Difference between revisions of "Tripoli Grand Prix"

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The '''Tripoli Grand Prix''' in [[Libya]] was first held in 1925 and ended in 1940 following the onset of [[World War II]]. Part of the [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix circuit]], the race was held on a 71.10 km road course in [[Tripoli]] until 1933 when a new track was built, bringing the best drivers in the world to compete for the £80,000 purse, a very substantial amount at the time.
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[[Image:Tripoli Libya Grand Prix Poster.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Poster promoting the 1933 edition of the Grand Prix.]]
  
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Libya was then a colony of [[Italy]] and the new race course was opened at Mellaha Lake on May 7, 1933 by the country's Governor, Marshal [[Italo Balbo]]. The new track was an 8.165 mile (13.140 km) clockwise track with 15 turns situated in a salt basin between Tripoli and [[Tagiura]]. Designated a "''Formula Libre''" race, it meant there were neither engine nor weight restrictions applicable on what was then the fastest racetrack in the world. The race was held in conjunction with the state lottery and the 1933 inaugural event has become notorious for allegations of result fixing.
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The '''Tripoli Grand Prix''' in [[Libya]] was first held in 1925 and concluded in 1940 following the onset of [[World War II]].  Part of the [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix circuit]], the race was first held on a 71.10 kilometer road course in [[Tripoli]] until 1933 when a new track was built, bringing the best drivers in the world to compete for the £80,000 purse, a substantial amount at the time.
 +
 
 +
With Libya becoming a colony of [[Italy]], the new circuit was opened at Mellaha Lake on May 7th, 1933 by the country's governor, Marshal [[Italo Balbo]]. The new track was a 8.165 mile long (13.140 kilometer) affair with 15 turns situated in a salt basin between Tripoli and [[Tajura Wa Al Nawahi AlArba'|Tajura]]. From 1933 to 1938 the race was held as a ''Formula Libre'' event, meaning no weight or engine restrictions were enforced on what was then the fastest track in the world. By 1939 the Italians had tired of Germany's domination and they turned the event into a ''Voiturette'' race for smaller, 1500cc cars.  Still, a specially-built W165 Voiturette Mercedes driven by [[Hermann Lang]] won.  In 1940, with only the factory Alfa Romeo and Maserati teams plus independents in attendance, Dr. [[Giuseppe Farina]] took his only major pre-war victory on a [[Alfa Romeo 158|158]].  The race was never held again.
  
 
=== 1933 - Accusation of Foul Play ===
 
=== 1933 - Accusation of Foul Play ===
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The legend goes that a handful of the drivers colluded to fix who won the race.  This story first appears in [[Alfred Neubauer]]’s [[1958]] book ''Speed Was My Life (Männer, Frauen und Motoren: Die Erinnerungen des Mercedes- Rennleiters)''.  However research suggests that the story is a myth, abet a popular one {{ref|capps}}
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The Grand Prix was held in conjunction with the Libyan state lottery and, in the case of the inaugural Mellaha Lake event, there have long been accusations of result fixing.  From October of 1932 to April 16th of 1933, the government sold 12 lire lottery tickets and, after taking their cut, they put up the rest as the prize for a special lottery based on the outcome of the race.  Thirty attendance tickets were drawn at random eight days before the event and assigned to a corresponding race entry.  The holder of the winner's entry would receive three million lire, second place two million, and third one million.  The story, first publicized in [[Alfred Neubauer]]'s [[1958]] book ''Speed Was My Life (Männer, Frauen und Motoren: Die Erinnerungen des Mercedes- Rennleiters)'', alleged that [[Tazio Nuvolari]], [[Achille Varzi]] and [[Baconin Borzacchini]], along with their respective ticket holders, conspired to decide the outcome of the race in order to split some seven and a half million lire together.  Research suggests that the story is a popular myth.
  
