Tag Archives: maserati

Unwelcome Early Night – Maserati 300S #3054

Carrying the #15 on the 1955 Le Mans entry list, one spot below Mike Sparken’s #14 Ferrari 750 Monza chassis 0504M which I looked at some time ago, was today’s featured Maserati 300S chassis #3054 which was to be driven by Roberto Mieres and Cesare Perdisa two weeks after the car had been driven to victory at Monza by Luigi Musso and Jean Behra.

24 laps into the race #3054 was running in second place overall when it retired with a gearbox problem giving the drivers an unwelcome early night. Ironically this occurred 1 lap after the #14 Ferrari had retired with a broken motor.

Maserati 300S, Rettenmaier, Silverstone Classic

A second Maserati 300S #3055, driven by Luigi Musso and Luigi Valenzano lasted 239 laps before it’s gearbox also failed making it the last car to retire from the 24 hour classic.

From it’s first four starts, by a 2 litre A 6GS in ’54 another in ’55 along side the two 3 litre cars, in the Le Mans 24 Hours Maserati had yet to record a single finish.

Maserati 300S, Rettenmaier, Silverstone Classic

With it’s gearbox repaired Jean Behra drove #3054 two weeks later to victory in the 1955 Portuguese Grand Prix and at the end of 1955 Juan Manuel Fangio drove #3054 to victory in the first Venezuelan Grand Prix.

For 1956 the #3054 was fitted with a long nose body and the car was taken to Buenos Aires where Stirling Moss and Carlos Menditeguy drove her to victory in the 1000km race. Piero Taruffi and Jean Behra then drove #3054 to 5th overall and 1st in class in Sebring 12 Hours.

Carlos Menditeguy teamed up with Jean Behra to drive #3054 in the 1957 1000kms race at Buenos Aires finishing second but 1st in class.

The #3054 was subsequently sold to Venezuelan Escuderia Sorocaima and the known results during his ownership include a 22 overall and 3rd in class finish in the 1962 3 hour Daytona race with Guido Lollobrigida at the wheel.

After Daytona Charlie Kolb bought the car and recorded 2nd place finishes with it at Fernandina Beach and Marlboro before going one better to record a win at Savanah which appears to be the last recorded in period outing for #3054.

The car is seen in these photo’s at the Silverstone Classic with Stephan Rettenmaier at the wheel.

Thanks for joining me on this “Unwelcome Early Night” edition of “Gettin’ A L’il Psycho On Tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at the first Le Mans winning Bugatti. Don’t forget to come back now !

4 Pot Square Bore – Maserati 4CL #1566

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Fed up with the German Silver Arrow’s from Mercedes Benz and Auto Union stealing their thunder and pride the Italian Motorsports Authorities decided to cut Alfa Romeo and Maserati some slack by announcing that all of the Grand Prix run on Italian soil in 1939 would be for 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui Voiturettes which would exclude the German monsters that had been sweeping all before them in the top European open wheel series since 1935.

Maserati 4CL, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone

To take advantage of the new rules Ernesto Maserati designed a new 4 cylinder motor with bore and stroke dimensions roughly equal, known as square bore though the cylinders were of course round, and with four valves per cylinder to replace the 6 cylinder 12 valve motor fitted to the previous moderately successful 6CM.

Maserati 4CL, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone

To handle the extra 30 hp of the new motor the 6 CM ladder chassis was moderately upgraded; with more use of aluminium, repositioned suspension to lower the chassis and the track was nearly 2″ wider.

Maserati 4CL, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone

For the Tripoli Grand Prix, effectively on Italian soil since Lybia was an Italian colony at the time, Maserati produced one 4CL with a streamlined body for Luigi Villoresi to drive. Luigi qualified on pole in the race, generally regarded as having the finest field of voiturettes ever seen.

Maserati 4CL, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone

However both Luigi and the other two 4 CL’s including #1566 seen here, driven in Tripoli by Giovanni Rocco retired leaving, Mercedes Benz to an uncontested victory with two W165 cars they had built in secret, much to the dismay of the Italians.

