# 1952 British Grand Prix

The 1952 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on 19 July 1952 at Silverstone Circuit. It was race 5 of 8 in the 1952 World Championship of Drivers, in which each Grand Prix was run to Formula Two rules rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.
New pit facilities had been built on the straight between Woodcote and Copse corners; the original pits were located between Abbey and Woodcote.

## Report

Jean Behra was unable to take part in the British Grand Prix, having broken his shoulder blade at the non-championship Grand Prix de Sables d'Olonne the previous weekend. Consequently, Maurice Trintignant took over Behra's Gordini T16 for Silverstone, having driven a Simca-Gordini T15 at Rouen-Les-Essarts. The Gordini team also fielded regular drivers Robert Manzon and Prince Bira. As in the previous race, Belgian driver Johnny Claes entered a privateer Simca-Gordini under the 'Ecurie Belge' moniker. Ferrari stuck with the same three drivers — Alberto Ascari, Nino Farina and Piero Taruffi — who had monopolised the podium positions at the French Grand Prix. There were also a number of privateer Ferrari entrants: Fischer and Hirt for Ecurie Espadon, Peter Whitehead and Roy Salvadori. HWM continued their policy of partnering regulars Peter Collins and Lance Macklin with a local driver, in this case Duncan Hamilton. The Connaught team ran a quartet of Lea Francis-engined entries — McAlpine, Downing, Thompson and Poore — while the remainder of the grid was made up of a series of privateers of various constructors, including Coopers and Maseratis.
The three works Ferraris, led on this occasion by Farina, again qualified in the top three positions on the grid, this time being joined on the four-car front row by Manzon. The second row consisted of Downing alongside Reg Parnell and Mike Hawthorn in a pair of Cooper-Bristols. The Connaughts of Poore and Thompson shared row three with Bira's Gordini and Hamilton in his HWM.
Ascari took the lead at the start of the race and held onto it for the whole 85 laps, taking his third consecutive victory in the World Championship. Polesitter Nino Farina was in second place for the first 26 laps but he dropped down the field when he needed to pit to change spark plugs, eventually finishing in sixth, just outside the points. Despite making a bad start that saw him drop to ninth by the end of the first lap, fellow Ferrari driver Taruffi recovered to take second place, finishing a lap behind Ascari. Dennis Poore, who had been running in third after Farina's pit stop, needed to make a stop of his own in order to refuel his car. This allowed Hawthorn to inherit third place, which he held for the remainder of the race. He finished a lap behind Taruffi and took his first World Championship podium in just his third race. Poore took fourth, ahead of Connaught teammate Eric Thompson in the fifth and final points position.
Ascari's win, coupled with yet another fastest lap, allowed him to extend his lead in the Drivers' Championship once again. He now enjoyed an eight-point lead over fellow Ferrari driver Taruffi. Farina, having not scored any points, was seven points adrift of Taruffi.

## Entries

| No | Driver | Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre |
| 1 | Graham Whitehead | Peter Whitehead | Alta | Alta F2 | Alta F2 2.0 L4 | D |
| 2 | Bill Aston | W.S. Aston | Aston Butterworth | Aston NB41 | Aston Butterworth F4 2.0 F4 | D |
| 3 | Kenneth McAlpine | Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Lea Francis | Connaught A | Lea Francis 2.0 L4 | D |
| 4 | Ken Downing | Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Lea Francis | Connaught A | Lea Francis 2.0 L4 | D |
| 5 | Eric Thompson | Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Lea Francis | Connaught A | Lea Francis 2.0 L4 | D |
| 6 | Dennis Poore | Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Lea Francis | Connaught A | Lea Francis 2.0 L4 | D |
| 7 | David Murray | Ecurie Ecosse | Cooper-Bristol | Cooper T20 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D |
| 8 | Reg Parnell | AHM Bryde | Cooper-Bristol | Cooper T20 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D |
| 9 | Mike Hawthorn | Leslie D. Hawthorn | Cooper-Bristol | Cooper T20 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D |
| 10 | Eric Brandon | Ecurie Richmond | Cooper-Bristol | Cooper T20 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D |
| 11 | Alan Brown | Ecurie Richmond | Cooper-Bristol | Cooper T20 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D |
| 12 | Stirling Moss | English Racing Automobiles Ltd. | ERA-Bristol | ERA G | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D |
| 14 | Roy Salvadori | G. Caprara | Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari Type 500 2.0 L4 | D |
| 15 | Alberto Ascari | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari Type 500 2.0 L4 | P |
| 16 | Nino Farina | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari Type 500 2.0 L4 | P |
| 17 | Piero Taruffi | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari Type 500 2.0 L4 | P |
| 18 | Louis Rosier | Ecurie Rosier | Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari Type 500 2.0 L4 | D |
| 19 | Rudi Fischer | Ecurie Espadon | Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari Type 500 2.0 L4 | P |
| 20 | Peter Hirt | Ecurie Espadon | Ferrari | Ferrari 212 | Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 | P |
| 21 | Peter Whitehead | Peter Whitehead | Ferrari | Ferrari 125 | Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 | D |
| 22 | Ken Wharton | Scuderia Franera | Frazer Nash-Bristol | Frazer Nash FN48 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D |
| 23 | Tony Crook | Tony Crook | Frazer Nash-BMW | Frazer Nash 421 | BMW 328 2.0 L6 | D |
| 24 | Robert Manzon | Equipe Gordini | Gordini | Gordini T16 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 | E |
| 25 | Maurice Trintignant | Equipe Gordini | Gordini | Gordini T16 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 | E |
| 26 | Prince Bira | Equipe Gordini | Gordini | Gordini T16 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 | E |
| 27 | Johnny Claes | Ecurie Belge | Simca-Gordini | Simca-Gordini T15 | Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | E |
| 28 | Tony Gaze | Tony Gaze | HWM-Alta | HWM 52 | Alta F2 2.0 L4 | D |
| 29 | Peter Collins | HW Motors | HWM-Alta | HWM 52 | Alta F2 2.0 L4 | D |
| 30 | Duncan Hamilton | HW Motors | HWM-Alta | HWM 52 | Alta F2 2.0 L4 | D |
| 31 | Lance Macklin | HW Motors | HWM-Alta | HWM 52 | Alta F2 2.0 L4 | D |
| 32 | Toulo de Graffenried | Enrico Platé | Maserati-Platé | Maserati 4CLT-48 | Platé 2.0 L4 | P |
| 33 | Harry Schell | Enrico Platé | Maserati-Platé | Maserati 4CLT-48 | Platé 2.0 L4 | P |
| 34 | Gino Bianco | Escuderia Bandeirantes | Maserati | Maserati A6GCM | Maserati A6G 2.0 L6 | P |
| 35 | Eitel Cantoni | Escuderia Bandeirantes | Maserati | Maserati A6GCM | Maserati A6G 2.0 L6 | P |
| Sources: |||||||
    ^1 — Roy Salvadori qualified and drove the entire race in the #14 Ferrari. Bobbie Baird, named substitute driver for the car, was not used during the Grand Prix.
    ^2 — Louis Rosier and Ken Wharton both withdrew from the event prior to practice.