 
==Winners==
 
==Winners==
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*1925 - [[Renato Balestrero]] (O.M.)
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*1926 - [[François Eysermann]] (Bugatti)
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===By year===
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*1927 - [[Emilio Materassi]] (Bugatti)
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−
*1928 - [[Tazio Nuvolari]] (Bugatti)
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{| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:600px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
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*1929 - [[Gastone Brilli-Peri]] (Talbot)
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
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*1930 - [[Baconin Borzacchini]] (Maserati)
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|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
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*1933 - [[Achille Varzi]] (Bugatti)
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! Year
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*1934 - Achille Varzi (Alfa Romeo)
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! Driver
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*1935 - [[Rudolf Caracciola]] (Mercedes-Benz)
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! Constructor
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*1936 - Achille Varzi (Auto-Union)
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! Location
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*1937 - [[Hermann Lang]] (Mercedes-Benz)
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! Report
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*1938 - Hermann Lang (Mercedes-Benz)
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|-
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*1939 - Hermann Lang (Mercedes-Benz)
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! [[1940 Grand Prix season|1940]]
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*1940 - [[Giuseppe Farina]] (Alfa Romeo)
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| [[Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).png|25px|Italy]] [[Giuseppe Farina]]
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| [[Alfa Romeo in motorsport|Alfa Romeo]]
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| [[Mellaha]]
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| [[1940 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
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! [[1939 Grand Prix season|1939]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Germany 1933.png|25px|Germany]] [[Hermann Lang]]
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| [[Mercedes-Benz]]
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| [[Mellaha]]
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| [[1939 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
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! [[1938 Grand Prix season|1938]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Germany 1933.png|25px|Germany]] [[Hermann Lang]]
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| [[Mercedes-Benz]]
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| [[Mellaha]]
 +
| [[1938 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1937 Grand Prix season|1937]]
 +
| [[Image:Flag of Germany 1933.png|25px|Germany]] [[Hermann Lang]]
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| [[Mercedes-Benz]]
 +
| [[Mellaha]]
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| [[1937 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
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! [[1936 Grand Prix season|1936]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).png|25px|Italy]] [[Achille Varzi]]
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| [[Auto Union]]
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| [[Mellaha]]
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| [[1936 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
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! [[1935 Grand Prix season|1935]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Germany 1933.png|25px|Germany]] [[Rudolf Caracciola]]
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| [[Mercedes-Benz]]
 +
| [[Mellaha]]
 +
| [[1935 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1934 Grand Prix season|1934]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).png|25px|Italy]] [[Achille Varzi]]
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| [[Alfa Romeo in motorsport|Alfa Romeo]]
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| [[Mellaha]]
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| [[1934 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
 +
! [[1933 Grand Prix season|1933]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).png|25px|Italy]] [[Achille Varzi]]
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| [[Bugatti]]
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| [[Mellaha]]
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| [[1933 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
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! [[1930 Grand Prix season|1930]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).png|25px|Italy]] [[Baconin Borzacchini]]
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| [[Maserati]]
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| [[Mellaha]]
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| [[1930 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
 +
! [[1929 Grand Prix season|1929]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).png|25px|Italy]] [[Gastone Brilli-Peri]]
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| [[Talbot]]
 +
| [[Mellaha]]
 +
| [[1929 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1928 Grand Prix season|1928]]
 +
| [[Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).png|25px|Italy]] [[Tazio Nuvolari]]
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| [[Bugatti]]
 +
| [[Mellaha]]
 +
| [[1928 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
 +
! [[1927 Grand Prix season|1927]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).png|25px|Italy]] [[Emilio Materassi]]
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| [[Bugatti]]
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| [[Mellaha]]
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| [[1927 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
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! [[1926 Grand Prix season|1926]]
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| [[Image:Flag of France.png|25px|France]] [[François Eysermann]]
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| [[Bugatti]]
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| [[Mellaha]]
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| [[1926 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
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|-
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! [[1925 Grand Prix season|1925]]
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| [[Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).png|25px|Italy]] [[Renato Balestrero]]
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| [[Officine Meccaniche|OM]]
 +
| [[Mellaha]]
 +
| [[1925 Tripoli Grand Prix|Report]]
 +
|}
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
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#{{note|capps}} H. Donald Capps. [http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/trip33.htm ''Tripoli 1933 - A Hard Look at the Legend'']
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* Leif Snellman. [http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gp392.htm#4 ''XIII° Gran Primo di Tripoli'']
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* H. Donald Capps. [http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/trip33.htm ''Tripoli 1933 - A Hard Look at the Legend'']
 +
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
 
