1935 Donington Grand Prix Explained

Type:GP
Grand Prix:Donington
Date:5 October
Year:1935
Official Name:I Donington Grand Prix
Race No:39
Season No:1935
Location:North West Leicestershire, England
Course:Road course
Course Mi:2.552
Course Km:4.107
Distance Laps:120
Distance Mi:306.2
Distance Km:492.8
Weather:Heavy rain[1]
Country:United Kingdom
Pole Driver:Raymond Sommer
Pole Team:Raymond Sommer
Pole Time:2:04.0
Pole Country:France
Fast Driver:Giuseppe Farina
Fast Team:Scuderia Subalpina
Fast Time:2:08.4
Fast Country:Italy
First Driver:Richard Shuttleworth
First Team:Richard Shuttleworth
First Country:Great Britain
Second Driver:Earl Howe
Second Team:Earl Howe
Second Country:Great Britain
Third Driver:Charlie Martin
Third Team:Charles Martin
Third Country:Great Britain

The 1935 Donington Grand Prix was a non-championship Grand Prix that was held on 5 October 1935 at Donington Park in North West Leicestershire, England. It was the 39th race of the 1935 Grand Prix season. The race, which was 120 laps, was won by Richard Shuttleworth driving a Alfa Romeo Tipo-B "P3" after starting from 7th place.[2]

It was the first major international Grand Prix to take place on a road course in Great Britain.

Entries

No.DriverEntrantCar
1 Earl HoweEarl HoweBugatti T59
2 Charlie MartinCharles MartinBugatti T59
3 Lindsay EcclesAHL EcclesBugatti T59
4 Brian LewisFreddie DixonRiley 2000/6
5 Wal HandleyFreddie DixonRiley 2000/6
6 Percy MaclurePercy MaclureRiley 2000/6
7 Hector DobbsHector DobbsRiley 2000/6
8 Raymond SommerRaymond SommerAlfa Romeo Tipo-B "P3"
9 Richard ShuttleworthRichard ShuttleworthAlfa Romeo Tipo-B "P3"
10 Harry RoseHarry RoseAlfa Romeo 8C "Monza"
11 Bill EverittScuderia SubalpinaMaserati 6C-34
12 Buddy FeatherstonhaughHarry RoseMaserati 8CM
14 "B. Bira"Prince ChulaERA B-Type
15 Nicholas EmbiricosNicholas EmbiricosERA B-Type
16 Giuseppe FarinaScuderia SubalpinaMaserati V8RI
18 Austin DobsonAustin DobsonMaserati 8C-3000
Source:[3] [4] [5]

Qualifying

Pos.No.DriverCarTime
116 Giuseppe FarinaMaserati V8RI2:08.4
26 Percy MaclureRiley 2000/62:14.0
38 Raymond SommerAlfa Romeo Tipo-B "P3"2:14.0
41 Earl HoweBugatti T592:16.0
512 Buddy FeatherstonhaughMaserati 8CM2:17.0
65 Wal HandleyRiley 2000/62:17.0
79 Richard ShuttleworthAlfa Romeo Tipo-B "P3"2:19.0
82 Charlie MartinBugatti T592:21.8
910 Harry RoseAlfa Romeo 8C "Monza"2:23.0
1014 "B. Bira"ERA B-Type2:23.0
117 Hector DobbsRiley 2000/62:23.0
1211 Bill EverittMaserati 6C-342:23.0
134 Brian LewisRiley 2000/62:24.0
1418 Austin DobsonMaserati 8C-30002:27.0
153 Lindsay EcclesBugatti T59Unknown
Source:
The grid consisted of five rows of three, with cars supposed to be lined up with fastest in the middle, second fastest on left and third fastest on the right. It is unclear why Handley started from row 4, why Martin and Rose had swapped positions, or why Dobbs and Everitt started from the back row.

Race

Pos.No.Driver(s)CarLapsTime/Retired
19 Richard ShuttleworthAlfa Romeo Tipo-B "P3"1204:47:12.0
21 Earl HoweBugatti T591204:47:57.8
32 Charlie MartinBugatti T591204:49:47.4
411 Bill Everitt
Gino Rovere
Maserati 6C-341204:53:59.0
514 "B. Bira"ERA B-Type1204:58:16.0
63 Lindsay Eccles
Pat Fairfield
Bugatti T591204:59:53.0
7 Hector Dobbs
Bill van der Becke
Riley 2000/6119Flagged off
4 Brian Lewis
Cyril John Paul
Riley 2000/6117Flagged off
5 Wal Handley
Pat Driscoll
Riley 2000/6115Flagged off
Ret6 Percy MaclureRiley 2000/695Mechanical
Ret12 Buddy FeatherstonhaughMaserati 8CM82Transmission
Ret8 Raymond SommerAlfa Romeo Tipo-B "P3"70Half-shaft
Ret18 Austin DobsonMaserati 8C-300067Crash
Ret16 Giuseppe FarinaMaserati V8RI41Half-shaft
Ret10 Harry RoseAlfa Romeo 8C "Monza"38Engine
Source:

Notes and References

  1. News: Donington's Great Race. Lancashire Evening Post. 9 October 1935. 9 July 2020. British Newspaper Archive. subscription.
  2. Web site: 2017-06-12. 1935 Donington Grand Prix Motor Sport Magazine Database. 2020-07-09. Motor Sport Magazine. en.
  3. News: Donington Grand Prix. Lancashire Evening Post. 2 October 1935. 9 July 2020. British Newspaper Archive. subscription.
  4. Book: Nye . Doug . The British Grand Prix . 1977 . 0713432837 . 18-21.
  5. Web site: Snellman . Leif . Shuttleworth lucky winner as the opposition fails . The Golden Era of Grand Prix Racing . 14 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191219095612/http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gp3512.htm#47 . 19 December 2019 . live .