.gif)
Alta (automobile)
Encyclopedia
The Alta Car and Engineering Company was a British
sports
and racing car manufacturer, commonly known simply as Alta. Their cars contested five FIA World Championship races between 1950 and 1952, as well as Grand Prix
events prior to this. They also supplied engines to a small number of other constructors, most notably the Connaught and HWM
teams.
, Surrey
, and produced its first automobile in 1929. Alta's first vehicle was a sports car powered by a 1.1L engine, featuring an aluminium
block, wet liners and shaft-driven twin overhead camshafts, which Taylor designed himself. It was offered in normal or supercharged
form giving 49 or 76bhp. A choice of 4 speed non synchromesh or pre-selector
gearboxes was available. These were mounted on a low-slung chassis
frame with open two or four seat bodies. Thirteen were made of which five are thought to survive.
This design, and its later 1.5L and 2L sister cars, sold steadily, but in limited numbers, right up to the outbreak of war in 1939. With the highest power option the car was capable of 120 mi/h and 0-60 mph in 7 seconds. In 1937 the company introduced front independent suspension
to the chassis. They became popular among club racers due to their ability to be converted easily from 1.5L to 2L or vice versa, allowing drivers on a limited budget to contest more than one class without having to buy a second car.
In 1934 Taylor produced the first Alta to be designed solely for competition. The resulting light-weight, off-set single seat voiturette
cars achieved quite a reputation in shorter events such as hill-climbs
, sprints and time-trials
. Once again, Alta's keen pricing, in comparison to the expensive ERA
models, resulted in many sales to amateur racers. However, a lack of reliability kept the Alta name out of the long distance Grand Prix events. A revised voiturette design appeared in 1937, with independent front suspension. George Abecassis
had some success with this design, winning a string of events before the war interrupted. As war approached, Taylor was drafting designs for a new straight-8 engine and a third-generation voiturette, this time with fully independent suspension
. This last prewar car was highly advanced for its time, and was very nearly complete in late 1939. However, as soon as war was declared, Alta's production capabilities were given over to the war effort, and production of the new designs was halted.
. Austerity
limitations of raw materials did not stop Taylor beginning production of designs he had been developing throughout the war years, and the Alta GP car appeared in 1948. He also restarted production of the road-going sports cars, although without further development funding the popularity of these models rapidly dwindled. Prior to 1948, the last pre-war Alta was campaigned with varying degrees of success.
The Alta GP car was a development of the pre-war design, but was powered by a supercharged 1.5L engine, developing approximately 230bhp, and retained the 4-speed pre-selector gearbox of the prewar cars. Taylor developed the independent suspension design further, introducing wishbones and rubber linkage bushings. The first car was supplied to privateer
driver George Abecassis
, who campaigned it throughout 1948 and into 1949, but only finished once. Abecassis would go on to use Alta engines to power his HWM
team from 1951 to 1955.
Modifications were made to the bodywork and gearchange for the subsequent 1949 and 1950 GP2 and GP3 vehicles, GP3 also gaining a two-stage supercharger. Once again they were built to order, and supplied to Geoff Crossley
and Joe Kelly
respectively. Crossley took GP2 to the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix, but could only manage seventh place. In 1950 he set a number of speed records over 50 miles, 50 km and 100 km at the Montlhéry
circuit. Kelly concentrated mostly on Irish races, and his best finish was third in the 1952 Ulster Trophy. Both drivers took their respective chassis to the 1950 British Grand Prix
, the first ever Formula One
World Championship race. However, while Kelly finished, he was unclassified; Crossley retired with a transmission fault.
Kelly later carried out extensive modification and rebuilding work on GP3, running it as the Irish Racing Automobiles (IRA) car during 1952 and 1953. His most significant change was to replace the Alta engine with a Bristol
unit.
Lacking the funding necessary to develop a Formula One successor to the GP design, Taylor decided to move into the junior Formula Two
category. The engine produced was a 1970 cc inline 4-cylinder, naturally aspirated unit, developing around 130 bhp. Unfortunately, Alta's own chassis design followed the preceding GP car very closely, and this resulted in an overweight car considering the greatly reduced power available from the unsupercharged motors. Tony Gaze
and Gordon Watson took F2/1 and F2/2 on a tour of European races, but good results were hard to come by.