Maserati 4CL, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone

Fortunately the W165’s, having made their point, were never to race again leaving Jonnie Wakefield in a private 4CL to score 3 victories to which the works team added 2 more before the outbreak of hostilities in the 1939/45 war. Luigi Villoresi driving a 4CL won at Targa Florio against opposition only from Axis aligned countries in 1940 and Giovanni Rooco driving #1566 finished third in the same race to record his best result in the car before the war.

Maserati 4CL, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone

After the cessation of hostilities #1566 found it’s way to France where it was acquired by Robert Mazaud, a driver who set a lap record in the Le Mans 24 Hours, on his debut there, aboard a Delahaye in 1938. Robert would score his best result aboard #1566, 3rd at St Cloud in Belgium, a few weeks before being killed after an accident at the wheel of #1566 in the Nantes Grand Prix in France.

Maserati 4CL, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone

Raymond Sommer, Tazio Nuvolari and Giorgio Pelassa all drove 4CL’s to victory in 1946, but it was 1947 when the 4CL really came on song with 10 victories to the models credit. Luigi Villoresi won 6 races with; Nello Pagani, Reg Parnell, Yves Giraud-Cabantous and Christian Kautz each winning one a piece.

Maserati 4CL, HGPCA Test Day, Silverstone

To the best of my knowledge Jean Judet entered #1566 in at least six events between 1946 and 1950 recording at least five retirements.

In all 15 4CL’s were built between 1939 and 1946, I believe #1566 seen in these photographs, at the HGPCA Test Day at Silverstone last year, has belonged to the family of the late Rodney Smith since 2004.

Thanks for joining me on this “4 Pot Square Bore” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a Bugatti. Don’t forget to come back now !

Raph’s ’38 Voiturette – Maserati 6CM #1556

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With the State funded Mercedes Benz and Auto Union teams battling for major open wheel Grand Prix honours from the mid to late 1930’s with the occasional interruption only offered by Alfa Romeo many wealthy drivers were left with little alternative but to contest Grand Prix run for 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui voiturette open wheel single seater, monopost, racing cars.

Among the successful manufacturers of such Voiturettes were Bugatti with their 8 cylinder Type 39, ERA, English Racing Automobiles, which was founded to manufacture vehicles soley for Voiturette racing using a derivative of a Riley 6 cylinder motor, and today’s featured manufacturer Maserati who first fitted a 6 cylinder 1.5 liter motor to Tazio Nuvolari’s Maserati 8CM.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Between 1936 and 1939 Maserati built a run of 27 6CM Voiturettes of which chassis #1556, fitted with motor #1555, seen here was the one that appears to have been delivered in April 1938 to driver known as “Raph”.

Otherwise known as Count George Raphaël Béthenod de Montbressieux, “Raph” was born in 1910 in Buenos Aires to a wealthy silk manufacturing family from Lyon with an Argentinian mother who was daughter of an Argentine Minister of Justice, he started racing in 1932.

Maserati 6CM, Lockie, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Prior to purchasing #1556 “Raph” had recovered from six months of paralysis to his legs after crashing his #7 Talbot-Lago on the 10th lap of the 1937 Le Mans 24 hours.

“Raph” is known to have raced for several teams during 1938, a few day’s after apparently taking delivery of his 6CM he was entered in the Grand Prix de Pau in a 6CM by Scuderia Torino where he finished, I have been unable to establish if the car “Raph” used in this race was today’s featured car.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

After his drive at Pau “Raph” is known to have entered at least six further events in a 6CM under either his mothers name B de Las Casas or his own.

It would not appear unreasonable to assume #1556 was the vehicle “Raph” drove in these events recording one failure to start at Picardie, three non finishes at Albegois, Livorno and La Baul, an 11th at Piemonte and a seasons best 2nd at Targa Florio.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Towards the end of 1938 “Raph” had two outings in top class open wheel races with Ecurie Bleu driving a Delahaye at Bermgarten and Donington where he finished 11th and retirement respectively.

