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The RAC International Grand Prix, now regarded as the first British Grand Prix, was held at Silverstone Circuit on October 2, 1948.

Background[]

The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) had run two previous International Grands Prix at Brooklands in 1926 and 1927, and the Donington Park circuit had hosted four non-ranking GPs in 1935-1938, but both tracks had suffered heavily from the war effort (Brooklands would never again host racing), and the UK was sorely lacking in race tracks. But there was a number of redundant airfields across the country, and after some negotiation RAF Silverstone was given on a one-year lease to the RAC in 1948 for the purpose of hosting auto races.

For the 1948 events, the organizers laid out a track that used part of the perimeter road, and most of the two longest runways.


Entry List[]

No Driver Entrant Car Qual.
1 Monaco Louis Chiron Ecurie France Talbot-Lago T26C 1
2 Italy Gianfranco Comotti G. Comotti Talbot-Lago T26C 11
3 France Louis Rosier L. Rosier Talbot-Lago T26C 12
4 France Philippe Étancelin P. Étancelin Talbot-Lago T26C 3
5 (r) United Kingdom Peter Mitchell-Thomson Lord Selsdon Talbot-Lago T26C
6 United Kingdom Reg Parnell R. Parnell Maserati 4CLT/48 7
7 (r) United Kingdom Fred Ashmore F. Ashmore Maserati 4CL
8 United Kingdom Duncan Hamilton D. Hamilton Maserati 6CM 18
9 United Kingdom Bob Ansell R.E. Ansell Maserati 4CL 21
10 France Raymond Sommer R. Sommer Ferrari 125 DNA
11 Italy Giuseppe Farina G. Farina Ferrari 125 DNA
12 United Kingdom Raymond Mays Raymond Mays ERA B-Type 17
14 United Kingdom Peter Walker P.D.C. Walker ERA E-Type 8
15 United Kingdom Leslie Johnson Leslie Johnson ERA E-Type 5
16 United Kingdom Bob Gerard F.R. Gerard ERA B-Type 4
17 (r) United Kingdom George Watson G. Watson Alta 69/IS 16
18 Italy Luigi Villoresi Scuderia Ambrosiana Maserati 4CLT/48 24
19 Thailand B. Bira H.R.H. Prince Chula Maserati 4CL 6
20 Switzerland Emmanuel de Graffenried E. Platé Maserati 4CL 2
21 (r) United Kingdom Anthony Baring A.A. Baring Maserati 6CM
22 United Kingdom Geoffrey Ansell G. Ansell ERA B-Type 15
23 United Kingdom Cuth Harrison T.C. Harrison ERA B-Type 10
24 United Kingdom David Hampshire D.A. Hampshire ERA A-Type 19
25 (r) United Kingdom John Bolster P.H. Bell ERA B-Type 13
26 United Kingdom Sam Gilbey S.J. Gilbey Maserati 6CM 23
27 United Kingdom Roy Salvadori Rowland Motors Ltd. Maserati 6CM 22
28 United Kingdom Leslie Brooke Alfieri Maserati Maserati 4CLT
29 United Kingdom Tony Rolt A.P.R. Rolt Alfa Romeo 3.45 L 9
30 (r) United Kingdom George Nixon G. Nixon ERA A-Type 20
31 (r) United Kingdom Geoff Richardson G. Richardson Riley-ERA 14
32 Ireland Bobby Baird R. Baird Emeryson-Duesenberg DNQ
(11)1 Italy Alberto Ascari Scuderia Ambrosiana Italy Maserati 4CL/48 25

1 Late entry, assumed the running number of non-arrival Giuseppe Farina.
(r) Reserve entry.

Qualifying[]

Qualifying Results[]

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Race[]

Results[]

Pos No Driver Manufacturer Laps Time/Retired
1 18 Italy Luigi Villoresi Italy Maserati 65 3:18:03.0
2 11 Italy Alberto Ascari Italy Maserati 65 + 14.0
3 16 United Kingdom Bob Gerard United Kingdom ERA 65 + 2:03.0
4 3 France Louis Rosier France Talbot-Lago 65 + 4:35.6
5 19 Thailand Prince Bira Italy Maserati 64 + 1 Lap
6 25 United Kingdom John Bolster
United Kingdom Peter Bell
United Kingdom ERA 63 + 2 Laps
7 24 United Kingdom Philip Fotheringham-Parker
United Kingdom David Hampshire
United Kingdom ERA 60 + 5 Laps
8 27 United Kingdom Roy Salvadori Italy Maserati 60 + 5 Laps
9 20 Switzerland Emmanuel de Graffenried Italy Maserati 59 + 6 Laps
10 30 United Kingdom George Nixon United Kingdom ERA 58 + 7 Laps
11 14 United Kingdom Peter Walker United Kingdom ERA 53 + 12 Laps
12 9 United Kingdom Bob Ansell
United Kingdom George Bainbridge
Italy Maserati 50 + 15 Laps
Ret 23 United Kingdom Cuth Harrison United Kingdom ERA 47 Valve
Ret 1 Monaco Louis Chiron France Talbot-Lago 37 Gearbox
Ret 26 United Kingdom Sam Gilbey
United Kingdom Dudley Folland
Italy Maserati 36 Gearbox
Ret 12 United Kingdom Raymond Mays United Kingdom ERA 35 Piston
Ret 4 France Philippe Étancelin France Talbot-Lago 22 Engine
Ret 22 United Kingdom Geoffrey Ansell
United Kingdom Brian Shawe-Taylor
United Kingdom ERA 22 Accident
Ret 31 United Kingdom Guy Richardson United Kingdom ERA 12 Transmission
Ret 17 United Kingdom George Watson United Kingdom Alta 8 Camshaft
Ret 8 United Kingdom Duncan Hamilton Italy Maserati 8 Oil pressure
Ret 29 United Kingdom Tony Rolt Italy Alfa Romeo 6 Engine
Ret 2 Italy Gianfranco Comotti France Talbot-Lago 3 Brakes
Ret 15 United Kingdom Leslie Johnson United Kingdom ERA 0 Transmission
Ret 6 United Kingdom Reg Parnell Italy Maserati 0 Split fuel tank
Source: [1][2]

Milestones[]

References[]

  1. Nye, Doug (1977). The British Grand Prix. pp. 32-34.
  2. "1948 British Grand Prix". https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/races/1948-british-grand-prix. Retrieved 2 March 2019.

Template:1948

V T E United Kingdom British Grand Prix
Circuits Brooklands (1926 - 1927), Silverstone (1948 - Present), Aintree (1955 - 1962), Brands Hatch (1963 - 1986)
SilverstoneArena2010
Races 19501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Non-Championship Races 1926192719481949
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