Plan to assemble the 1948 British Grand Prix Grid for Special 60th Birthday Celebration
The new organisers of the Silverstone Classic have set themselves the challenge of finding as many cars as possible from the 1948 British Grand Prix to take part in a special 60th anniversary celebration during the 25/26/27 July 2008 event.
The plan is to re-create the 1948 grid for a demonstration during the high-profile classic racing festival at The Home of British Motor Racing. Just three weeks after Lewis Hamilton and his rivals do battle on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit in Grand Prix cars of 2008, the cars that contested the same race 60 years earlier will be put through their paces.
The Historic Sports Car Club, the race organising club for the Silverstone Classic, has taken on the challenge of finding cars from that first Grand Prix at Silverstone, and it is a big task.
"The Historic Grand Prix Car Association and the Vintage Sports Car Club have kindly offered to help with this project," said Grahame White, chief executive of the HSCC. "We want to get as many cars as possible; either original cars from 1948 of cars of the same make and model."
The airfield at Silverstone, built in 1943, was hurriedly readied for racing in the summer of 1948 as time ran desperately short to find a venue for the RAC Grand Prix, which was entered on the international racing calendar for 2 October. Finally, at the end of July, a temporary lease was arranged and the first race ran over a 3.67-mile circuit, laid out with oil drums and straw bales on the runways. Despite minimal facilities, 100,000 fans turned up to watch the first major post-war race in Britain and see Luigi Villoresi win the 65-lap race in a Maserati 4CLT.
Now, the hunt is on to find examples of the 15 models of car that made up the 25-car grid for that famous race. From the Italian manufacturers the field included the winning Maserati 4CLT/48 as well as 4CLs and 6CMs, while Ferrari was represented by it's first Formula 1 design, the 125 and Alfa Romeo by a sole 3.45L. No less than five Talbot Lago T26Cs were there, along with a lone example of the 1948 Alta GP and the Emeryson Special.
Pre-war ERAs packed out the rest of the field, with nine cars entered including one of the stunning E-Types, ERA's pre-war challenger against the might of Germany and Italy. To make life easier during the search, ERAs were given unique model numbers and most of the cars remain in active use. All of the ERAs that competed that day are still well known and most remain in active competition, so locating R1A, R2A, R4B/D, R5B, R8B/C, R9B, R10B and R14B is the easier part of the project.
If anyone can help with the search to find the grid of '48, please contact Grahame White at the HSCC office on 01327 858400.
Event Background
The annual Silverstone Classic festival will be organised and promoted by Motion Works UK Limited (MWUK) on behalf of Classic Automotive Events Limited, the company recently licensed by Silverstone to stage the event for the next five years.
The annual Silverstone Classic is a celebration of motor racing across all decades from the 1920s to the 1990s on a current FIA approved circuit and is not totally historic as it also invites more contemporary races such as Group C, Saloons and late Formula One cars to be raced and seen in their appropriate surroundings. Classic Car Owner Clubs from across the UK and overseas play an important supporting role in recent years with 4,000 cars expected this year. The event Auction remains an important landmark and features such as the Scarf & Goggles meeting area, art & photo galleries, period air displays, funfairs, themed catering, will be retained and enhanced, with new attractions being added over the next few years.
The entire event is planned to be filmed for television and the promoters have announced that the HSCC have been retained for their race organisation expertise. A new event website at www.silverstoneclassic.com is currently under development.
Tickets Prices By 31 March By 30 June On The DayFriday, 25 July £20.00 £25.00 £30.00Saturday, 26 July £25.00 £30.00 £35.00Sunday, 27 July £25.00 £30.00 £35.003-Day, 25/26/27 July £40.00 £55.00 n/aAdvance tickets can now be purchased via 0871 703 38 48
All tickets include free car parking, extensive covered and uncovered grandstand seating, paddock transfers and free entry for accompanied children (u16).