In 1939 “Raph” drove a Delahaye twice for Ecurie Lucy O’Reilly finishing 9th at Reims Geuex and 5th at the Nurburgring. He then is recorded has having been entered at Bermgarten in an O’Reilly Maserati 8CTF (#3031) but does not appear to have taken part.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

In 1946 he resumed racing by 1946 recording a win in an indoor Midget race in Los Angeles the same year. Back in Europe Raph co founded Ecurie Naphtra Course managed by M.me Denise Depoix said to be the wife of an imprisoned collaborator.

It is unclear if “Raph” raced today’s featured car for the team or not, some sources suggest he may have done, while others suggest he raced a later Maserati 4CL.

Maserati 6CM, Lockie, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

The highlight of “Raph”‘s career came when he won the 1946 Nantes Grand Prix aboard a Maserati which all at least appear to agree was a “voiturette”.

“Raph” continued racing until 1950 by which time was still recovering from a fractured skull after an accident driving a Talbot Lago T26C at Albi in 1948.

Maserati 6CM, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

With no financial security “Raph” took a job as a handyman and chauffeur with his friend, actor and entertainer, Maurice Chevalier.

Today #1556 is owned by Sean Danaher and is seen in these photographs being driven by Calum Lockie in the Pre ’41 race at the VSCC’s Spring Start meeting at Silverstone.

Thanks for joining me on this “Raph’s ’38 Voiturette” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me for a look at a Bugatti tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

Twice Mille Miglia Class Winner – Maserati 4CS #1126

In 1931 Maserati built a prototype supercharged 4 cylinder 2 seat racer to compete in the Mille Miglia 1,100 cc / 67.1 cui class called the 4CTR (cilindi testa riportata) with twin overhead camshafts and a detachable cylinder head.

01 Maserati 4CS_2364sc

The supercharged motor produced nearly 100 hp / per litre and was fitted to a modified Maserati 26M single seater chassis and a two seat body. Giuseppe Tuffanelli and Guerino Bertocchi drove the car on the Mille Miglia to victory in the 1100cc class finishing 22nd overall.

Based on this success Maserati built a series of 5 4CS models and they won the 1100cc class at the Mille Miglia in 1932, ’34, ’35 and ’36.

02 Maserati 4CS_2365sc

So far as I know chassis #1126 seen here was the square nosed #15 car driven by Ettore Bianco and Guerino Bertocchi to class victory and 7th overall on the 1935 Mille Miglia.

Owner Ettore Bianco then drove #1126 to victory at the Circuito Varese in July 1935 and a second in class in the 1935 Coppa Ciano.

03 Maserati 4CS_2366sc

For 1936 Ettore teamed up with M. Boccali for the Mille Miglia in which they finished 6th overall and 1st in class one spot behind the 4CS, fitted with a 1500cc 91.5 cui version of the 4 cylinder motor, driven by Omobono Tenni and Ettore’s 1935 team mate Guerino Bertocchi which took 1500 cc honours.

Later in 1936 #1126 was sold to Ignazio Radice Fosatti who recorded a second in class run on the Coppa Mercanti run on the Stelvio hillclimb before going to Monza for an attempt at the 1100cc 12 hour distance record. Unfortunately Ignazio was killed in the 9th hour of the attempt after hitting a dog that strayed onto the track.

04 Maserati 4CS_2367sc

Scuderia Ambrosiana bought the wrecked car and had it repaired for Giovanni Lurani & Luigi Villoresi to drive in the 1937 Mille Miglia from it retired. Later in the year Luigi recorded a 7th overall and class win on the Colle del Moncenisio in France before the car headed East to new owners in Singapore.

Joshua Lee was the unfortunate owner of #1126 in 1942 when it was confiscated by the Japanese Army and he was murdered.

05 Maserati 4CS_2368sc

The last in period race for #1126 is recorded as the 1950 Johore Grand Prix with the car now registered in the entry list as an LA Special, with 3.5 Litre Jaguar SS 100 motor, by Lim Peng Han who did not finish the race after an accident.

The car then made it’s way to the UK via the United States where it was briefly fitted with a Do Soto V8 motor as part of an uncompleted project. Ken Painter bought #1126 in 1969 and by 1985 had completed it’s restoration.

