1948 Zandvoort Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Country:Netherlands
Grand Prix:Zandvoort
Official Name:I Grote Prijs van Zandvoort
Date:7 August
Year:1948
Location:Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort, Netherlands
Course:Permanent racing facility
Course Mi:2.605
Course Km:4.193
Distance Laps:40
Distance Mi:104.216
Distance Km:167.720
Attendance:100,000
Pole Driver:Reg Parnell
Pole Team:Maserati
Pole Country:United Kingdom
Fast Driver:Prince Bira
Fast Team:Maserati
Fast Time:?
Fast Country:Thailand
First Driver:Prince Bira
First Team:Maserati
First Country:Thailand
Second Driver:Tony Rolt
Second Team:Alfa Romeo-Aitken
Second Country:United Kingdom
Third Driver:Reg Parnell
Third Team:Maserati
Third Country:United Kingdom

The 1948 Zandvoort Grand Prix was a non-championship Formula One race held on 7 August 1948 at Circuit Zandvoort.

Report

The event consisted of two 24-lap heats and a 40-lap final. The cars were split based on their racing numbers, the lower numbers competing in Heat 1 and the higher numbers in Heat 2. A qualifying session determined the grid for each heat. Bob Gerard did not start the event; it is unclear whether he competed in his heat.

Cuth Harrison secured pole position for Heat 1 at 2:03.8, but retired with a broken half-shaft and the heat went to Reg Parnell from Tony Rolt and John Bolster, Bolster setting the fastest lap at 1:57.9. George Abecassis retired with valve trouble.

Prince Bira secured pole position for Heat 2 at 2:00.2. He won with the fastest lap at 1:53.6, the fastest time of the weekend, with David Hampshire second and Duncan Hamilton third. Peter Walker retired with gearbox issues, while Leslie Johnson was a non-starter due to shock absorber trouble and getting sand in his supercharger.

In the final, Rolt led into the first corner but Bira assumed the lead by lap 3. Bira's engine was not 100% fit, preventing him from pushing hard. Rolt applied intense pressure, closing the gap consistently throughout the race but lacking the pace advantage to make an overtake. The two were separated by a single car length at the chequered flag, Bira's engine screaming as he did not want to risk losing ground with a gear change. Leslie Brooke ran third before stopping for oil and going on to finish 6th. Kenneth Hutchinson was 10th despite only having top gear for most of the race. Michael Chorlton, whose car struggled with carburation issues all day, reached the finish albeit nine laps down.[1]

Entries

No Driver Entrant Constructor Chassis
1 George AbecassisGeorge AbecassisAltaAlta GP
2 Geoff AnsellGeoff AnsellERAERA R9B
3 Archie BaringArchie BaringMaseratiMaserati 6CM
4 Kenneth BearKenneth BearBugattiBugatti 59
5 John BolsterJohn BolsterERAERA R5B
6 Bob GerardBob GerardERAERA B
7 Cuth HarrisonCuth HarrisonERAERA B
8 Kenneth HutchinsonKenneth HutchinsonAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo Tipo B
9 Reg ParnellScuderia AmbrosianaMaseratiMaserati 4CL
10 Tony RoltTony RoltAlfa Romeo-AitkenAlfa Romeo 8C
11 Bob AnsellBob AnsellMaseratiMaserati 4CL
12 Prince BiraPrinca ChulaMaseratiMaserati 4CL
14 Leslie BrookeERA LtdERAERA R7B
15 David HampshireDavid HampshireERAERA R1A
16 Leslie JohnsonERA LtdERAERA GP2 E-Type
17 Duncan HamiltonDuncan HamiltonMaseratiMaserati 6CM
18 Fred AshmoreReg Parnell RacingERAERA R2A
19 Roy SalvadoriRoy SalvadoriMaseratiMaserati 4CM
20 Gordon WatsonGordon WatsonAltaAlta F2-2
21 Peter WalkerPeter WalkerERAERA R10B
22 Michael ChorltonMichael ChorltonBugattiBugatti 51A
Sources:[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Classification

Heat 1

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/retired
19 Reg ParnellMaserati2450:17.8
210 Tony RoltAlfa Romeo-Aitken24+3.6
35 John BolsterERA24+5.4
48 Kenneth HutchinsonAlfa Romeo24+43.0
52 Geoff AnsellERA24+2:00.4
63 Archie BaringMaserati?
74 Kenneth BearBugatti?
Ret7 Cuth HarrisonERA?Half-shaft
Ret1 George AbecassisAlta?Valves
DNS6 Bob GerardERA?
Source:[7]

Heat 2

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/retired
112 Prince BiraMaserati2450:24.3
215 David HampshireERA24+59.5
317 Duncan HamiltonMaserati24+1:07.5
418 Fred AshmoreERA24+1:26.6
514 Leslie BrookeERA24+1:53.2
620 Gordon WatsonAlta?
722 Michael ChorltonBugatti?
819 Roy SalvadoriMaserati?
Ret11 Bob AnsellMaserati?Gearbox
Ret21 Peter WalkerERA?Gearbox
DNS16 Leslie JohnsonERASupercharger
Source:

Final

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/retired Grid
112 Prince BiraMaserati401:25:22.24
210 Tony RoltAlfa Romeo-Aitken40+0.12
39 Reg ParnellMaserati39+1 lap1
417 Duncan HamiltonMaserati39+1 lap7
518 Fred AshmoreERA39+1 lap8
614 Leslie BrookeERA38+2 laps10
715 David HampshireERA38+2 laps6
82 Geoff AnsellERA38+2 laps9
94 Kenneth BearBugatti37+3 laps12
108 Kenneth HutchinsonAlfa Romeo37+3 laps5
1122 Michael ChorltonBugatti31+9 laps14
123 Archie BaringMaserati28+12 laps11
Ret20 Gordon WatsonAlta?13
Ret5 John BolsterERA?3
DNS19 Roy SalvadoriERA
DNQ1 George AbecassisAltaRet Heat 1
DNQ7 Cuth HarrisonERARet Heat 1
DNQ6 Bob GerardERADNS Heat 1
DNQ11 Bob AnsellMaseratiRet Heat 2
DNQ21 Peter WalkerERARet Heat 2
DNQ16 Leslie JohnsonERADNS Heat 2
Sources:

Notes and References

  1. A GREAT RACE AT ZANDVOORT. Motor Sport. 291. September 1948. 26 August 2021.
  2. Web site: Grand Prix de Zandvoort • STATS F1. statsf1.com. 26 August 2021.
  3. Web site: 1948 Zandvoort GP - ChicaneF1.com. chicanef1.com. 26 August 2021.
  4. Web site: 8W - Where? - Zandvoort. forix.autosport.com. 27 August 2021. Summer 2001. Mattijs. Diepraam. https://web.archive.org/web/20210614043318/http://forix.autosport.com/8w/zandvoort.html. 14 June 2021. live.
  5. Web site: 1948 Zandvoort Grand Prix Motorsport Database. motorsportmagazine.com. 27 August 2021.
  6. Book: Paul Sheldon With Duncan Rabagliati. A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing : Volume 4 1937 - 1949. 0951243381. 1993.
  7. Web site: I Zandvoort Grand Prix (1948 Formula One Races). silhouet.com. 26 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210214180711/http://www.silhouet.com/motorsport/archive/f1/nc/1948/1948.html. 14 February 2021. live.