1955 Grand Prix de Rouen-les-Essarts

The 1955 Grand Prix de Rouen-les-Essarts was a non-championship Formula One race held at Rouen-les-Essarts on 9 April 1955. Ran concurrently with the 1955 Singapore Grand Prix, the race was the scene of the first F1 appearances by the B.C.M.A. and Irish Racing Cars teams, as well as drivers Tony Brooks and Desmond Titterington, who would become two of the championship's most celebrated and tragic figures. The weekend was dominated by eventual three-time world champion Jack Brabham in his first race for Alfa Romeo.

Race report

Brabham got the best getaway and led the first lap from Farina and Macklin, while further back, André Simon stalled on the grid with a burnt-out clutch. Stan Jones quickly fell down the order as Manzon rose through it, while qualifying surprise Ottorino Volonterio retired on the second lap with a blown gearbox. Manzon's promising start, however, was quickly ended when André Pilette rather optimistically tried to pass him at Sanson. The Belgian tappde his rear wheel, sending the Frenchman spinning into the trackside ditch, almost taking Tony Gaze with him.

On lap 5, Farina caught and passed Brabham for the lead. Brown almost crashed into Titterington too, but both continued after the slight touch. Tony Gaze's engine promptly expired, reducing the field to 16. Brabham took the lead again on lap 8, setting the fastest lap in the process. Brooks simultaneously retired from a promising 8th place with an oil leak. Behind the dominant Alfa Romeos, Lance Macklin's brilliant run in third place was ended on lap 13 when Rubirosa finally passed him, closely followed by André Pilette. Halfway through the 30-lap race, Brabham led from Farina, who almost crashed into his teammate, Rubirosa, Pilette, Macklin, Jones, de Filippis, Marzotto, Gordini, de Graffenried, Brown, Behra, de Portago, Titterington and Rosier.

Shortly thereafter, Pilette span out on oil or possibly karma. His race was over a few laps after ending Manzon's. Just behind him, Jones took the opportunity to pass Macklin for what was now fourth place. But then, on lap 20, the race changed as Farina, trying to find a way past Brabham, span off at la Scierie, striking the earthbank and ending his race. He had been seemingly trying too hard this race to assert dominance over the Australian, who himself appeared to be effortlessly maintaining his lead. Could this be the turning point in the Italian champion's career?

On lap 23, a very surreal sight was observed as Lance Macklin and Maria Teresa de Filippis, both fighting for fourth place, saw their engines catch fire within seconds of each other. They both got out of their cars and looked at the other, more confused than anything. This left Brabham to lead from Rubirosa, the unexpected Stan Jones in the Balkan Leader, Marzotto, de Portago and Gordini. These last two would fight over fifth place with Toulo de Graffenried and Desmond Titterington.

But on this day, no one could stop the dominant Jack Brabham, winning by a long, long way over Porfirio Rubirosa in his first drive for Gordini. The ecstatic Stan Jones finished third. Marzotto was fourth, a bit closer behind. For fifth, Alfonso de Portago's Loyer won the battle for fifth place ahead of Aldo Gordini for ARE, Titterington for IRA and de Graffenried for Voeckler.

