Originally a works car Rosier in 1950 and then for Fangio in Argentina that December. Raced by Grignard 1951-56 (mainly in hillclimbs), then possibly in in Clères Museum before appearing in UK historic racing with Bob Roberts 1970-71. Via two other UK owners until bought by Jim Hull (US) in 1988. Retained 1991.
  18. Talbot T26C [110 002] (Guy Mairesse): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 002' was raced by 'Raph' and Eugene Chaboud in 1948 and Paul Vallee and Guy Mairesse in 1950. Owned by Mairesse 1950-51; also raced by Giraud-Cabantous 1950; by Jean Blanc and Levegh 1952; and by Etancelin in 1953. In late 1953, Vallee sold the car to Doug Whiteford in Australia to replace his existing chassis '110 007'. Whiteford was surprised to discover that he'd bought an earlier model and it was 1955 before the car raced in Australia. It was sold to Ralph Snodgrass in 1956 but crashed badly at Mt Druitt in 1957. Snodgrass retained the car until 1980 when it was sold to Reg Hunt who restored it for historic events. Retained by Hunt until sold to Ron Towney in 2006.

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.