# 1961 Modena Grand Prix

The 7th Modena Grand Prix was a non-championship motor race, run for cars complying with Formula One rules, held on 3 September 1961 at Modena Autodrome, Italy. The race was run over 100 laps of the circuit, and was dominated by British driver Stirling Moss in a Lotus 18/21.
The qualifying system for this event was very unusual in that despite over 30 entrants, the starting grid was restricted to only 14 cars. Furthermore, the fastest three Italian drivers in practice would be guaranteed to start the race, regardless of how many other drivers were faster. This resulted in Innes Ireland failing to qualify despite being 13th fastest, and faster than Giorgio Scarlatti who did qualify.
Moss took pole position, fastest lap and the win, finishing a few seconds ahead of the Porsche pairing of Jo Bonnier and Dan Gurney. Gurney led at the start, but Moss passed him on lap 11 and stayed in front.

## Qualifying

| Pos | No. | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap |
| 1 | 26 | Stirling Moss | Lotus-Climax | 0:58.6 | - |
| 2 | 10 | Jo Bonnier | Porsche | 0:59.0 | + 0.4 |
| 3 | 12 | Dan Gurney | Porsche | 0:59.0 | + 0.4 |
| 4 | 62 | Graham Hill | BRM-Climax | 0:59.3 | + 0.7 |
| 5 | 46 | Roy Salvadori | Cooper-Climax | 0:59.4 | + 0.8 |
| 6 | 14 | Jim Clark | Lotus-Climax | 0:59.6 | + 1.0 |
| 7 | 32 | Masten Gregory | Lotus-Climax | 0:59.7 | + 1.1 |
| 8 | 4 | Lorenzo Bandini | Cooper-Maserati | 0:59.8 | + 1.2 |
| 9 | 44 | John Surtees | Cooper-Climax | 0:59.8 | + 1.2 |
| 10 | 36 | Jack Brabham | Cooper-Climax | 0:59.8 | + 1.2 |
| 11 | 64 | Tony Brooks | BRM-Climax | 1:00.0 | + 1.4 |
| 12 | 30 | Henry Taylor | Lotus-Climax | 1:00.1 | + 1.5 |
| 13 | 16 | Innes Ireland | Lotus-Climax | 1:00.2 | + 1.6 |
| 14 | 42 | Roberto Bussinello | De Tomaso-Alfa Romeo | 1:00.4 | + 1.8 |
| 15 | 24 | Wolfgang Seidel | Lotus-Climax | 1:00.4 | + 1.8 |
| 16 | 50 | Maurice Trintignant | Cooper-Maserati | 1:00.6 | + 2.0 |
| 17 | 66 | Mauro Bianchi | Emeryson-Maserati | 1:01.2 | + 2.6 |
| 18 | 34 | Carel Godin de Beaufort | Porsche | 1:01.2 | + 2.6 |
| 19 | 18 | Giorgio Scarlatti | Lotus-Maserati | 1:01.6 | + 3.0 |
| 20 | 48 | Tim Parnell | Lotus-Climax | 1:01.7 | + 3.1 |
| 21 | 52 | Nino Vaccarella | De Tomaso-Alfa Romeo | 1:02.0 | + 3.4 |
| 22 | 28 | Menato Boffa | Cooper-Climax | 1:02.1 | + 3.5 |
| 23 | 56 | Roberto Lippi | De Tomaso-O.S.C.A | 1:02.9 | + 4.3 |
| 24 | 18 | Gaetano Starrabba | Lotus-Maserati | 1:03.0 | + 4.4 |
| 25 | 20 | Renato Pirocchi | Cooper-Maserati | 1:03.3 | + 4.7 |
| 26 | 22 | Gastone Zanarotti | De Tomaso-O.S.C.A | 1:03.3 | + 4.7 |
| 27 | 8 | Jackie Lewis | Cooper-Climax | 1:05.8 | + 7.2 |
| 28 | 60 | "Wal Ever" | Cooper-O.S.C.A. | 1:06.4 | + 7.8 |