Indeed, the F2 chassis was so much like the GP design that the uncompleted GP/4 machine was converted and became F2/3, although this machine was no more successful than its siblings. F2/4 followed in construction and was sold, before Peter Whitehead placed an order for what was to become the last Alta car built: F2/5. This was the only F2 Alta to be entered for World Championship Grands Prix events, first driven by himself in the 1952 French Grand Prix
, and then by his half-brother Graham Whitehead
at the 1952 British Grand Prix
. Neither run produced a points finish, but this was not to be the last time that the Alta name appeared in Formula One.
While the F2 engine might have been overwhelmed by the chassis' bulk, tweaks made by Peter Whitehead to the unit in his car showed that the design had tuning potential. Alta engines had already been used by the HWM
team since 1949, and from 1953 many more mechanics would come to know the Taylor-designed power plant. Peter Whitehead led the way by removing the engine from F2/5 and installing it into a Cooper T24
chassis, which he ran in the 1953 British Grand Prix
. Also present at Silverstone
that day were no fewer than four Alta-powered HWM cars. HWM had, the previous year, scored what was Alta's only significant victory, when Lance Macklin
won the 1952 BRDC International Trophy
race at Silverstone
. Over the next few years 1.5L and 2.5L Alta engines would find their way into many British-built F1 hopefuls, the most successful of which were Connaught and Cooper. Ultimately the engine would prove to be capable of approximately 240 bhp. With the collapse of Connaught in 1959, the Alta name disappeared from Formula One for good.
car but was not successful. A handful of the pre-war sports and single seat cars survive, all in private ownership. GP101, which was originally owned by George Abecassis
, was rebuilt for Phil Scragg as a hill climb car and is still in use. F2/5 has been reunited with its original powerplant and has participated in a number of Historic race meeting in recent years, including the 1999 Goodwood Revival meeting.
n.b. Prior to there was no Constructor's World Championship, hence constructors were not awarded points.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
sports
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
and racing car manufacturer, commonly known simply as Alta. Their cars contested five FIA World Championship races between 1950 and 1952, as well as Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
events prior to this. They also supplied engines to a small number of other constructors, most notably the Connaught and HWM
Hersham and Walton Motors
Hersham and Walton Motors is the world's longest established Aston Martin business and is well known as a racing car constructor. As a constructor, it is best known for its involvement in Formula Two from 1950 to 1953 and Formula One in 1954...
teams.
Early history
The company was founded by engineer Geoffrey Taylor in SurbitonSurbiton
Surbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, and produced its first automobile in 1929. Alta's first vehicle was a sports car powered by a 1.1L engine, featuring an aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
block, wet liners and shaft-driven twin overhead camshafts, which Taylor designed himself. It was offered in normal or supercharged
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
form giving 49 or 76bhp. A choice of 4 speed non synchromesh or pre-selector
Preselector gearbox
A preselector or self-changing gearbox is a type of manual gearbox used on a variety of vehicles, most commonly in the 1930s...
gearboxes was available. These were mounted on a low-slung chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
frame with open two or four seat bodies. Thirteen were made of which five are thought to survive.
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
to the chassis. They became popular among club racers due to their ability to be converted easily from 1.5L to 2L or vice versa, allowing drivers on a limited budget to contest more than one class without having to buy a second car.
Voiturette
Voiturette is a word mostly used to describe a miniature automobile; however, it has several nuanced meanings, depending largely on the usage date.-History:...
cars achieved quite a reputation in shorter events such as hill-climbs
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
, sprints and time-trials
Time trial
In many racing sports an athlete will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of...
. Once again, Alta's keen pricing, in comparison to the expensive ERA
English Racing Automobiles
English Racing Automobiles was a British racing car manufacturer active from 1933 to 1954. Currently the ERA trademark is owned by a British kit-car manufacturer.-Prewar history:...
models, resulted in many sales to amateur racers. However, a lack of reliability kept the Alta name out of the long distance Grand Prix events. A revised voiturette design appeared in 1937, with independent front suspension. George Abecassis
George Abecassis
George Edgar Abecassis DFC was an English racing driver, and co-founder of the HWM Formula One team.-Pre-1946 career:...
had some success with this design, winning a string of events before the war interrupted. As war approached, Taylor was drafting designs for a new straight-8 engine and a third-generation voiturette, this time with fully independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
. This last prewar car was highly advanced for its time, and was very nearly complete in late 1939. However, as soon as war was declared, Alta's production capabilities were given over to the war effort, and production of the new designs was halted.
