PART 6
XVI° GRAN PREMIO D'ITALIA AUTODROMO DI MONZA (I), 11 SEPTEMBER 1938 60 laps x 6.993 km = 419.58 km. Weather: Warm and sunny
Auto Union finally started with the definitive D type cars at Monza. Maserati was back with 8CTF cars for L Villoresi, Zehender and Trossi and Mercedes came with three of their new W154 cars and one of the old type for Lang, who had not been impressed with the new type car at the Swiss GP. After Friday Müller held the provisional pole, but during the final practice the Mercedes team managed to take back the three fastest positions with Lang taking the pole. Grid:
Race: Seen from practice times, a Mercedes victory seemed assured, but Müller in the Auto Union did the best start and took the lead followed by Lang. However, before reaching the Lesmo curves the Mercerdes driver had retaken the lead and it was Lang who led Müller, Seaman and the other "Silver Arrows" and "Silver Fishes" when they passed the line for the first time. On the second lap Caracciola made a mistake in a chicane and run into the straw bales. The driver had to jump out and push the car free, no small feat for a man with one leg 2" shorter than the other. Kautz was the first to retire after only two laps. Nuvolari was gradually working his way up to the second position and when Lang's engine lost some of its power the Italian took over the lead on lap 8 never to lose it again. Seaman, who had been fighting for the second position with Nuvolari, had to retire with engine trouble on lap 14 and five laps later it was von Brauchitsch's turn to call it a day. Lang in second place had been trying to keep up with Nuvolari. The Auto Unions had higher speed but the Mercedes cars had the edge in the corners and Lang made the fastest lap of the race, but by doing so he finally destroyed his sick engine and he was the third Mercedes retirement. Caracciola was having a very unpleasant ride as leaking exhaust was burning his feet and when he came into the pits for fuel he handed over the car to von Brauchitsch. The Auto Union team now held the three first positions with Nuvolari leading Stuck and Müller Von Brauchitsch found the Mercedes car very hot and uncomfortable and soon handled it back to Caracciola! With 19 laps left the Auto Union trio became a duo as Stuck in second place retired with engine trouble and the same happened to the luckless Müller only three laps from the finish. Nuvolari took the flag in the single remaining Auto Union car to the great joy of the spectators . It was the first victory for Auto Union in what had been a disastrous year. Farina finished second in the 16 cylinder Alfa and Caracciola struggled home three laps behind to take the third position and the 1938 European Championship. Trossi took the Maserati 8CTF to its first finish in fifth place but was later disqualified for having received help from the mechanics outside the pit area. Neubauer was disgusted with the performance of the Mercedes cars, so that evening the team instead celebrated the engagement between Dick Seaman and Erica Popp, daughter of the BMW president.
GRAN PREMIO DI MILANO AUTODROMO DI MONZA (I), 11 SEPTEMBER 1938, VOITURETTE 25 laps x 6.993 km = 174.825 km , 20 starters In the Voiturette race held in connection with the Italian GP the Alfa Romeo and Maserati teams faced each other for the third time in 1938. The Alfa team entered Sommer, Emilio Villoresi, Marinoni and Severi while the Maserati team relied on Luigi Villoresi and Pietsch. Sommer took the lead at the start followed by L. Villoresi. The only ERA entry, Dobson's private car, was already out of the race. When Sommer's Alfa started to misfire Villoresi took the lead but soon he also got engine trouble and had to see his brother Emilio pass. Severi closed in on the leader and the race developed into an intense fight between the two Alfa drivers both taking their turns to lead. At last Villoresi was able to take a marginal victory over his team mate. The race ended in a sad way. The promising youngster Aldo Marazza (Maserati 6CM) was blinded by smoke from Sommer's burning Alfa Romeo and failed to see the chequered flag. He continued at full race speed, overturned the car in the Lesmo curve, and crashed into the woods. Marazza had a lung pierced on a branch of a tree and died at the hospital the same evening. DNA: 18 "Raph" (Maserati), 36 Baruffi (Maserati *7)Grid:
