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]
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.
Pos | No | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 14 | Rudolf Caracciola | Daimler-Benz AG | Mercedes-Benz W125 | 50 | 2:17:39.3 | 1 | 1 |
2 | 18 | Hermann Lang | Daimler-Benz AG | Mercedes-Benz W125 | 50 | + 29.4 | 5 | 2 |
3 | 12 | Manfred von Brauchitsch | Daimler-Benz AG | Mercedes-Benz W125 | 50 | + 1:06.4 | 4 | 3 |
4 | 10 | Hans Stuck | Auto Union | Auto Union C | 50 | + 1:07.5 | 3 | 4 |
5 | 6 | Tazio Nuvolari | Auto Union | Auto Union C | 50 | + 1:21.2 | 7 | 4 |
Bernd Rosemeyer | n/a | |||||||
6 | 16 | Christian Kautz | Daimler-Benz AG | Mercedes-Benz W125 | 49 | + 1 Lap | 9 | 4 |
7 | 4 | Luigi Fagioli | Auto Union | Auto Union C | 49 | + 1 Lap | 8 | 4 |
Tazio Nuvolari | n/a | |||||||
8 | 22 | Raymond Sommer | Scuderia Ferrari | Alfa Romeo 12C-36 | 47 | + 3 Laps | 10 | 4 |
9 | 38 | László Hartmann | Private entry | Maserati 6CM/4CM | 42 | + 8 Laps | 13 | 4 |
10 | 2 | Paul Pietsch | Private entry | Maserati 6C-34 | 41 | + 9 Laps | 12 | 4 |
Ret | 32 | Henri Simonet | Private entry | Alfa Romeo Tipo B | 35 | 16 | 5 | |
Ret | 36 | Adolfo Mandirola | Ecurie Genevoise | Maserati 8CM | 28 | Mechanical | 17 | 5 |
Ret | 20 | Giovanni Minozzi | Private entry | Alfa Romeo Monza | 26 | Mechanical | 14 | 5 |
Ret | 24 | Giuseppe Farina | Scuderia Ferrari | Alfa Romeo 12C-36 | 22 | Rear axle | 6 | 6 |
Ret | 40 | Hans Ruesch | Private entry | Alfa Romeo 8C-35 | 8 | Cracked cylinder | 11 | 7 |
Ret | 30 | Max Christen | Private entry | Maserati Tipo 26 | 4 | Mechanical | 15 | 7 |
Ret | 8 | Bernd Rosemeyer | Auto Union | Auto Union C | 1 | Outside assistance | 2 | 7 |