1952 Belgian Grand Prix

 1952 Belgian Grand Prix

Racing data
3rd of 8 races of the 1952 World Automobile Championship
Surname:	XIV Grote Prijs van Belgie Grand Prix d'Europe
Date:	June 22, 1952
Place:	spa
Course:	Spa Francorchamps
Length:	508.32 km in 36 laps of 14.12 km
Weather:	heavy rain
Pole position
Driver:	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari
Time:	4: 37.0 min
Fastest lap
Driver:	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari
Time:	4: 55.0 min (laps 2 and 7)
Podium
First:	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari
Second:	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari
Third:	Robert Manzon	Gordini

The 1952 Belgian Grand Prix took place on June 22nd at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit and was the third of eight races in the 1952 World Cup . The 1952 Belgian Grand Prix also has the FIA -Ehrentitel European Grand Prix .

background

Before the Belgian Grand Prix, the former Alfa works driver Luigi Fagioli had a fatal accident in a sports car race in Monaco. The season was also over for the reigning world champion Juan Manuel Fangio when he had a serious accident in Monza in a race that was not part of the World Cup. Ferrari was represented with three works cars that were awarded to Ascari , Farina and Taruffi . Gordini and HWM each registered four works cars, all other starters were more or less privately registered. Maserati's vehicles weren't ready yet.

training

The training was completely dominated by the factory Ferraris. All three were in the front row, with Ascari securing the best starting position and leaving his teammate Taruffi 9 seconds behind. He was almost a minute faster than the numerous privateers.

run

The race day was rainy. At the start, all favorites were taken by surprise by Jean Behra , who was the first to come back from the first lap. In the La Source hairpin, he overdid it a bit and turned so that Ascari and Farina slipped past. He was able to keep the third Ferrari with Taruffi behind him until the 13th lap. When Taruffi was able to overtake him, he turned immediately afterwards and dragged Behra, who was still close behind, into the boundary. Both drivers were uninjured, but had to give up the race. Shortly before, Wharton was less fortunate when he turned and slid backwards into a barbed wire bridle, sustaining painful cuts. The two Ferraris in the order Ascari ahead of Farina turned their laps unchallenged at the top and won ahead of Robert Manzon , whom they were the only one not to lap. Mike Hawthorn came fourth with a leak in his gas tank.

Registration list

team	No.	driver	chassis	engine	tires
Ferrari	2	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari 500	Ferrari 2.0 L4	P
	4th	Alberto Ascari
	6th	Piero Taruffi
Team LD Hawthorn	8th	Mike Hawthorn	Cooper T20	Bristol 2.0 L6	D.
Ecurie Richmond	10	Alan Brown	Cooper T20	Bristol 2.0 L6	D.
	12	Eric Brandon
Gordini	14th	Robert Manzon	Gordini T16 (1952)	Gordini 2.0 L6	E.
	16	Jean Behra
	18th	Johnny Claes
	20th	Birabongse Bira	Simca-Gordini T15 GC
Ecurie Rosier	22nd	Louis Rosier	Ferrari 500	Ferrari 2.0 L4	D.
HWM	24	Lance Macklin	HWM 52	Alta 1.5	D.
	26th	Peter Collins
	28	Paul Brother
	30th	Roger Laurent
English Racing Automobiles	32	Stirling Moss	ERA G-Type	Bristol 2.0 L6	D.
Ecurie Francorchamps	34	Charles de Tornaco	Ferrari 500	Ferrari 2.0 L4	E.
Scuderia Franera	36	Ken Wharton	Frazer-Nash FN 48	Bristol 2.0 L6	D.
Team Arthur Legat	38	Arthur Legate	Veritas Meteor	Veritas 2.0 L6	E.
Aston Martin	40	Robin Montgomerie-Charrington	Aston NB	Butterworth 2.0 L4	D.
Team FAO gauze	42	Tony Gaze	HWM 51	Alta 1.5	D.
Team Robert O'Brien	44	Robert O'Brien	Simca-Gordini T15GC	Gordini	E.

classification

Starting grid

Item	driver	constructor	time	km / h	Starting row
01.	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	4: 37,000	182.99	1 row
02.	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari	4: 40,000	181.03	1 M.
03.	Piero Taruffi	Ferrari	4: 46,000	177.23	V1 L
04th	Robert Manzon	Gordini	4: 52,000	173.59	2 rows
05.	Jean Behra	Gordini	4: 56,000	171.24	2 L
06th	Mike Hawthorn	cooper	4: 58,000	170.09	3 rows
07th	Ken Wharton	Frazer Nash	5: 01,000	168.40	3 M.
08th.	Paul Brother	HWM	5: 05,000	166.19	3 L
09.	Alan Brown	cooper	5: 07,000	165.11	4 rows
10.	Stirling Moss	ERA	5: 08,000	164.57	4 L
11.	Peter Collins	HWM			5 R
12.	Eric Brandon	cooper	5: 12,000	162.46	5 M
13.	Charles de Tornaco	Ferrari	5: 13,000	161.94	5 L
14th	Lance Macklin	HWM	5: 15,000	160.91	6 R
15th	Robin Montgomerie-Charrington	Aston			6 L
16.	Tony Gaze	HWM	5: 20,000	158.40	7 R
17th	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	5: 23,000	156.93	7 M.
18th	Birabongse Bira	Simca-Gordini	5: 29,000	154.07	7 L
19th	Johnny Claes	Simca-Gordini	5: 33,000	152.22	8 R
20th	Roger Laurent	HWM	5: 35,000	151.31	8 L
21st	Arthur Legate	Veritas	5: 37,000	150.41	9 R
22nd	Robert O'Brien	Simca-Gordini	6: 00,000	140.80	9 L

Race result

Item	driver	constructor	Round	time	km / h	s. Rd.	guide
01.	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	36	3: 03: 46,300	165.49	4: 55,000	35
02.	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari	36	3: 05: 41,500	163.78
03.	Robert Manzon	Gordini	36	3: 08: 14.700	161.56
04th	Mike Hawthorn	cooper	35
05.	Paul Brother	HWM	34
06th	Alan Brown	cooper	34
07th	Charles de Tornaco	Ferrari	33
08th.	Johnny Claes	Simca-Gordini	33
09.	Eric Brandon	cooper	33
10.	Birabongse Bira	Simca-Gordini	32
11.	Lance Macklin	HWM	32
12.	Roger Laurent	HWM	32
13.	Arthur Legate	Veritas	31
14th	Robert O'Brien	Simca-Gordini	30th
15th	Tony Gaze	HWM	30th
DNF	Robin Montgomerie-Charrington	Aston	17th	engine
DNF	Piero Taruffi	Ferrari	13	accident
DNF	Jean Behra	Gordini	13	accident			1
DNF	Ken Wharton	Frazer Nash	10	accident
DNF	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	5	engine
DNF	Peter Collins	HWM	3	Power transmission
DNF	Stirling Moss	ERA	0	engine

World Cup stand after the race

The first five got 8, 6, 4, 3 and 2 points respectively; there was a point for the fastest lap. Only the four best results from eight races count. * includes the point for the fastest lap, numbers in brackets are discarded results.

Item	driver	constructor									Points
01.	Piero Taruffi	Ferrari	*9 *								9
	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari			*9 *						9
03.	Troy Ruttman	Kuzma		8th							8th
04th	Rudolf Fischer	Ferrari	6th								6th
	Richard Rathmann	Kurti's power		6th							6th
	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari			6th						6th
07th	Jean Behra	Gordini	4th								4th
	Sam Hanks	Kurti's power		4th							4th
	Robert Manzon	Gordini			4th						4th
10.	Ken Wharton	Frazer Nash	3								3
	Duane Carter	Lesovsky		3							3
	Mike Hawthorn	Cooper-Bristol			3						3
13.	Alan Brown	Cooper-Bristol	2								2
	Art Cross	Kurti's power		2							2
	Paul Brother	HWM			2						2
16.	Bill Vukovich	Kurti's power		*1*							1

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Unless otherwise stated: Lang, Mike; Grand Prix 1950–1965; Haynes Publishing Group, Sparkford Sommerset 1981 S44. ( ISBN 0-85429-276-4 ) (Engl.)
2. ↑ Race report (English)