Jersey Road Race

St Helier, 13 Jul 1950

All cars are 1.5-litre s/c F1 or 4.5-litre F1^† unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Ferrari 125 [10C] (Peter Whitehead): Peter Whitehead bought 10C new for 1949 and used it through 1949 and 1950 before buying a newer ex-works 125. This car was raced by Dobson in 1951 and later sold to David Murray. Whitehead later bought a 1949/50 LWB Tipo 125 renumbered 0114; it is this latter car that spent many years in the Donington Collection.
2. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1596] (Reg Parnell): Maserati records list this as Reg Parnell's car dated 14 Sep 1948. Raced by Parnell from 1949 to 1951, under the Scuderia Ambrosiana banner in 1950 and 1951, also by Hampshire in 1951. Sold or leased to Bobby Baird mid-1951 and then sometime after 1952 sold to Count Johnny Lurani. Lurani sold it in 1955 to Pat Hoare in New Zealand where it raced until the mid-1960s and then spent many years in the Queenstown Motor Museum. It was sold in 1982 and returned to Europe in 1989. Sold at auction a number of times in the late 1980s and 1990s. Owned by Max Lustenberger (Switzerland) from 1999. Retained 2004.
3. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1601] (Emmanuel de Graffenried): To Enrico Platé for 1949 (dated 7 Mar 1949 in Maserati records) and driven by Emmanuel de Graffenried. Continued as de Graffenried's well-used car through 1950 and 1951. Probably one of two cars extensively rebuilt as Plate-Maseratis for 1952. Probably raced by Ottorino Volonterio in F2 in 1953. Sold with the sister car (probably 1598) by de Graffenried to 20th Century Fox for film work then sold again via Tom Carstens (Tacoma, WA). Subsequent history unknown.
4. ERA B Type [R14B] (Bob Gerard): Johnny Wakefield 1938-39 and then Bob Gerard's main ERA from 1946 to 1953. Then via Jimmy Stuart to Donald Day in 1959. Apart from a short period, Day has owned it ever since. Recent drivers include Ted Rollason, Goff Tidball and Paul Richardson. Retained 2007.
5. ERA B Type [R9B] (Brian Shawe-Taylor): A customer car for Denis Scribbans and then Bob Ansell up to 1949. Guest drivers included Brian Shawe-Taylor, who then bought the car and raced it 1950-51. Then via Irish and UK owners, entering historic racing in 1955. Raced by the Mann brothers from 1976 to 1993, then to Switzerland for four years, back to Peter Mann and then to Rainer Ott (Germany) in 2005. Retained 2007.
6. Alta GP [No 2] (Geoffrey Crossley): This car was built for Geoffrey Crossley and raced until 1951. Then broken up to create a special. (Source: Directory of Historic Racing Cars, Jenkinson)
7. ERA B Type [R10B] (Graham Whitehead): Peter Whitehead's regular B Type from 1936 to 1952 (also driven by Peter Walker and Graham Whitehead). Then via other UK and US owners to Nick Mason who raced and demonstrated it for more than 20 years from 1980. With Paddins Dowling by 2006. Retained 2007.
8. Alta GP [No 3] (Joe Kelly): The third GP Alta, 'GP3', was built for Joe Kelly and raced until 1951. Then extensively modified by Kelly as his 'IRA' special. This car was later acquired by Ray Fielding and fitted with a Jaguar engine. (Sources: Directory of Historic Racing Cars, Jenkinson; Powered by Jaguar 2nd Ed 2005, Nye)
9. ERA A Type [R1A] (Joe Ashmore): The original 1934 prototype, this car was driven by Mays, Cook, Seaman and others before the war. Later to John Heath (HW Motors) 1946, Reg Parnell's team 1947, David Hampshire 1948-51 and then to Alistair Birrell and Ron Flockhart in Scotland in 1952. Into historic racing when it was owned by Sandy Murray from 1959 to 1982 and frequently raced by Tony Merrick. Then through a further chain of owners until acquired by Dean Butler in 2005.
10. HWM 50 ['2'] (Charles Mortimer): The number '2' is used for convenience denoting that it was the first 'production' car to appear; the actually chassis number is unclear. Its 1950 career can be tracked by photographs as it has distinctive bonnet louvres. The only 1950 F2 HWM to be sold into private hands, this car was sold to Alastair Anthony 'Buster' Baring after being used by Abecassis in April 1950. Then sold to John Brown (Edinburgh) in 1951 and subsequently to Ray Fielding who fitted an Aston Martin engine and a Connaught sports car body to the car while fitting the HWM's body on to an Alta F1 chassis with a Jaguar XK engine. Doug Nye does not quote a chassis number for this in Powered By Jaguar but the F1 Register record it as chassis FB103.
