1948 Zandvoort Grand Prix

1948 Zandvoort Grand Prix
Race details
Date	7 August 1948
Official name	I Grote Prijs van Zandvoort
Location	Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort, Netherlands
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	4.193 km (2.605 miles)
Distance	40 laps, 167.720 km (104.216 miles)
Attendance	100,000
Pole position
Driver	Reg Parnell	Maserati
Fastest lap
Driver	Prince Bira	Maserati
Time	?
Podium
First	Prince Bira	Maserati
Second	Tony Rolt	Alfa Romeo-Aitken
Third	Reg Parnell	Maserati

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

Report

Tony Rolt 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.

Entries

No	Driver	Entrant	Constructor	Chassis
1	George Abecassis	George Abecassis	Alta	Alta GP
2	Geoff Ansell	Geoff Ansell	ERA	ERA R9B
3	Archie Baring	Archie Baring	Maserati	Maserati 6CM
4	Kenneth Bear	Kenneth Bear	Bugatti	Bugatti 59
5	John Bolster	John Bolster	ERA	ERA R5B
6	Bob Gerard	Bob Gerard	ERA	ERA B
7	Cuth Harrison	Cuth Harrison	ERA	ERA B
8	Kenneth Hutchinson	Kenneth Hutchinson	Alfa Romeo	Alfa Romeo Tipo B
9	Reg Parnell	Scuderia Ambrosiana	Maserati	Maserati 4CL
10	Tony Rolt	Tony Rolt	Alfa Romeo-Aitken	Alfa Romeo 8C
11	Bob Ansell	Bob Ansell	Maserati	Maserati 4CL
12	Prince Bira	Princa Chula	Maserati	Maserati 4CL
14	Leslie Brooke	ERA Ltd	ERA	ERA R7B
15	David Hampshire	David Hampshire	ERA	ERA R1A
16	Leslie Johnson	ERA Ltd	ERA	ERA GP2 E-Type
17	Duncan Hamilton	Duncan Hamilton	Maserati	Maserati 6CM
18	Fred Ashmore	Reg Parnell Racing	ERA	ERA R2A
19	Roy Salvadori	Roy Salvadori	Maserati	Maserati 4CM
20	Gordon Watson	Gordon Watson	Alta	Alta F2-2
21	Peter Walker	Peter Walker	ERA	ERA R10B
22	Michael Chorlton	Michael Chorlton	Bugatti	Bugatti 51A
Sources:

Classification

Heat 1

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/retired
1	9	Reg Parnell	Maserati	24	50:17.8
2	10	Tony Rolt	Alfa Romeo-Aitken	24	+3.6
3	5	John Bolster	ERA	24	+5.4
4	8	Kenneth Hutchinson	Alfa Romeo	24	+43.0
5	2	Geoff Ansell	ERA	24	+2:00.4
6	3	Archie Baring	Maserati	?
7	4	Kenneth Bear	Bugatti	?
Ret	7	Cuth Harrison	ERA	?	Half-shaft
Ret	1	George Abecassis	Alta	?	Valves
DNS	6	Bob Gerard	ERA	?
Source:

Heat 2

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/retired
1	12	Prince Bira	Maserati	24	50:24.3
2	15	David Hampshire	ERA	24	+59.5
3	17	Duncan Hamilton	Maserati	24	+1:07.5
4	18	Fred Ashmore	ERA	24	+1:26.6
5	14	Leslie Brooke	ERA	24	+1:53.2
6	20	Gordon Watson	Alta	?
7	22	Michael Chorlton	Bugatti	?
8	19	Roy Salvadori	Maserati	?
Ret	11	Bob Ansell	Maserati	?	Gearbox
Ret	21	Peter Walker	ERA	?	Gearbox
DNS	16	Leslie Johnson	ERA		Supercharger
Source:

Final

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/retired	Grid
1	12	Prince Bira	Maserati	40	1:25:22.2	4
2	10	Tony Rolt	Alfa Romeo-Aitken	40	+0.1	2
3	9	Reg Parnell	Maserati	39	+1 lap	1
4	17	Duncan Hamilton	Maserati	39	+1 lap	7
5	18	Fred Ashmore	ERA	39	+1 lap	8
6	14	Leslie Brooke	ERA	38	+2 laps	10
7	15	David Hampshire	ERA	38	+2 laps	6
8	2	Geoff Ansell	ERA	38	+2 laps	9
9	4	Kenneth Bear	Bugatti	37	+3 laps	12
10	8	Kenneth Hutchinson	Alfa Romeo	37	+3 laps	5
11	22	Michael Chorlton	Bugatti	31	+9 laps	14
12	3	Archie Baring	Maserati	28	+12 laps	11
Ret	20	Gordon Watson	Alta	?		13
Ret	5	John Bolster	ERA	?		3
DNS	19	Roy Salvadori	ERA
DNQ	1	George Abecassis	Alta		Ret Heat 1
DNQ	7	Cuth Harrison	ERA		Ret Heat 1
DNQ	6	Bob Gerard	ERA		DNS Heat 1
DNQ	11	Bob Ansell	Maserati		Ret Heat 2
DNQ	21	Peter Walker	ERA		Ret Heat 2
DNQ	16	Leslie Johnson	ERA		DNS Heat 2
Sources: