1937 Swiss Grand Prix Explained

Type:EC
Grand Prix:Swiss
Date:22 August
Year:1937
Official Name:IV Großer Preis der Schweiz
Country:Switzerland
Race No:4
Season No:5
Previous Round:1937 Monaco Grand Prix
Next Round:1937 Italian Grand Prix
Location:Bremgarten
Bern, Switzerland
Course:Road course
Course Mi:4.52
Course Km:7.28
Distance Laps:50
Distance Mi:226.18
Distance Km:364.00
Weather:Wet, drying
Pole Driver:Rudolf Caracciola
Pole Team:Mercedes-Benz
Pole Country:Germany
Pole Flag Suffix:Nazi
Pole Time:2:32.0
Fast Driver:Bernd Rosemeyer
Fast Team:Auto Union
Fast Time:2:36.1[1]
Fast Country:Germany
Fast Flag Suffix:Nazi
First Driver:Rudolf Caracciola
First Team:Mercedes-Benz
First Country:Germany
First Flag Suffix:Nazi
Second Driver:Hermann Lang
Second Team:Mercedes-Benz
Second Country:Germany
Second Flag Suffix:Nazi
Third Driver:Manfred von Brauchitsch
Third Team:Mercedes-Benz
Third Country:Germany
Third Flag Suffix:Nazi

The 1937 Swiss Grand Prix was a 750 kg Formula race held on 22 August 1937 at the Bremgarten Circuit.[2]

Race Report

After the start, Hans Stuck chopped across the nose of the other drivers to take the early lead, followed by Caracciola and Rosemeyer. Rosemeyer was soon in trouble though, under pressure from Lang he skidded off the circuit and was bogged down in the wet ground. Some spectators came to his assistance but their help would have resulted in a disqualification so he retired his car.

Stuck could not maintain his early pace under pressure from the Mercedes' and was soon passed by Caracciola, Lang and von Brauchitsch.

Nuvolari drove for the Auto Union team for this race as he wasn't impressed with the new Alfa. However, the tricky rear-engined Auto Union was not a car to race without some practice, even for a man of Nuvolari's skill. The wet track simply compounded his problems. Whilst running in 8th place he was called into the pits and the car-less Rosemeyer took over, eventually getting up to 5th place and putting in the fastest lap in his chase after the Mercedes'.

Fagioli was also having problems being in some pain with his hip, when he retired Nuvolari decided to give it another go and brought the car home 7th.

In the closing laps Lang closed on Caracciola but was ordered to maintain position and von Brauchitsch passed Stuck for a Mercedes 1,2,3.

Classification

PosNoDriverTeamCarLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
114 Rudolf CaracciolaDaimler-Benz AGMercedes-Benz W125502:17:39.311
218 Hermann LangDaimler-Benz AGMercedes-Benz W12550+ 29.452
312 Manfred von BrauchitschDaimler-Benz AGMercedes-Benz W12550+ 1:06.443
410 Hans StuckAuto UnionAuto Union C50+ 1:07.534
56 Tazio NuvolariAuto UnionAuto Union C50+ 1:21.274
Bernd Rosemeyern/a
616 Christian KautzDaimler-Benz AGMercedes-Benz W12549+ 1 Lap94
74 Luigi FagioliAuto UnionAuto Union C49+ 1 Lap84
Tazio Nuvolarin/a
822 Raymond SommerScuderia FerrariAlfa Romeo 12C-3647+ 3 Laps104
938 László HartmannPrivate entryMaserati 6CM/4CM42+ 8 Laps134
102 Paul PietschPrivate entryMaserati 6C-3441+ 9 Laps124
Ret32 Henri SimonetPrivate entryAlfa Romeo Tipo B35165
Ret36 Adolfo MandirolaEcurie GenevoiseMaserati 8CM28Mechanical175
Ret20 Giovanni MinozziPrivate entryAlfa Romeo Monza26Mechanical145
Ret24 Giuseppe FarinaScuderia FerrariAlfa Romeo 12C-3622Rear axle66
Ret40 Hans RueschPrivate entryAlfa Romeo 8C-358Cracked cylinder117
Ret30 Max ChristenPrivate entryMaserati Tipo 264Mechanical157
Ret8 Bernd RosemeyerAuto UnionAuto Union C1Outside assistance27

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1937 Swiss Grand Prix . 1 February 2024 . . en-GB.
  2. Web site: Swiss Grand Prix, Bern (364 km) . 1 February 2024 . . en.