11. Simca-Gordini T15 [0015-GC] (Toni Branca): Customer car campaigned by Toni Branca (Switzerland) 1950-51. Acquired by Viscomtesse de Walckiers and raced for her 1952 by Claes, O'Brien, Frère. Owned and raced by Georges Berger 1953. Subsequent history unknown.
12. Maserati 6CM [1551] (Philip Fotheringham-Parker): Delivered on 25 Oct 1937 to Earl Howe, probably acting as agent for a South African purchaser. Immediately shipped to South Africa for the 1937/38 winter season to be raced by Bill Everitt, before passing to local driver Buller Meyer. Imported to UK in 1947 UK by George Abecassis who raced it briefly before selling it to Duncan Hamilton and Philip Fotheringham-Parker who campaigned it extensively in 1948, 49 and 1950. To Brian Finglass in early 1950s, before passing to Fred Zambucka in New Zealand, then via various New Zealand owners to the Geer brothers (U.K.) about 1980. Believed to be retained 2007.
13. Maserati 6CM [1551] (Duncan Hamilton): Delivered on 25 Oct 1937 to Earl Howe, probably acting as agent for a South African purchaser. Immediately shipped to South Africa for the 1937/38 winter season to be raced by Bill Everitt, before passing to local driver Buller Meyer. Imported to UK in 1947 UK by George Abecassis who raced it briefly before selling it to Duncan Hamilton and Philip Fotheringham-Parker who campaigned it extensively in 1948, 49 and 1950. To Brian Finglass in early 1950s, before passing to Fred Zambucka in New Zealand, then via various New Zealand owners to the Geer brothers (U.K.) about 1980. Believed to be retained 2007.
14. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1593] (David Hampshire): Shown in Maserati records as Alberto Ascari's early 1948 car. To Reg Parnell 1949 for Fred Ashmore then raced in 1950 by David Hampshire and others as part of Scuderia Ambrosiana. Then David Murray's car for 1951. Crashed in practice at the Nürburgring for the 1951 German GP and not seen again.
15. Maserati 4CL [1569] (David Murray): Delivered on 29 May 1939 to Johnny Wakefield who campaigned it successfully up to the outbreak of war. After Wakefield's death in 1942, purchased by Reg Parnell. Raced by extensively Parnell between 1946 and 1948, after which it was raced by David Murray in 1948/49. Fitted by Parnell with twin-stage supercharged engine, then Ambrosiana team spare during 1950 before passing via John Green to Bobby Baird in 1951. To George Weaver in USA, then via British, Swiss and German owners to Georg Kaufmann (Switzerland). Retained 2005
16. ERA C Type [R8C] (Cuth Harrison): Built in 1938 using mechanical parts from R8B and raced by Earl Howe 1938 and until a crash in the 1939 International Trophy. Then to Reg Parnell for 1946, Cuth Harrison from 1947 to 1951, Brian Shawe-Taylor 1951 and 1952; then a chain of other owners until acquired in 1977 by Bruce Spollon. Rebuilt to correct C-type specs and raced from 1981 to 2003.
17. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1598] ("B Bira"): Maserati records show this car going to 'B. Bira' 23 Sep 1948. Bira raced 1948 British GP, 1949 Argentine Temporada and 1949 European season. Retained 1950 being used as Platé team car from Pescara. Raced by Harry Schell for Enrico Platé in 1951 then becoming one of two cars extensively rebuilt as Platé-Maseratis for 1952. Probably raced by Giovanni de Riu in F2 in 1953. Then sold via de Graffenried to 20th Century Fox for film work and then acquired by Tom Carstens (Tacoma, WA). Subsequent history unknown.
18. Delage 15S8 [WMG102] (Tony Rolt): Numbered '5' by Alan Burnard in his histories as a continuation of the works numbering but also logically 'WMG 102'. The second 1937 White Mouse Garages ifs car, using parts from ex-works 1926/27 GP 2,3 and 4 on a new chassis. Possibly not completed until acquired by Reg Parnell during the war. Driven in 1946 sprints by his nephew Roy Parnell, then by Dick Habershon in club events 1947-49 and Rob Walker (driver Tony Rolt) 1949. Fitted with E-Type ERA engine and campaigned by Walker as the ERA-Delage 1951-53, usual driver Rolt but also Peter Walker, Eric Thompson, Roy Salvadori and, in occasional sprints, Rob Walker himself. Alan Burnand in sprints 1954-56 then in historic racing with Joe Goodhew, Ray Potter, Patrick Lindsay, Anthony Mayman and, since 1993, Bruce Spollon.
