1956 Thai Grand Prix: Difference between revisions

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Flag of Thailand svg.png 1956 Thai Grand Prix
Race 10 of 10 in the 1956 Alternate Formula One season
1280px-Bangkok Grand Prix Circuit 1939.jpg
Date December 2, 1956
Official Name I ไทยกรังด์ปรีซ์
Location Bangkok Street Circuit
Course Temporary street circuit
3.220 km (2.000 mi)
Distance 109 laps, 350.98 km (218.0 mi)
Weather Cloudy
Pole Position
Driver Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Stirling Moss O.S.C.A.
Time 1:30.52
Fastest Lap
Driver Flag of France svg.png Robert Manzon O.S.C.A.
Time 1:31.94
Podium
First Flag of Italy svg.png Consalvo Sanesi Gordini
Second Flag of Argentina svg.png José Froilán González O.S.C.A.
Third Flag of Italy svg.png Umberto Maglioli Ferrari


The 1956 Thai Grand Prix was the tenth and final race of the 1956 Formula One World Championship and was held in Bangkok on December 2nd 1956. Jack Brabham and Stirling Moss, the two remaining championship contenders (following Desmond Titterington's decision to retire from motorsport prior to the event), started the race in the first two positions. Brabham stalled on the grid, but Moss failed to capitalise as his car failed early in the race, earning Brabham his second world title. Brabham's Gordini teammate Consalvo Sanesi took his final race victory, tying Brabham, B. Bira and Giuseppe Farina for the all-time record. Moss' teammate José Froilán González finished second, with Umberto Maglioli third for Ferrari. This was the first World Championship event to be held in Asia.

Background

What a season it has been. Jack Brabham has been far and away the fastest driver, as shown by his five pole positions, four fastest laps and three race victories. However, as his Gordini has proven to be very unreliable, this has meant that he has been unable to pull away in the title fight. In fact, Desmond Titterington led the championship for a certain amount of time. Brabham had a shot at sealing the title in Monza, but by retiring, he ensured the title would go to Bangkok, the race that no one wanted to attend.

And yet, here we are.

Following the devastating deaths of André Milhoux, Paco Godia, Tony Brooks and Dries van der Lof, as well as 7 spectators in Rouen, Desmond Titterington understandably retired from motorsport after the Italian Grand Prix, despite having a distinct title chance. This leaves Stirling Moss as the unexpected sole challenger to Brabham's dominance, five points adrift. This, along with O.S.C.A. being a single point behind Gordini in the teams' championships, has ensured that the intrigue would last a fair while longer.

Due to the large distance between Thailand and mainland Europe and the astronomical rise in cost associated with the Suez Crisis, many teams simply decided not to bother, leaving the field wide open for privateers seeking a piece of glory. Including the works teams, only 24 drivers will be competing this weekend.

  • In a bid to seal all championships, O.S.C.A. have decided to field a full four-car operation, with regulars Volonterio, Moss, González and Manzon competing. Troy Ruttman was not retained despite his fifth place finish in Monza.
  • One of many local drivers competing, recent Macau Grand Prix winner Doug Steane, from Hong Kong, will be entering a spare Gordini.
  • Arsenio Laurel, from the Philippines, also loaned a Gordini (having driven for them in Singapore in 1955) for his own Ecurie Pinoy.
  • Team Lotus, banking on the home advantage of B. Bira, have decided to field a full team with Bira, Gregory and Davison, who will likely take the opportunity to visit his family in Australia.
  • The glorious Union of Socialist Soviet Republics has returned to the paddock, Vasiliy Kuznetsov back behind the wheel of the GAZ in Thailand.
  • Returning to Macau Grand Prix winners, local business magnate Theodore Yip has entered old Aston Martin-Jaguars for the race's first two winners, Eduardo de Carvalho and Robert Ritchie, from Portugal and the UK.
  • While O.S.C.A. are entering with full force, Gordini are entering the bare minimum of Brabham and Consalvo Sanesi to act as a buffer against the Italian onslaught.
  • Frederico Hernandez, unable to attend the race himself, decided to loan his car to countryman Juan Galvez, who will make his début.
  • As Ferrari will only be entering this race with one works car, Tony Gaze decided to loan one of the team's chassis for himself.
  • Umberto Maglioli will be the sole works Ferrari driver following his brilliant podium in Silverstone.
  • Over four years after his unremarkable début, John Riseley-Prichard will be making his second F1 appearance in an unusual Cooper-DB combination sponsored by wealthy privateer Sir Jeremy Boles.
  • Announcing the team's dissolution following the race, Henry Reatherson has decided to finish his F1 involvement with a two-car entry for Ken Wharton and Giulio Cabianca, thanks to the benevolence of Ferrari.
  • Similarly, BRUNEL will be spending the last of their money on sending Maria Teresa de Filippis to Bangkok in the O.S.C.A.-Porsche.
  • Finally, Bruce Halford will also be digging into the depths of his bank account to send himself and Australian motorcycle rider Ken Kavanagh to Bangkok, seeing a good opportunity to net a good result.