Alta GP
Despite Alta's diminutive size, and their status as a primarily road car manufacturer, Alta was in fact the first British constructor to produce a new Grand Prix car following the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Austerity
Austerity
In economics, austerity is a policy of deficit-cutting, lower spending, and a reduction in the amount of benefits and public services provided. Austerity policies are often used by governments to reduce their deficit spending while sometimes coupled with increases in taxes to pay back creditors to...
limitations of raw materials did not stop Taylor beginning production of designs he had been developing throughout the war years, and the Alta GP car appeared in 1948. He also restarted production of the road-going sports cars, although without further development funding the popularity of these models rapidly dwindled. Prior to 1948, the last pre-war Alta was campaigned with varying degrees of success.
The Alta GP car was a development of the pre-war design, but was powered by a supercharged 1.5L engine, developing approximately 230bhp, and retained the 4-speed pre-selector gearbox of the prewar cars. Taylor developed the independent suspension design further, introducing wishbones and rubber linkage bushings. The first car was supplied to privateer
Privateer (motorsport)
In motor sport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateers teams are often found competing in rally and circuit racing events, and often include competitors who build and maintain their own vehicles...
driver George Abecassis
George Abecassis
George Edgar Abecassis DFC was an English racing driver, and co-founder of the HWM Formula One team.-Pre-1946 career:...
, who campaigned it throughout 1948 and into 1949, but only finished once. Abecassis would go on to use Alta engines to power his HWM
Hersham and Walton Motors
Hersham and Walton Motors is the world's longest established Aston Martin business and is well known as a racing car constructor. As a constructor, it is best known for its involvement in Formula Two from 1950 to 1953 and Formula One in 1954...
team from 1951 to 1955.
Modifications were made to the bodywork and gearchange for the subsequent 1949 and 1950 GP2 and GP3 vehicles, GP3 also gaining a two-stage supercharger. Once again they were built to order, and supplied to Geoff Crossley
Geoff Crossley
Geoffrey Crossley was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 2 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 13 May 1950. He scored no championship points...
and Joe Kelly
Joe Kelly (Formula One)
Joe Kelly was a racing driver and motor trader from Ireland. He was born in Dublin and was raised there, later moving to England. He died in Neston, Cheshire, England.-Biography:-Racing career:...
respectively. Crossley took GP2 to the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix, but could only manage seventh place. In 1950 he set a number of speed records over 50 miles, 50 km and 100 km at the Montlhéry
Montlhéry
Montlhéry is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located from Paris.Inhabitants of Montlhéry are known as Montlhériens.-History:...
circuit. Kelly concentrated mostly on Irish races, and his best finish was third in the 1952 Ulster Trophy. Both drivers took their respective chassis to the 1950 British Grand Prix
1950 British Grand Prix
The 1950 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 13 May 1950 at the Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, England. It was the fifth British Grand Prix, and the third to be held at Silverstone after motor racing resumed after World War II. It was the first round of the 1950 World...
, the first ever Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
World Championship race. However, while Kelly finished, he was unclassified; Crossley retired with a transmission fault.
Kelly later carried out extensive modification and rebuilding work on GP3, running it as the Irish Racing Automobiles (IRA) car during 1952 and 1953. His most significant change was to replace the Alta engine with a Bristol
Bristol Cars
Bristol Cars is a manufacturer of hand-built luxury cars headquartered in Patchway, near Bristol, United Kingdom. Bristol have always been a low-volume manufacturer; the most recent published official production figures were for 1982, which stated that 104 cars were produced in that year...
unit.
Alta F2
Formula Two
Formula Two, abbreviated to F2, is a type of open wheel formula racing. It was replaced by Formula 3000 in 1985, but the FIA announced in 2008 that Formula Two would return for 2009 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship...
category. The engine produced was a 1970 cc inline 4-cylinder, naturally aspirated unit, developing around 130 bhp. Unfortunately, Alta's own chassis design followed the preceding GP car very closely, and this resulted in an overweight car considering the greatly reduced power available from the unsupercharged motors. Tony Gaze
Tony Gaze
Frederick Anthony Owen Gaze DFC & Two Bars, OAM is a decorated World War II flying ace credited with 12.5 aerial victories and a former racing driver from Australia. He was born in Melbourne. He participated in four World Championship Grands Prix driving his HWM, debuting on 22 June 1952...
and Gordon Watson took F2/1 and F2/2 on a tour of European races, but good results were hard to come by.