19. Delage 15S8 [WMG102] (Jack Playford): Numbered '5' by Alan Burnard in his histories as a continuation of the works numbering but also logically 'WMG 102'. The second 1937 White Mouse Garages ifs car, using parts from ex-works 1926/27 GP 2,3 and 4 on a new chassis. Possibly not completed until acquired by Reg Parnell during the war. Driven in 1946 sprints by his nephew Roy Parnell, then by Dick Habershon in club events 1947-49 and Rob Walker (driver Tony Rolt) 1949. Fitted with E-Type ERA engine and campaigned by Walker as the ERA-Delage 1951-53, usual driver Rolt but also Peter Walker, Eric Thompson, Roy Salvadori and, in occasional sprints, Rob Walker himself. Alan Burnand in sprints 1954-56 then in historic racing with Joe Goodhew, Ray Potter, Patrick Lindsay, Anthony Mayman and, since 1993, Bruce Spollon.
20. HWM 50 ['2'] (Alister Baring): The number '2' is used for convenience denoting that it was the first 'production' car to appear; the actually chassis number is unclear. Its 1950 career can be tracked by photographs as it has distinctive bonnet louvres. The only 1950 F2 HWM to be sold into private hands, this car was sold to Alastair Anthony 'Buster' Baring after being used by Abecassis in April 1950. Then sold to John Brown (Edinburgh) in 1951 and subsequently to Ray Fielding who fitted an Aston Martin engine and a Connaught sports car body to the car while fitting the HWM's body on to an Alta F1 chassis with a Jaguar XK engine. Doug Nye does not quote a chassis number for this in Powered By Jaguar but the F1 Register record it as chassis FB103.
21. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1606] (Louis Chiron): Shown in Maserati records as going to Louis Chiron in Monte Carlo 21 Sep 1949. Raced by Chiron through 1950 then to Toni Branca for 1951 and then de Walckiers (who entered Steve Watson and Pilette) for 1952. Reappeared Italy 1960s then via chain of Italian, Belgian, Swiss, German and French owners to 1998. Owned by Bernie Ecclestone from 1998.
22. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1595] (Leslie Brooke): Maserati records show this car going to Leslie Brooke 29 Aug 1948. Raced by Brooke through 1948, 1949 and 1950 and by Claes, still under Brooke's ownership, at Goodwood Sept 1951. Then George Weaver in the US in 1952. In the 1980s the car passed from Virginia Weaver via UK and German owners to 1998. Owned by Wolfgang Wegner-Bscher (Germany) from 1998.
23. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1604] (Franco Rol): Maserati records state that this car went to Franco Rol 8 Sep 1949. Raced by Rol through 1950 until Rol's crash at Pedralbes 29 Oct 1950. Then raced by Adolfo Macchieraldo 1952-54. To USA, where Marguerite Morgan entered 1957 Indianapolis 500 but driver Danny Kladis failed to qualify. Reappeared in the US in 1965 then via a chain of US, UK, Australian, South African and German owners up to 2002. Owned by Wolf-Dieter Baumann from 2002. Raced by Thomas Steinke 2007 Goodwood Revival but possibly still owned by Baumann.

Formula 1 events 1948-1953

The results published here were compiled by David McKinney and Adam Ferrington from a range of sources including Autocourse, Motor Sport and Autosport, as well as the F1 Register's A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing Volume 5 covering 1950 and 1951. Individual car identities were then meticulously checked against their enormous libraries of books and photographs, notably Talbot-Lago de Course by Pierre Abeillon, Les Gordini by Robert Jarraud, Gordini – Un Sorcier, Une Equipe by Christian Huet and The History of English Racing Automobiles by David Weguelin.

David has also contributed extensively from his notes on car identities compiled over 40 years of research, Michael Müller has contributed immaculately researched histories of all the 1948-1950 Ferrari 125s, and Doug Nye, both through his books and his personal assistance on HWM, has also been of great help.

Please note that since David's sad death in 2014, Adam and Allen have agreed that these pages will remain unaltered from now on, as a lasting testimony to David's expertise.