Classification

Entry list

No	Driver	Entrant	Chassis	Engine
2	André Simon	Écurie Voeckler	Alfa Romeo AR161	Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
4	Toulo de Graffenried	Écurie Voeckler	Alfa Romeo AR161	Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
6	Desmond Titterington	Irish Racing Cars	Lancia D50	Lancia DS50 2.5 V8
8	Lance Macklin	Reatherson Racing Developments	Bentley Speed 4	Ferrari 555 2.5 L4
10	Alan Brown	Vanwall	Vanwall VW55	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4
12	Chico Landi	Officine Alfieri Maserati	Maserati AM53	Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
14	Robert Manzon	/ Alexander Racing Team-Gordini	Gordini G-953	Gordini ART-004 3.0 V6
16	Porfirio Rubirosa		Gordini G-953	Gordini ART-004 3.0 V6
18	Aldo Gordini	Anglo Racing Engineering	Gordini G-953	Gordini ART-004 3.0 V6
20	Mike Oliver		Maserati AM53	O.S.C.A. 3000V8 3.0 V8
22	Jacques Pollet	Guidobaldi	Guidobaldi FG01	Mercedes UM153 4.5 V10
24	Giannino Marzotto	Maria Teresa de Filippis	O.S.C.A. F154	O.S.C.A. 156s 1.5 L6s
26	Maria Teresa de Filippis	/ Scuderia Anglo-Italia	O.S.C.A. F154	Bentley 16VL-1 3.0 V16
28	André Pilette	Ecurie Nationale Belge	Bentley Speed 4	Bentley 16VL-1 3.0 V16
30	Paul Frère		Cooper T40	Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
32	Alfonso de Portago	Loyer Racing	Loyer LR101	Porsche 755 1.5 L4
34	Jean Behra	Porsche System Engineering	Porsche 855	Porsche 755 1.5 L4
36	Robert la Caze	Écurie Maghreb	Lancia D50	Lancia DS50 2.5 V8
38	Tony Brooks	British Commonwealth Motorsport Association	B.C.M.A. C-01	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6 JFE-2 4.5 V12
40	Jack Brabham	Alfa Romeo SpA	Alfa Romeo AR161	Alfa Romeo AR2V8 1.5 V8
42	Giuseppe Farina		Alfa Romeo AR161	Alfa Romeo AR2V8 1.5 V8
44	Tony Gaze		Alfa Romeo AR160	Alfa Romeo ARV8 1.5 V8
46	Stan Jones	/ Balkan Leader	Alfa Romeo AR161	Balkan Lion F154 1.5 L4
48	Doug Whiteford	Doug Whiteford	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
50	Louis Chiron	Louis Chiron	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
52	Pierre Levegh	Pierre Levegh	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
54	Tom Kyffin	Tom Kyffin	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
56	Gordon Rolls	Gordon Rolls	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
58	Anne Hall	BRUNEL	Bentley Speed 3	Bentley 163-1 3.0 V16
60	Don Beauman	Don Beauman	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
62	Eugène Martin	Eugène Martin	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
64	Ottorino Volonterio	Ottorino Volonterio	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
66	Horace Gould	Horace Gould	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
68	Chantrel	Chantrel	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
70	Paul Emery	Paul Emery	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
72	Tony Rolt	Tony Rolt	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
74	Jack Fairman	Jack Fairman	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
76	Cliff Allison	Cliff Allison	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
78	Louis Rosier	Louis & Jean-Louis Rosier	HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4
80	Jean-Louis Rosier		HWM 55	Alta GP 2.5 L4