Indeed, the F2 chassis was so much like the GP design that the uncompleted GP/4 machine was converted and became F2/3, although this machine was no more successful than its siblings. F2/4 followed in construction and was sold, before Peter Whitehead placed an order for what was to become the last Alta car built: F2/5. This was the only F2 Alta to be entered for World Championship Grands Prix events, first driven by himself in the 1952 French Grand Prix
1952 French Grand Prix
The 1952 French Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on July 6, 1952 at Rouen-Les-Essarts. It was the fourth round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :* Pole...
, and then by his half-brother Graham Whitehead
Graham Whitehead
Graham Whitehead was a British racing driver from England. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, on July 19, 1952. He finished 12th, scoring no championship points...
at the 1952 British Grand Prix
1952 British Grand Prix
The 1952 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on July 19, 1952 at Silverstone Circuit. It was the fifth round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:-Drivers'...
. Neither run produced a points finish, but this was not to be the last time that the Alta name appeared in Formula One.
Alta the engine supplier
Hersham and Walton Motors
Hersham and Walton Motors is the world's longest established Aston Martin business and is well known as a racing car constructor. As a constructor, it is best known for its involvement in Formula Two from 1950 to 1953 and Formula One in 1954...
team since 1949, and from 1953 many more mechanics would come to know the Taylor-designed power plant. Peter Whitehead led the way by removing the engine from F2/5 and installing it into a Cooper T24
Cooper Car Company
The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...
chassis, which he ran in the 1953 British Grand Prix
1953 British Grand Prix
The 1953 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on 18 July 1953 at Silverstone Circuit. It was the sixth round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Classification :- Drivers'...
. Also present at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
that day were no fewer than four Alta-powered HWM cars. HWM had, the previous year, scored what was Alta's only significant victory, when Lance Macklin
Lance Macklin
Lance Noel Macklin was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 15 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1952....
won the 1952 BRDC International Trophy
BRDC International Trophy
The International Trophy is a prize awarded annually by the British Racing Drivers' Club to the winner of a motor race held at the Silverstone Circuit, England...
race at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
. Over the next few years 1.5L and 2.5L Alta engines would find their way into many British-built F1 hopefuls, the most successful of which were Connaught and Cooper. Ultimately the engine would prove to be capable of approximately 240 bhp. With the collapse of Connaught in 1959, the Alta name disappeared from Formula One for good.
Recent history
Geoffrey Taylor died in 1966 at the age of 63 years. In 1976, his son Michael attempted to revive the Alta name with a Formula FordFormula Ford
Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. It is an entry-level series to motor racing....
car but was not successful. A handful of the pre-war sports and single seat cars survive, all in private ownership. GP101, which was originally owned by George Abecassis
George Abecassis
George Edgar Abecassis DFC was an English racing driver, and co-founder of the HWM Formula One team.-Pre-1946 career:...
, was rebuilt for Phil Scragg as a hill climb car and is still in use. F2/5 has been reunited with its original powerplant and has participated in a number of Historic race meeting in recent years, including the 1999 Goodwood Revival meeting.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Driver | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 1950 Formula One season The 1950 Formula One season included the inaugural FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on May 13, 1950, and ended on September 3 after 7 races... |
Private | Alta GP | Alta L4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... s Supercharger A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,... |
GBR 1950 British Grand Prix The 1950 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 13 May 1950 at the Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, England. It was the fifth British Grand Prix, and the third to be held at Silverstone after motor racing resumed after World War II. It was the first round of the 1950 World... |
MON 1950 Monaco Grand Prix The 1950 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 21, 1950 at Monaco. This race was the second round of 1950 World Drivers' Championship. The race, contested over 100 laps at an overall distance of 318.1 km was won by Juan Manuel Fangio for the Alfa Romeo team after starting from... |
500 1950 Indianapolis 500 The 1950 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race which was held on Tuesday, May 30, 1950 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the third round of the 1950 World Drivers' Championship... |
SUI 1950 Swiss Grand Prix The 1950 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on June 4, 1950 at Bremgarten. It was the fourth round of the 1950 World Drivers' Championship.-Report:... |
BEL 1950 Belgian Grand Prix The 1950 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on June 18, 1950 at Spa-Francorchamps. It was the fifth round of the 1950 World Drivers' Championship.-Report:... |
FRA 1950 French Grand Prix The 1950 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 2, 1950 at Reims-Gueux. It was the sixth round of 1950 World Drivers' Championship.__FORCETOC__-Report:Fangio put in a stunning display with a 116 mph practice lap... |