## Results

| Pos | No. | Driver | Entrant | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid |
| 1 | 26 | Stirling Moss | Rob Walker Racing Team | Lotus-Climax | 100 | 1.40:08.1 | 1 |
| 2 | 10 | Jo Bonnier | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche | 100 | + 7.0 s | 2 |
| 3 | 12 | Dan Gurney | Porsche System Engineering | Porsche | 100 | + 7.3 s | 3 |
| 4 | 14 | Jim Clark | Team Lotus | Lotus-Climax | 99 | | 6 |
| 5 | 36 | Jack Brabham | Jack Brabham | Cooper-Climax | 99 | | 10 |
| 6 | 64 | Tony Brooks | Owen Racing Organisation | BRM-Climax | 99 | | 11 |
| 7 | 62 | Graham Hill | Owen Racing Organisation | BRM-Climax | 99 | | 4 |
| Ret | 4 | Lorenzo Bandini | Scuderia Centro Sud | Cooper-Maserati | 92 | Con-rod | 8 |
| Ret | 42 | Roberto Bussinello | Isobele de Tomaso | De Tomaso-Alfa Romeo | 75 | Oil pressure | 13 |
| Ret | 46 | Roy Salvadori | Yeoman Credit Racing Team | Cooper-Climax | 74 | Engine | 5 |
| NC | 32 | Masten Gregory | UDT Laystall Racing Team | Lotus-Climax | 71 | | 7 |
| Ret | 30 | Henry Taylor | UDT Laystall Racing Team | Lotus-Climax | 42 | Cylinder head gasket | 12 |
| Ret | 44 | John Surtees | Yeoman Credit Racing Team | Cooper-Climax | 25 | Engine | 9 |
| Ret | 18 | Giorgio Scarlatti | Gaetano Starrabba | Lotus-Maserati | 4 | Engine | 14 |
| DNQ | 16 | Innes Ireland | Team Lotus | Lotus-Climax | | | - |
| DNQ | 24 | Wolfgang Seidel | Scuderia Colonia | Lotus-Climax | | | - |
| DNQ | 50 | Maurice Trintignant | Scuderia Serenissima | Cooper-Maserati | | | - |
| DNQ | 66 | Mauro Bianchi | Equipe Nationale Belge | Emeryson-Maserati | | | - |
| DNQ | 34 | Carel Godin de Beaufort | Ecurie Maarsbergen | Porsche | | | - |
| DNQ | 48 | Tim Parnell | Tim Parnell | Lotus-Climax | | | - |
| DNQ | 52 | Nino Vaccarella | Scuderia Serenissima | De Tomaso-Alfa Romeo | | | - |
| DNQ | 28 | Menato Boffa | Menato Boffa | Cooper-Climax | | | - |
| DNQ | 56 | Roberto Lippi | Scuderia Settecolli | De Tomaso-O.S.C.A | | | - |
| DNQ | 18 | Gaetano Starrabba | Gaetano Starrabba | Lotus-Maserati | | | - |
| DNQ | 20 | Renato Pirocchi | Pescara Racing Club | Cooper-Maserati | | | - |
| DNQ | 22 | Gastone Zanarotti | Isobele de Tomaso | De Tomaso-O.S.C.A | | | - |
| DNQ | 8 | Jackie Lewis | H & L Motors | Cooper-Climax | | | - |
| DNQ | 60 | "Wal Ever" | "Wal Ever" | Cooper-O.S.C.A. | | | - |
| WD | 2 | André Pilette | Equipe Nationale Belge | Emeryson-Maserati | | | - |
| WD | 38 | John Campbell-Jones | John Campbell-Jones | Cooper-Climax | | Driver injured | - |
| WD | 40 | Ian Burgess | Camoradi International | Lotus-Climax | | Car not ready | - |
| WD | 54 | Brian Naylor | JBW Cars | JBW-Climax | | | - |
| WD | 58 | Ernesto Prinoth | Scuderia Dolomiti | Lotus-Climax | | Car not ready | - |
* Scarlatti and Starrabba used the same car.
* Scuderia Centro Sud entered a Cooper-Maserati, given #6, but withdrew the entry.