Adam Painter is seen driving #1126 in these photo’s taken at Prescott where the car was listed as having a supercharged 1500cc motor.

Thanks for joining me on this “Twice Mille Miglia Class Winner” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a slippery bodied Bugatti. Don’t forget to come back now !

Sig. Nuvolari’s Replacement – Maserati 8CM #3018

On the 9th of July 1933 Tazio Nuvolari made his Maserati debut at the Belgium Grand Prix driving a Maserati 8CM chassis #3007. He continued to race the #3007, scoring two more wins, at Ciano and Nice in 1933, until mid way through 1934 when he broke his leg in it at Alexandria.

Maserati 8CM, Donington Park Museum

By June 1934 Maserati had supplied Tazio with today’s featured 8CM chassis #3018 which he drove in the Eifel GP at the Nurburgring where he retired. Two more retirements followed until he scored a 4th place finish in the 1934 German Grand Prix which was followed by successive 3rd and 2nd place finishes at Vivorno and Pescara respectively.

In August 1934 the original 3 litre / 183 cui 8 cylinder motor was replaced with a 1.5 litre / 91.5 cui 6 cylinder unit for voiturette races, making the car the first Maserati 6CM a full 18 months before the 6CM went into production in 1936. Tazio drove #3018 in voiturette spec to victories in the at Modena and Naples.

Tom Wheatcroft founder of the Donington Park Museum where the car is seen here owned the car for over thirty years before he passed away in 2009.

Thanks for joining me on this “Sig. Nuvolari’s Replacement” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will return tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Bugatti built for royalty. Don’t forget to come back now !

Third At La Turbie & Pau – Maserati 8CM #3009

Joining Whitney Straight Ltd as debutant entrants on Grand Prix scene in 1934 was Ecurie Braillard a team run by Countess Nelly Braillard who’s drivers included her younger brother Louis Braillard, who has beaten the up and coming Whitney Straight in the 1933 Grand Prix d’Albi, Benoit Falchetto and Raymond Sommer.

Maserati 8CM, VSCC, Spring Start, Silverstone

Like Whitney Straight Ltd Ecurie Braillard opted for the Maserati 8CM buying two of them including #3009 featured today, in these photographs taken at last weeks VSCC Spring Start meeting at Silverstone, which were supplemented by a Bugatti Type 51.

Maserati 8CM, VSCC, Spring Start, Silverstone

Unlike #3011 which was the subject of a book by Denis Jenkinson information on #3009 is a little more difficult to find. Of the references I have found is one in which Louis drove #3009 to third fastest time in the 1934 La Turbie Hillclimb in Provence France.

Maserati 8CM, VSCC, Spring Start, Silverstone

At the end of 1934 Louis was injured in an accident on the St-Lô Hillclimb apparently after insisting the teams other 8CM’s, #3015, brakes were switched from hydraulic to mechanical operation. His injuries were compounded by a skiing accident early in 1935 which saw him follow Whitney Straight into early retirement aged just 29. Ecurie Braillard, for whom Louis’s brother in law Benoit Falchetto had won the the 1934 Grand Prix de Picarde and a Libre race at Montlhéry aboard #3015, disbanded at the end of 1935.

Maserati 8CM, VSCC, Spring Start, Silverstone

Luigi ‘Gigi’ Soffietti bought #3009 from Ecurie Braillard for the 1935 season and recorded a 3rd place with it in the 1935 Grand Prix run on the streets of Pau in Southern France.

Maserati 8CM, VSCC, Spring Start, Silverstone

Current owner Sean Danaher, seen in the white fire suit, is recorded as having spent between 1990 and 1999 restoring #3009.

Thanks for joining me on this “Third At La Turbie & Pau” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at a Bugatti. Don’t for get to come back now !

VSCC Spring Start – Silverstone

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I awoke at 3:40am on Sunday full of anticipation, the weather forecast was good, the dawn chorus was getting underway as I prepared my sandwiches and daylight was lighting up the day as I headed towards Silverstone with my friend and regular GALPOT contributor Tim.