ITA 1950 Italian Grand Prix The 1950 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 3, 1950 at Monza. It was the seventh and final event of the 1950 World Drivers' Championship... |
|||
| Geoff Crossley Geoff Crossley Geoffrey Crossley was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 2 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 13 May 1950. He scored no championship points... |
NC | 9 | |||||||||||
 Joe Kelly |
NC | ||||||||||||
| 1951 1951 Formula One season The 1951 Formula One season was the second season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1951 World Championship of Drivers, which commenced on May 27, 1951 and ended on October 28 after eight races... |
Private | Alta GP | Alta L4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... s Supercharger A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,... |
SUI 1951 Swiss Grand Prix The 1951 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Bremgarten on May 27, 1951. It was the first round of the 1951 World Drivers' Championship. The race saw the Formula One debut of British driver Stirling Moss.-Qualifying:-Race:... |
500 1951 Indianapolis 500 The 1951 Indianapolis 500 an automobile race which was held on Wednesday, May 30, 1951 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the opening race of the 1951 AAA National Championship Trail and the second race of the 1951 World Championship of Drivers.... |
BEL 1951 Belgian Grand Prix The 1951 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on June 17, 1951 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. It was the third round of the 1951 World Drivers' Championship.- Race report :... |
FRA 1951 French Grand Prix The 1951 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Reims-Gueux on 1 July 1951. It was the fourth round of the 1951 World Drivers' Championship and was won by Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli driving an Alfa Romeo... |
GBR 1951 British Grand Prix The 1951 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 14 July 1951 at the Silverstone Circuit in Buckinghamshire, England. It was the fifth round of the 1951 World Drivers' Championship... |
GER 1951 German Grand Prix The 1951 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 29, 1951 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It was the sixth round of the 1951 World Drivers' Championship.-Qualifying:-Race:- Drivers' Championship standings after the race :... |
ITA 1951 Italian Grand Prix The 1951 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 16, 1951 at Monza. It was the seventh round of the 1951 World Drivers' Championship.-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :* Pole position: Juan Manuel Fangio - 1:53.2... |
ESP 1951 Spanish Grand Prix The 1951 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on October 28, 1951 at Pedralbes Circuit. It was the eighth and final round of the 1951 World Drivers' Championship.... |
||
| Joe Kelly |
NC | ||||||||||||
| 1952 1952 Formula One season The 1952 Formula One season was the third season of FIA Formula One motor racing. In comparison to previous seasons, the 1952 season consisted of a relatively small number of Formula One races, following the FIA's decision to run the Grand Prix events counting towards the World Championship of... |
P. Whitehead | Alta F2 | Alta L4 Straight-4 The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft.... |
SUI 1952 Swiss Grand Prix The 1952 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on May 18, 1952 at Bremgarten Circuit. It was the first round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :* Pole... |
500 1952 Indianapolis 500 The 1952 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Friday, May 30, 1952 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the second round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship. Troy Ruttman won the race, bringing the Borg-Warner Trophy home for car owner J.C. Agajanian.Bill Vukovich led... |
BEL 1952 Belgian Grand Prix The 1952 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on June 22, 1952 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. It was the third round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:-... |
FRA 1952 French Grand Prix The 1952 French Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on July 6, 1952 at Rouen-Les-Essarts. It was the fourth round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:- Notes :* Pole... |
GBR 1952 British Grand Prix The 1952 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on July 19, 1952 at Silverstone Circuit. It was the fifth round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.-Qualifying:-Race:-Drivers'... |
GER 1952 German Grand Prix The 1952 German Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 3, 1952 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. It was the sixth round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :Sadly... |
NED 1952 Dutch Grand Prix The 1952 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 17, 1952 at the Circuit Zandvoort. It was the seventh round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :Mike... |
ITA 1952 Italian Grand Prix The 1952 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on September 7, 1952 at Monza. It was the eighth and final round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.- Race report :Juan Manuel... |
||
| Peter Whitehead | Ret | ||||||||||||
| Graham Whitehead Graham Whitehead Graham Whitehead was a British racing driver from England. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, on July 19, 1952. He finished 12th, scoring no championship points... |
12 |
n.b. Prior to there was no Constructor's World Championship, hence constructors were not awarded points.