1948 Zandvoort Grand Prix

{{Infobox Grand Prix race report

|Type = F1

|Country = Netherlands

|Grand Prix = Zandvoort

|Official name = I Grote Prijs van Zandvoort

|Image = Circuit Park Zandvoort-1948.svg

|Caption =

|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

|Weather =

|Attendance = 100,000

|Pole_Driver = Reg Parnell

|Pole_Team = Maserati

|Pole_Time =

|Pole_Country = United Kingdom

|Fast_Driver = Prince Bira

|Fast_Team = Maserati

|Fast_Time = ?{{efn|Motor Sport reports that Bira's fastest lap in the feature race was 77.86 mph (2:00.4 at 2.605 mi) but Motor Sport Database reports 2:02.1. In the 1948 article, the average race speeds for both heats and the final, and the fastest lap of Heat 1, are accurate, but the fastest laps of Heat 2 and the final are not. It also states that the race distance was 108 mi, at odds with other sources.}}

|Fast_Lap =

|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

File:Autoraces te Zandvoort. Tony Rolt met zijn Alfa Romeo onderaan de Hunzerug, Bestanddeelnr 902-9012.jpg in the 3.2-litre Aitken-Alfa, made by Peter Aitken (1912–47) based on an Alfa Romeo 8C bimotore]]

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.{{cite magazine|title=A GREAT RACE AT ZANDVOORT|magazine=Motor Sport|page=291|author=|date=September 1948|access-date=26 August 2021|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1948/13/a-great-race-at-zandvoort}}

Entries

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
No	Driver	Entrant	Constructor	Chassis
1 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} George Abecassis \| George Abecassis \| Alta \| Alta GP
2 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Geoff Ansell \| Geoff Ansell \| ERA \| ERA R9B
3 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Archie Baring{{efn\|A. A. Baring, b. 6 January 1912. Although his forenames are disputed, it is agreed that he was known as Archie. The name Anthony Baring is a common misquotation that appears in the sources cited by this article.{{cite web\|url=https://forums.autosport.com/topic/75852-aa-baring-birthdate-mess/\|title=A.A. Baring birthdate mess - The Nostalgia Forum - The Autosport Forums\|work=forums.autosport.com\|access-date=27 August 2021\|date=14 January 2005\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827180506/https://forums.autosport.com/topic/75852-aa-baring-birthdate-mess/\|archive-date=27 August 2021\|url-status=live}}}} \| Archie Baring \| Maserati \| Maserati 6CM
4 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Kenneth Bear \| Kenneth Bear \| Bugatti \| Bugatti 59
5 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} John Bolster \| John Bolster \| ERA \| ERA R5B
6 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Bob Gerard \| Bob Gerard \| ERA \| ERA B
7 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Cuth Harrison \| Cuth Harrison \| ERA \| ERA B
8 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Kenneth Hutchinson \| Kenneth Hutchinson \| Alfa Romeo \| Alfa Romeo Tipo B
9 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Reg Parnell \| Scuderia Ambrosiana \| Maserati \| Maserati 4CL
10 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Tony Rolt \| Tony Rolt \| Alfa Romeo-Aitken \| Alfa Romeo 8C
11 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Bob Ansell \| Bob Ansell \| Maserati \| Maserati 4CL
12 \| {{flagicon\|THA}} Prince Bira \| Princa Chula \| Maserati \| Maserati 4CL
14 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Leslie Brooke \| ERA Ltd \| ERA \| ERA R7B
15 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} David Hampshire \| David Hampshire \| ERA \| ERA R1A
16 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Leslie Johnson \| ERA Ltd \| ERA \| ERA GP2 E-Type
17 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Duncan Hamilton \| Duncan Hamilton \| Maserati \| Maserati 6CM
18 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Fred Ashmore \| Reg Parnell Racing \| ERA \| ERA R2A
19 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Roy Salvadori \| Roy Salvadori \| Maserati \| Maserati 4CM{{efn\|Salvadori used his Maserati in his heat race although he also practiced his spare car, an Alfa Romeo Tipo B.}}
20 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Gordon Watson \| Gordon Watson \| Alta \| Alta F2-2
21 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Peter Walker \| Peter Walker \| ERA \| ERA R10B
22 \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Michael Chorlton \| Michael Chorlton \| Bugatti \| Bugatti 51A
style="background-color:#E5E4E2" align="center" ! colspan=5\| Sources:{{cite web\|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/1948-hc/grand-prix-35.aspx\|title=Grand Prix de Zandvoort • STATS F1\|work=statsf1.com\|access-date=26 August 2021}}{{cite web\|url=https://chicanef1.com/racetit.pl?year=1948&gp=Zandvoort%20GP&r=1\|title=1948 Zandvoort GP - ChicaneF1.com\|work=chicanef1.com\|access-date=26 August 2021}}{{cite web\|url=https://forix.autosport.com/8w/zandvoort.html\|title=8W - Where? - Zandvoort\|work=forix.autosport.com\|access-date=27 August 2021\|date=Summer 2001\|first=Mattijs\|last=Diepraam\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210614043318/http://forix.autosport.com/8w/zandvoort.html\|archive-date=14 June 2021\|url-status=live}}{{cite web\|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/races/1948-zandvoort-grand-prix/\|title=1948 Zandvoort Grand Prix {{pipe}} Motorsport Database\|work=motorsportmagazine.com\|access-date=27 August 2021}}{{cite book\|title=A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing : Volume 4 1937 - 1949\|last= Paul Sheldon With Duncan Rabagliati\|isbn=0951243381\|year=1993}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"

Driver

Entrant

Constructor

Chassis

| {{flagicon|GBR}} George Abecassis

| George Abecassis

| Alta

| Alta GP

| {{flagicon|GBR}} Geoff Ansell

| Geoff Ansell

1948 Zandvoort Grand Prix

Report

Entries

Classification

= Heat 1 =

= Heat 2 =

= Final =

Footnotes

References