*[http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/tripoli.htm Grand Prix History], Gran Premio di Tripoli
 
*[http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/tripoli.htm Grand Prix History], Gran Premio di Tripoli
 
*[http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/triumph1.htm Grand Prix History], Triumph: A Victor's Report
 
*[http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/triumph1.htm Grand Prix History], Triumph: A Victor's Report
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{{Formula One races}}
  
 
[[Category:Auto races]]
 
[[Category:Auto races]]
 
[[Category:Sport in Libya]]
 
[[Category:Sport in Libya]]
 
[[Category:Grand Prix motor racing]]
 
[[Category:Grand Prix motor racing]]

Latest revision as of 11:15, 7 July 2009

Poster promoting the 1933 edition of the Grand Prix.


The Tripoli Grand Prix in Libya was first held in 1925 and concluded in 1940 following the onset of World War II. Part of the Grand Prix circuit, the race was first held on a 71.10 kilometer road course in Tripoli until 1933 when a new track was built, bringing the best drivers in the world to compete for the £80,000 purse, a substantial amount at the time.

With Libya becoming a colony of Italy, the new circuit was opened at Mellaha Lake on May 7th, 1933 by the country's governor, Marshal Italo Balbo. The new track was a 8.165 mile long (13.140 kilometer) affair with 15 turns situated in a salt basin between Tripoli and Tajura. From 1933 to 1938 the race was held as a Formula Libre event, meaning no weight or engine restrictions were enforced on what was then the fastest track in the world. By 1939 the Italians had tired of Germany's domination and they turned the event into a Voiturette race for smaller, 1500cc cars. Still, a specially-built W165 Voiturette Mercedes driven by Hermann Lang won. In 1940, with only the factory Alfa Romeo and Maserati teams plus independents in attendance, Dr. Giuseppe Farina took his only major pre-war victory on a 158. The race was never held again.

1933 - Accusation of Foul Play

The Grand Prix was held in conjunction with the Libyan state lottery and, in the case of the inaugural Mellaha Lake event, there have long been accusations of result fixing. From October of 1932 to April 16th of 1933, the government sold 12 lire lottery tickets and, after taking their cut, they put up the rest as the prize for a special lottery based on the outcome of the race. Thirty attendance tickets were drawn at random eight days before the event and assigned to a corresponding race entry. The holder of the winner's entry would receive three million lire, second place two million, and third one million. The story, first publicized in Alfred Neubauer's 1958 book Speed Was My Life (Männer, Frauen und Motoren: Die Erinnerungen des Mercedes- Rennleiters), alleged that Tazio Nuvolari, Achille Varzi and Baconin Borzacchini, along with their respective ticket holders, conspired to decide the outcome of the race in order to split some seven and a half million lire together. Research suggests that the story is a popular myth.

Winners

By year

Year Driver Constructor Location Report
1940 Italy Giuseppe Farina Alfa Romeo Mellaha Report
1939 Germany Hermann Lang Mercedes-Benz Mellaha Report
1938 Germany Hermann Lang Mercedes-Benz Mellaha Report
1937 Germany Hermann Lang Mercedes-Benz Mellaha Report
1936 Italy Achille Varzi Auto Union Mellaha Report
1935 Germany Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz Mellaha Report
1934 Italy Achille Varzi Alfa Romeo Mellaha Report
1933 Italy Achille Varzi Bugatti Mellaha Report
1930 Italy Baconin Borzacchini Maserati Mellaha Report
1929 Italy Gastone Brilli-Peri Talbot Mellaha Report
1928 Italy Tazio Nuvolari Bugatti Mellaha Report
1927 Italy Emilio Materassi Bugatti Mellaha Report
1926 France François Eysermann Bugatti Mellaha Report
1925 Italy Renato Balestrero OM Mellaha Report

Notes


External links


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