M4, Eastbound

We took the fast route in order to get to the circuit early, meeting up with friends for breakfast in the canteen we were saddened to learn of the death of Lotus Elan driver Alan Fleming in Hockenheim the day before and that Garry White had been seriously injured driving a GN Gnome the same day at Silverstone.

Lotus 49 R8, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Tim and I took a wonder round the paddock in the morning where we were astonished to find the late 1968 Lotus 49 R8 as raced by Graham Hill, Richard Atwood, Jo Bonnier and most successfully by Dave Carlton in South Africa to two local F1 championships, form the center of a Bonhams display. The car is expected to fetch between £700,000 and a million at Goodwood in June.

Standard, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

While we were working our way through the paddock the vehicle above wafted through the crowd, I was surprised to learn it appears to be powered by a Standard Vanguard motor, if you know anything else about the car please chime in below.

ERA 80th Anniversary Trophy, Gillies, Morris, Topliss, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

The racing got underway with the ERA 80th Anniversary Trophy which was one by Mark Gilles aboard the green wheel lifting 1934 ERA seen leading the ERA 11B of David Morris which retired leaving Nicholas Topliss in the #5 blue ERA R4A to finish second.

FJHRA , Goodliff Woodhouse, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

The battle for honours in the front engined Formula Junior race lasted the whole race with Simon Goodliff in his red 1960 Lola Mk2 managing to hold off the green 1959 Elva 100 driven by Mark Woodhouse.

Riley, Super Rat, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Pete Candy driving the 1936 Riley Super Rat seen in the paddock above won the 8 minute Short Scratch Race for pre war cars.

HGPCA Pre 66, Griffin, Moreton, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

The action continued with the second race for pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars which was won by John Romano who clocked up his second win of the weekend in his 1964 Brabham BT11. Above Alex Moreton in his 1961 Lotus 21 is about to lap Paul Griffin in his 1959 Cooper T51 on his way to a seventh place finish.

Maserati 6CM, Lockie, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

It’s always great to see one of my former race instructors, from 1989/90, take part in an event above one such was Calum Lockie who is seen driving a 1938 Maserati 6CM to victory in the pre 1941 Continental Trophy race.

50's Sports Racing, Horsman, Wood, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Regular readers will have heard me make many references to The Nostalgia Forum who’s knowledgeable members include Peter Horsman seen above driving the #248 Lotus 15 above to victory over the #256 Lister Jaguar of Dr Barry Wood in the 1950’s sports racing cars event.

Tec Mec, Wood, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

Tony Wood lifts a wheel at Becketts above on his way to his second win of the weekend in the Pre ’61 Racing Car event driving the 1959 Tec Mec F415 which readers may remember I looked at in some detail recently.

Pre War Handicap, VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

By comparison the 5 lap pre war Handicap race felt like a race in slow motion, above a couple of Rileys lead a gaggle of cars in the event which was won by Richard Hudson driving a Bentley.

F3 500, Bishop Miller, Kingsland, Turner VSCC Spring Start, Silverstone

The penultimate event of the day was for the 500 cc / 30.5 cui Formula 3 cars this was declared, with Ian Philips the winner, after the; #57 Revis driven by Richard Bishop Miller, #59 Staride Mk 3 of Xavier Kingsland and #86 Cooper Mk 9 of John Turner came to grief at Becketts one lap after the photo above was taken. I am not entirely sure what happened but the out come was that John Turner was thrown out of his Cooper and Richard Bishop Miller had to be cut out of the Revis and both were taken to hospital.

Andrew Mitchel won the final Pre War race of the day driving an HRG but by then Tim and I were negotiating a few diversions on the way home, seeing John Turner falling out of his Cooper having left me feeling considerably the worst for wear.

My thanks to Alan Cox at the Nostalgia Forum for pointing me in the direction of the results pdf.

I hope you will join me in offering sincerest condolences to the the family and friends of Alan Fleming and best wishes for speedy recoveries to Garry White, Richard Bishop Miller and John Turner.

Thanks for joining me on this”VSCC Spring Start” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” and that you will join me again for Americana Thursday tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !