HISTORY OF THE RACE

HISTORY OF THE RACE.

The first Italian Grand Prix was run in 1921 on the Brescia road circuit, and was won by Jules Goux on one of the 3-litre Ballots, which were so narrowly defeated that year by the Duesenberg in the French Grand Prix. Goux covered the 326 miles of the race in 3 hours 35 minutes 9 seconds, and was followed home by Jean Chassagne also on a straight-eight Ballot and Louis Wagner on a Fiat.

In 1922 the scene of the race was moved to Monza track, which had just been completed and where it has been he.d ever since. The race was for 2-litre cars and resulted in a fine win for Pietro Bordino, on one of the new 6-cylinder Grand Prix Fiats, who covered the 500 miles of the race in 5 hours 43 minutes 13 seconds, an average speed of 86.9 m.p.h. Fiats were again victorious in 1923, and this time the winner, Carlo Salamano, drove one of the new straight-eight 2-litre cars which were the first successful supercharged racers. The race actually was that year merged with the European Grand Prix, and Salamano covered the 800 kilometres in 5 hours 27 minutes 38 seconds, an average speed of 91 m.p.h. Felice Nazzaro on a similar Fiat was again

second, and Murphy on a Miller third.

1924 was the turn of Alfa-Romeo and the race resulted in a victory for Antonio Ascari who on the straight-eight Grand Prix racer reduced the time for the distance to 5 hours 2 minutes 5 seconds, an average of 98.7 m.p.h. Louis Wagner and Guiseppe Campari, this year’s winner, Nv ere second and third on similar cars, and Minoia, who finished 2nd this year, also on an :Wit-Romeo was fourth. The race was unfortunately marred by the death of Count Zborowski.

In 1925 the Milanese firm was again successful, but this time the winner, Gaston Brilli Pen i was not able to equal Aseari’S record, his time being 5 hours 14 minutes 33 seconds, an average of 94.76 nip h. Guisippe Campari, also on an Alfa-Romeo was again second, and 1VIeo Costantini on a 1,500 c.c. Bugatti was third. In 1926 the race was something of a fiasco, for, run under the new 1,500 c.c. rule only one Bugatti driven by’ Sabipa ” finished. The distance on this occasion was reduced to 372 miles, and the winner’s time was 4 hours 20 minutes 29

seconds, an average of 85.9 m.p.h. The next year the race was again merged with the European Grand Prix, and still under the 1,500 c.c. rule, a better field was collected. The winner proved to be Robert Benoist on the straight-eight Delage, whose time was 3 hours 26 minutes 59 4/5 seconds, equal to an average speed of 90 m.p.h. Second place was gained by Morandi on a straight-eight 0.M., and Peter Kreis on a Miller was third.

The 1928 race was again merged with the Grand Prix of Europe, and was won by Louis Chiron on a 2-litre Bugatti, his time for the 372 miles being 3 hours 45 minutes 8 1/5 seconds, an average speed of just under 100 m.p.h. Ac.hille Varzi on a 2-litre Alfa-Romeo was second, and Tazio Nuvolari this year’s winner, was third on a 2-litre Bugatti.

In 1929 and 1930 the Italian Grand Prix was replaced by the Grand Prix of Monza, the winner on both occasions being Achille Varzi, first on a 2-litre Alfa-Romeo and then on a 21–litre Maserati. This year’s race is therefore the ninth of the series, and provided the third win for AlfaRomeo.