Results: 1 E Villoresi (Alfa Romeo 158 1.5L *) 1:11:04.2 2 Severi (Alfa Romeo 158 1.5L *) + 1.2 3 Hug (Maserati 4CM 1.5L *5) + 3:00.8 4 Cortese (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *2) - 1 lap 5 Marazza (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *2) - 1 lap fatal crash 6 Bianco (Maserati 4CM 1.5L *4) - 1 lap 7 Castelbarco (Maserati 6CM 1.5L) - 2 laps 8 Barbieri (Maserati 4CM 1.5L) - 2 laps 9 de Teffé (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *3) - 2 laps 10 Sommer (Alfa Romeo 158 1.5L *) - 2 laps DNF Ruggeri (Maserati 6CM 1.5L) 22 laps 11 Garagnani (Maserati 4CM 1.5L *3) - 3 laps 12 Pelassa (Maserati 4CM 1.5L *6) - 3 laps DNF Marinoni (Alfa Romeo 158 1.5L) 20 laps DNF Brezzi (Maserati 4CM 1.5L *6) 20 laps DNF Pietsch (Maserati 4CM 1.5L *2) 17 laps DNF L Platé (Talbot 700 1.5L) 11 laps DNF L Villoresi (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *2) 7 laps engine DNF Negro (Maserati 6CM 1.5L) 1 lap DNF A C Dobson (ERA-B 1.5L) 0 laps half shaft DNF Teagno (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *4) 0 laps Fastest lap: Sommer (Alfa Romeo) 2:42.7 * Entered by Alfa Corse *2 Entered by Officine A Maserati *3 Entered by Scuderia Ambrosiana *4 Entered by Scuderia Subauda *5 Entered by Ecurie Helvetia *6 Entered by Scuderia Torino *7 Entered by Gruppo Volta | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | 11 SEPTEMBER 1938: Le Bègue/Morel (Talbot 4.5L) wins the 12 HEURES DE PARIS sports car race at Montlhéry, France. (Results) |
CIRCUITO DI MODENA MODENA (I), 18 SEPTEMBER 1938 VOITURETTE 55 laps, 19 starters Alfa Romeo arrived in force for their "home" Voiturette race with 4 cars for Biondetti, Severi, Sommer and Emilio Villoresi. During the early laps Luigi Villoresi in his works Maserati 6CM and Biondetti had a fight for the lead. Soon the Alfa team found out that there were serious bearing problems with the cars. The first victim was Biondetti pitting after 4 laps. Luigi Villoresi also retired leaving the lead to his brother from Cortese and Severi. Severi was also forced to do a pitstop as was Sommer and when the leading Emilio Villoresi as the fourth Alfa driver pitted the catastrophe for Alfa Romeo was a fact. One after another the Alfa drivers retired as did Luigi Villoresi for the second time, having taken over Pietsch's car. Cortese now held a one lap lead and coasted home to a fine victory for the Maserati works team. The only other finishers were Hug, Dobson and Enrico Platé (Maserati). DNA: 40 Ruggeri (Maserati)Grid:
Results: 1 Cortese (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *2) 1:43:54 2 Hug (Maserati 4CM 1.5L *5) - 1 lap 3 A C Dobson (ERA B 1.5L) - 3 laps 4 E Platé (Maserati 4CM 1.5L) - 7 laps DNF Sommer (Alfa Romeo 158 1.5L *) 37 laps oil pressure DNF Pietsch/L Villoresi (Maserati 4CM 1.5L) 35 laps DNF de Teffé (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *3) 35 laps DNF Biondetti (Alfa Romeo 158 1.5L *) 35 laps DNF E Villoresi (Alfa Romeo 158 1.5L *) 31 laps bearings DNF Severi (Alfa Romeo 158 1.5L *) 31 laps bearings DNF Pagliano (Maserati 4CM 1.5L) 28 laps DNF Ghersi (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *6) 26 laps DNF Garagnani (Maserati 4CM 1.5L *3) 21 laps DNF Teagno (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *4) 8 