With the circuit being only 3.2km long and winding around the royal palace and government buildings, only the fastest 20 drivers will make Sunday's race.

Race weekend

Qualifying

The stage is set for a brilliant race tomorrow, with the two title contenders in the top two spots and the underdog on pole, but their teammates are very close behind. In general, it wasn't hard to make the grid, but John Riseley-Prichard's F3 car had no hope in the first place, and Teddy Yip's 1953 Aston-Jags had little chance. In fact, it was only a brilliant effort from Arsenio Laurel that prevented him from suffering the same fate in the 1953 Gordini, instead forcing Vasiliy Kuznetsov in the controversial Soviet entry to sit out the race.

Race

Jack Brabham stalled on the grid, which was later attributed to a terminal clutch failure. The title was wide open for Stirling Moss and O.S.C.A. to take.

Robert Manzon led the first lap from the fast-starting González and Maglioli, with Moss lagging behind in fourth. Moss fell back further, preserving his car, while González took the race lead on lap 4. As Moss lost positions, the order was shuffled continually. Juan Gálvez then retired when he smashed into one of the palace walls on lap 8. He was sent to the hospital in pain, but conscious. Many drivers refused to overtake for a long time, unfamiliar with the new circuit, and at the front, González made a mistake on the uneven surface at the final corner of lap 14. He kept the car running, but lost the lead to Umberto Maglioli in the Ferrari.

On lap 16, however, it was evident that Moss wasn't holding back intentionally. He pulled into the pits with an ill-sounding car, his gearbox having been failing since the very beginning. He pulled out of the race when he had reached last place, ensuring the Jack Brabham could once again break out the champagne. In the meantime, Giulio Cabianca span out from a puncture caused by debris from Gálvez's accident, putting an end to a fine race up to that point. They were closely followed by Bira, whose engine caught fire, prompting the race attendance figures to take a nosedive. Bira was in fourth place at the time. Ken Wharton retired from another engine failure on the following lap.

González and Sanesi began fighting over second place, allowing Maglioli to pull away in the lead momentarily. Behind them, Lex Davison had worked his way up to fifth place, but retired on lap 27 with faulty steering. Doug Steane followed him with an oil leak. Umberto Maglioli lost his lead, with González and Sanesi catching up by lap 32, but Maglioli suddenly pulled away again without relinquishing the lead. With a lack of frontrunners (and Volonterio having a shocking race), Ken Kavanagh, Maria Teresa de Filippis and Onofre Marimón were fighting for sixth. Volonterio's race was mercifully ended on lap 49, when he pulled into the pits, demoralised at the lack of overtaking opportunities on the circuit. On lap 53, González and Sanesi caught Maglioli once again, but the Italian managed to keep them behind a while longer. The field was reduced to 10 when de Filippis' gearbox failed from eighth.

The dream ended on lap 62 when Sanesi found a way past Maglioli on the twisty street circuit. Bruce Halford was the next man to retire on lap 71, when he pulled into the pit with suspension failure, having briefly run in sixth place, and leaving teammate/employee Ken Kavanagh in sixth himself. Robert Manzon then retired with a clutch failure. No places were changing hands at this point, as the race settled into a procession. Then, around lap 85, González started to gain time. On lap 91, he easily left Maglioli in his dust and set about catching Sanesi. Further back, Kavanagh caught and passed Tony Gaze for what was now fourth place. Ultimately, Maglioli was unable to keep the pace at all, while González couldn't quite find the speed to challenge Sanesi, ending the fight in the top three and securing all titles for Gordini. Tony Gaze ran out of fuel less than ten laps from the end, leaving Kavanagh and Marimón to battle hard for fourth place. Sadly, with two laps to go, Kavanagh's engine failed, though he was still classified in fifth place. Masten Gregory claimed the final point, having been mired in the tight midfield battle and lost time behind slower cars. Arsenio Laurel was the last remaining runner, a very distant seventh.

Classification

Championship standings

Pos Driver Points
1 Flag of Australia svg.png Jack Brabham 27
2 Flag of Italy svg.png Consalvo Sanesi 22
3 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Desmond Titterington 22
4 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Stirling Moss 22
5 Flag of Argentina svg.png José Froilán González 18
Pos Constructor Points
1 Flag of France svg.png Gordini 47
2 Flag of Italy svg.png O.S.C.A. 43
3 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png B.C.M.A. 31
4 Flag of Italy svg.png Lancia 26
5 Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari 23
Pos Driver Points
1 Flag of France svg.png Alexander Racing Team-Gordini 47
2 Flag of Italy svg.png Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili 43
3 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png British Commonwealth Motorsport Association 31
4 Flag of Ireland svg.png Irish Racing Cars 25
5 Flag of Italy svg.png Scuderia Ferrari 23
  • Only the top five positions are listed.
Previous race:
1956 Italian Grand Prix
Alternate Formula 1 World Championship
1956 Season
Next race:
1957 Moroccan Grand Prix
Previous race:
None
Thai Grand Prix Next race:
None