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Time	Gap
1	40	Jack Brabham	Alfa Romeo	2:45.29	-
2	42	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	2:48.35	+ 3.06
3	8	Lance Macklin	Bentley-Ferrari	2:49.67	+ 4.38
4	16	Porfirio Rubirosa	Gordini	2:49.77	+ 4.48
5	46	Stan Jones	Alfa Romeo-Balkan Lion	2:50.69	+ 5.40
6	44	Tony Gaze	Alfa Romeo	2:50.81	+ 5.52
7	14	Robert Manzon	Gordini	2:51.65	+ 6.36
8	28	André Pilette	Bentley	2:51.72	+ 6.43
9	26	Maria Teresa de Filippis	O.S.C.A.-Bentley	2:52.58	+ 7.29
10	24	Giannino Marzotto	O.S.C.A.	2:53.41	+ 8.12
11	2	André Simon	Alfa Romeo-Jaguar	2:54.74	+ 9.45
12	6	Desmond Titterington	Lancia	2:55.36	+ 10.07
13	38	Tony Brooks	B.C.M.A.	2:55.52	+ 10.23
14	4	Toulo de Graffenried	Alfa Romeo-Jaguar	2:56.02	+ 10.73
15	10	Alan Brown	Vanwall	2:56.88	+ 11.59
16	32	Alfonso de Portago	Loyer-Porsche	2:56.89	+ 11.60
17	18	Aldo Gordini	Gordini	2:57.89	+ 12.60
18	34	Jean Behra	Porsche	2:57.92	+ 12.63
19	64	Ottorino Volonterio	HWM-Alta	2:58.05	+ 12.76
20	80	Jean-Louis Rosier	HWM-Alta	2:58.66	+ 13.37
21	48	Doug Whiteford	HWM-Alta	2:58.83	+ 13.54
22	76	Cliff Allison	HWM-Alta	2:58.99	+ 13.70
23	78	Louis Rosier	HWM-Alta	2:59.00	+ 13.71
24	36	Robert la Caze	Lancia	2:59.16	+ 13.87
25	72	Tony Rolt	HWM-Alta	2:59.17	+ 13.88
26	58	Anne Hall	Bentley	2:59.31	+ 14.02
27	70	Paul Emery	HWM-Alta	2:59.82	+ 14.53
28	50	Louis Chiron	HWM-Alta	2:59.90	+ 14.61
29	12	Chico Landi	Maserati	3:00.40	+ 15.11
30	56	Gordon Rolls	HWM-Alta	3:00.65	+ 15.36
31	68	Chantrel	HWM-Alta	3:00.66	+ 15.37
32	74	Jack Fairman	HWM-Alta	3:00.67	+ 15.38
33	62	Eugène Martin	HWM-Alta	3:00.98	+ 15.69
34	66	Horace Gould	HWM-Alta	3:00.99	+ 15.70
35	52	Pierre Levegh	HWM-Alta	3:01.64	+ 16.35
36	60	Don Beauman	HWM-Alta	3:01.65	+ 16.36
37	54	Tom Kyffin	HWM-Alta	3:01.80	+ 16.51
38	20	Mike Oliver	Maserati-O.S.C.A.	3:01.85	+ 16.56
39	30	Paul Frère	Cooper-Jaguar	3:02.41	+ 17.12
40	22	Jacques Pollet	Guidobaldi-Mercedes	3:02.46	+ 17.17

Race

Pos	No	Driver	Team	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid
1	30	B. Bira	Aston Martin-Jaguar	73	2:00:33.03	3
2	4	Dries van der Lof	Aston Martin-Jaguar	73	+19.53	5
3	26	Robert Manzon	Gordini	73	+20.25	4
4	10	Anne Hall	Bentley	68	+5 laps	13
5	40	Roger Loyer	HWM-Alta	66	+7 laps	20
Ret	50	Bill Vukovich	HWM-Alta	62	Engine	18
Ret	14	José Froilán González	O.S.C.A.	59	Spin	6
Ret	20	John Fitch	Leader-Jaguar	48	Spin	10
Ret	36	Geoff Richardson	HWM-Alta	35	Accident	21
Ret	60	Adolfo Schwelm Cruz	HWM-Alta	30	Accident	16
Ret	18	Roger Laurent	Maserati	23	Collision	12
Ret	28	Peter Collins	Gordini	12	Accident	1
Ret	16	Bernie Ecclestone	Mercedes	11	Accident	9
Ret	56	Paco Godia	HWM-Alta	11	Collision	15
Ret	32	Roberto Mieres	Aston Martin-Jaguar	10	Accident	11
Ret	6	Hans Herrmann	EMW-Mercedes	10	Spin	14
Ret	44	Herman Roosdorp	HWM-Alta	10	Gearbox	22
Ret	48	Vladimir Wojciechowski	HWM-Alta	6	Engine	19
Ret	8	Jack Brabham	Ferrari	4	Collision	7
Ret	22	Louis Chiron	Leader-O.S.C.A.	4	Collision	8
DNS	2	Maurice Trintignant	Aston Martin-Jaguar		Gearbox	2
DNS	56	Duncan Hamilton	HWM-Alta		Engine	17
DNQ	58	Juan Jover	HWM-Alta
DNQ	52	Simone des Forest	HWM-Alta
DNQ	34	Ottorino Volonterio	HWM-Alta
DNQ	42	Alan Brown	HWM-Alta
DNQ	46	Dennis Poore	HWM-Alta
DNQ	54	Francesco Severi	HWM-Alta
DNQ	12	Ron Flockhart	Maserati
DNQ	24	Stan Jones	Alfa Romeo-Balkan Lion