laps DNF L Villoresi (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *3) 7 laps gear lever DNF Pelassa (Maserati 4CM 1.5L *6) 6 laps spin DNF Lanza (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *4) 5 laps DNF Corsi (Maserati 4CM 1.5L) 5 laps DNF Barbieri (Maserati 6CM 1.5L) 3 laps Fastest lap: E Villoresi (Alfa Romeo) 1:48.6 * Entered by Alfa Corse *2 Entered by Officine A Maserati *3 Entered by Scuderia Ambrosiana *4 Entered by Scuderia Subauda *5 Entered by Ecurie Helvetia *6 Entered by Scuderia Torino *7 Entered by Gruppo Volta | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 SEPTEMBER 1938: ERA announces that they have abandoned their GP car project. |
| 25 SEPTEMBER 1938: Stuck (Auto Union) wins the Maloja Pass hillclimb in. Switzerland. |
| 28 SEPTEMBER 1938: Munich crisis. The German teams, who are at Donington for the GP race, are getting order from the German embassy to leave England as fast as possible and in worst case leave the material. The teams leave Donington for Harwich and the Netherlands on two hours notice. The mechanics are prepared to put fire on the cars if stopped on the road. |
| 5 OCTOBER 1938: Stuck (Auto Union) wins the Feleac hillclimb in Romania. |
SIAM CHALLENGE TROPHY BROOKLANDS (GB), 15 OCTOBER 1938 1.5 L supercharged, 2L unsupercharged 10 laps x 3.648 km ? = 36.5 km? The Siam Challenge Trophy scratch race was part of the B.A.R.C. Autumn Meeting and was run on the Campbell Circuit. Entries included Minetti (Maserati 6C - Scuderia Ambrosiana), Bira, Dobson, Wakefield and Rolt in ERA's and Abecassis (Alta). Minetti took an early lead but soon the race dveloped into a fight between Dobson and Bira, the latter finally winning by one second. No race numbers or grid available 1 "B Bira" (ERA) 73.33 mph 2 A C Dobson (ERA) + 1 3 Wakefield (ERA) DNF Minetti (Maserati 6CM 1.5L *) DNF Rolt (ERA) DNF Abecassis (Alta) Fastest lap: Bira (ERA) ? 75.71 mph * Entered by Scuderia Ambrosiana |
VIII MOUNTAIN CHAMPIONSHIP BROOKLANDS (GB), 15 OCTOBER 1938 FORMULA LIBRE 10 laps x 1883 m = 18.83 km, 12 starters The Mountain circuit scratch race was part of the B.A.R.C. Autumn Meeting and the only Mountain Circuit race of 1938. Mays in a 2 liter ERA led from start to finish and was never challenged. Stanisland was second and Dobson third while the rest of the field retired. No race numbers or grid available 1 Mays (ERA D 2.0L) 8:44 2 Staniland (Multi Union) + 12 3 Dobson (ERA B) + 14.4 4 Minetti 5 Aitken DNF Connell (ERA) DNF Avebury (Alta) DNF Wakefield (ERA) DNF Beadle (Alta) DNF Rolt (ERA) Fastest lap: Staniland (Multi Union)? 80.69 mph |
IV DONINGTON GRAND PRIX DONINGTON PARK, 22 OCTOBER 1938 (Moved form 1 October) 80 laps x 5.029 km (3.125 mi) = 402.3 km (250.0 mi)
After the political situation had calmed down the Donington GP was raced after all, three weeks after the original date. Both Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union turned up with four cars. Hasse was racing for Auto Union instead of Stuck and Bäumer raced the Mercedes of the ill Caracciola.(Note 2). Ecurie Bleue used both the 155 Monoplace and their rebuilt type 145 sports car and Maserati entered one car for Villoresi. The rest of the field was filled by a mix of local drivers and cars. The circuit had been improved since last year but was still bumpy. During practice Nuvolari collided with a stag, an incident that ended badly for the poor animal while the driver escaped unhurt. Nuvolari dominated the early practice but in the final session Lang succeeded to take the pole position. Grid:
