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1947 Alsace Grand Prix

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1947 Alsace Grand Prix
Race details
Date 3 August 1947
Official name II Grand Prix de l'Alsace
Location Strasbourg-Neudorf, France
Course Street circuit
Course length 2.254 miles (3.627 kilometres)
Distance 85 laps, 191.59 miles (308.33 kilometres)
Pole position
Driver Maserati
Time 1:49.5
Fastest lap
Driver Italy Luigi Villoresi Maserati
Time 1:47.2
Podium
First Maserati
Second Talbot-Lago T26SS
Third Talbot-Lago T150SS

The 2nd Grand Prix de l'Alsace was a Grand Prix motor race held at Strasbourg-Neudorf in France on 3 August 1947. The race was won by Luigi Villoresi, who started from pole and set fastest lap, in a Maserati 4CL. Yves Giraud-Cabantous was second in a Talbot-Lago T26SS and Louis Rosier third in a Talbot-Lago T150SS.[1][2]

Eugene Chaboud took part in Saturday practice in a mysterious new car, but after inspection the car was banned from the event after it was found that his car was not French as Chaboud pretended, but a German-built Veritas. The Veritas team left the track under military police escort, and Chaboud took part in the race in a Delahaye 135 he drove in Friday practice.[3]

The race was delayed by one hour due to a freak incident involving grand marshal Paul Freiss and 1947 Isle of Man TT podium finisher Peter Goodman in the 500cc bike support race.[4] Freiss was trying to control spectators who had just moved in forbidden areas on the pit straight, and got hit in the leg at high speed by Goodman. Freiss lost his leg on impact, but survived. He remained involved in Alsatian motorsport after the incident. Goodman, who had just won the 350cc support race, was also seriously hurt, and had to retire from professional motorcycle racing.[5][6]

Start of the race

There is still confusion regarding the way grid positions were attributed. Apart from the top 3 positions, the starting order does not entirely fit qualifying times or the event's own rules.[4]

The event received a mixed review from the national press. Several newspapers praised the event for the large crowd (estimated at around 30.000 by the Automobile Club d'Alsace) and interesting races, but others raised concerns about the large number of injured riders, officials and spectators in the 500cc motorcycle race, and many organisational problems. Several cars and bikes had been seen driving the wrong way during the event, and a fight broke out between a marshal and a bike race competitor. The event was also a commercial failure, and the organisers decided against holding another Alsace Grand Prix, or using this track again.[6]

Classification

[edit]
Pos No Driver Entrant Car Time/Retired Grid
1 8 Italy Luigi Villoresi Scuderia Ambrosiana Maserati 4CL 2:45:41.9; 111.64 kph 1
2 16 France Yves Giraud-Cabantous Ecurie France Talbot-Lago T26SS +1:13.8 6
3 18 France Louis Rosier Louis Rosier Talbot-Lago T150SS +3 laps 4
4 22 France Henri Louveau Scuderia Milano Maserati 4CL +3 laps 9
5 14 France Charles Pozzi Charles Pozzi Talbot-Lago T150C +3 laps 5
6 34 France Eugène Chaboud Eugène Chaboud Delahaye 135S +4 laps 8
7 20 France "Raph"
France Pierre Levegh
Ecurie Naphtra Course Maserati 4CL +5 laps 16
8 26 France Pierre Meyrat Pierre Meyrat Delahaye 135S +10 laps 7
9 28 France Edmond Mouche Edmond Mouche Talbot-Lago T150C +13 laps 13
Ret 42 France Pierre Levegh Scuderia Milano Maserati 4CL 14
Ret 10 Italy Alberto Ascari Scuderia Ambrosiana Maserati 4CL Valve 2
Ret 12 Monaco Louis Chiron Ecurie Naphtra Course Maserati 4CL Gearbox 3
Ret 24 Switzerland Antonio Branca Fred Meyer Maserati 4CL 17
Ret 30 France Maurice Varet Henri Louveau Delage 3L Engine 10
Ret 32 France Jean-Pierre Wimille Equipe Gordini Simca Gordini Type 15 Brakes 12
Ret 36 France Jean Brault Jean Brault Delahaye 135S 11


Grand Prix Race
1947 Grand Prix season
Previous race:
1926 Alsace Grand Prix
Alsace Grand Prix Next race:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1947 Alsace Grand Prix". Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  2. ^ "1947 Grands Prix". Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  3. ^ Chargé, Thierry. "3 Août 1947 - Circuit international de vitesse de Strasbourg – Ep 7 Les essais du samedi". www.les24heures.fr (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  4. ^ a b Chargé, Thierry. "3 Août 1947 - Circuit international de vitesse de Strasbourg – Ep 10 Le Grand Prix". www.les24heures.fr (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  5. ^ Chargé, Thierry. "3 Août 1947 - Circuit international de vitesse de Strasbourg – Ep 9 moto 500cc". www.les24heures.fr (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  6. ^ a b Chargé, Thierry. "3 Août 1947 - Circuit international de vitesse de Strasbourg – Ep 11 Après course". www.les24heures.fr (in French). Retrieved 2023-12-16.