Race: Until the Italian GP Mercedes-Benz had dominated the season. When the Donington GP was started at noon by Duke of Kent, Nuvolari shot away to take the lead followed by his teammate Müller, who made a terrific start from the second row. After one lap the order was Nuvolari, Müller, von Brauchitsch, Seaman, Lang, Bäumer, Hasse, Kautz and Dreyfus. The first to retire was Kautz who went out of the track twice on the third lap. "Raph" had to make a pitstop with a sick engine on lap 3 and again on lap 8 before calling it a day. Nuvolari started to pull away from the rest by a second per lap as the Mercedes drivers were trapped behind Müller. On lap 4 Seaman took over third place from von Brauchitsch but he too was unable to do anything against the Auto Unions. In the midfield Villoresi was once again showing the speed of the Maserati. After a miserable start he advanced from 11th up through the field to 6th when he had to retire after 18 laps with the usual Maserati engine problems. Dreyfus was the next retirement and on lap 26 things started to happen. Nuvolari, who held a half a minute lead, came in to have a plug changed. The stop lasted 53 seconds and he came out in fourth place behind Lang and in front of von Brauchitsch, Hasse and Bäumer. Then Hanson's Alta blew up between Holly Wood (Craner Curves) and Old Hairpin and spread oil all over the track. Nuvolari was first on the place and slid into the grass but managed to bring the Auto Union back in control. Von Brauchitsch also somehow managed to hold his Mercedes on the road even if he spun twice and came sideways to the hairpin. But Hasse spun and destroyed his car when it went backwards into a fence. Second placed Seaman also spun on the next lap and even if he avoided hitting anything he stalled his engine. He lost a lap while waiting for the officials to push him back (no, he was not disqualified). The order was now Müller, Lang, Nuvolari, von Brauchitsch, Bäumer, Seaman and Dobson. At the midpoint of the race came the pitstops. First in was Lang on lap 38 with a fast 33 second stop for fuel only. Two laps later it was Müller's turn. The Auto Union team tanked and changed rear tyres in 40 seconds but that was enough for Lang to pass the Auto Union and take his Mercedes up into the lead. Bäumer and Seaman were next in for 44 s (fuel) respective 79 s (fuel and plugs). On the next lap the Auto Union team, after having lost Müller's lead in the pits, showed what they could do by tanking Nuvolari's car and changing four wheels in 35 s. Once in front of the Auto Union Lang quickly opened up a huge gap. By 50 laps he held a 40 seconds lead but Nuvolari was also inspired and made the fastest lap of the race, throwing the Auto Union through the curves to the spectators' cheers. After 60 laps Nuvolari passed Müller for second place and started to catch up on the leader. Lang had his windscreen destroyed by a stone and the wind pressure on his face forced him to slow down and he was losing 3 seconds per lap. Nuvolari made a new lap record on the 53th lap and again on the 56th. On he 60th lap the gap was down to 20 seconds and it took just 7 more laps for the "Flying Mantuan" to catch Lang and pass him on the straight. The rest of the race was just a Nuvolari show. 46 year old Nuvolari took his second victory in a row in a superb style to tremendous ovations from the crowd. Lang, who finished a distant second, collapsed after climbing out of the car. His head had been exposed to a cold 200km/h wind for an hour and that had seriously affected the blood circulation. Seaman had passed Müller near the end of the race to finish third. No one of the spectators, who went home after having seen a tremendous race, could have imagined that it would take 55 years before the next Donington GP was run. As winner Nuvolari got a worthy successor: Ayrton Senna!
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| 7 DECEMBER 1938: Richard Seaman married Erica Popp, daughter of the BMW president. Richard's mother was not present but went to a matinee instead in protest. |
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