## Classification
### Qualifying

| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap |
| 1 | 16 | Nino Farina | Ferrari | 1:50 | – |
| 2 | 15 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | 1:50 | + 0 |
| 3 | 17 | Piero Taruffi | Ferrari | 1:53 | + 3 |
| 4 | 24 | Robert Manzon | Gordini | 1:55 | + 5 |
| 5 | 4 | Ken Downing | Connaught-Lea Francis | 1:56 | + 6 |
| 6 | 8 | Reg Parnell | Cooper-Bristol | 1:56 | + 6 |
| 7 | 9 | Mike Hawthorn | Cooper-Bristol | 1:56 | + 6 |
| 8 | 6 | Dennis Poore | Connaught-Lea Francis | 1:56 | + 6 |
| 9 | 5 | Eric Thompson | Connaught-Lea Francis | 1:57 | + 7 |
| 10 | 26 | Prince Bira | Gordini | 1:57 | + 7 |
| 11 | 30 | Duncan Hamilton | HWM-Alta | 1:57 | + 7 |
| 12 | 1 | Graham Whitehead | Alta | 1:58 | + 8 |
| 13 | 11 | Alan Brown | Cooper-Bristol | 1:58 | + 8 |
| 14 | 29 | Peter Collins | HWM-Alta | 1:58 | + 8 |
| 15 | 19 | Rudi Fischer | Ferrari | 1:58 | + 8 |
| 16 | 12 | Stirling Moss | ERA-Bristol | 1:59 | + 9 |
| 17 | 3 | Kenneth McAlpine | Connaught-Lea Francis | 2:00 | + 10 |
| 18 | 10 | Eric Brandon | Cooper-Bristol | 2:00 | + 10 |
| 19 | 14 | Roy Salvadori | Ferrari | 2:00 | + 10 |
| 20 | 21 | Peter Whitehead | Ferrari | 2:00 | + 10 |
| 21 | 25 | Maurice Trintignant | Gordini | 2:00 | + 10 |
| 22 | 7 | David Murray | Cooper-Bristol | 2:02 | + 12 |
| 23 | 27 | Johnny Claes | Simca-Gordini-Gordini | 2:02 | + 12 |
| 24 | 20 | Peter Hirt | Ferrari | 2:03 | + 13 |
| 25 | 23 | Tony Crook | Frazer Nash-BMW | 2:03 | + 13 |
| 26 | 28 | Tony Gaze | HWM-Alta | 2:05 | + 15 |
| 27 | 35 | Eitel Cantoni | Maserati | 2:06 | + 16 |
| 28 | 34 | Gino Bianco | Maserati | 2:07 | + 17 |
| 29 | 31 | Lance Macklin | HWM-Alta | 2:08 | + 18 |
| 30 | 2 | Bill Aston | Aston Butterworth | 3:28 | + 1:38 |
| 31 | 32 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati-Platé | No time | – |
| 32 | 33 | Harry Schell | Maserati-Platé | No time | – |

### Race

| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| 1 | 15 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | 85 | 2:46:11 | 2 | 9 |
| 2 | 17 | Piero Taruffi | Ferrari | 84 | +1 lap | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | 9 | Mike Hawthorn | Cooper-Bristol | 83 | +2 laps | 7 | 4 |
| 4 | 6 | Dennis Poore | Connaught-Lea Francis | 83 | +2 laps | 8 | 3 |
| 5 | 5 | Eric Thompson | Connaught-Lea Francis | 82 | +3 laps | 9 | 2 |
| 6 | 16 | Nino Farina | Ferrari | 82 | +3 laps | 1 | |
| 7 | 8 | Reg Parnell | Cooper-Bristol | 82 | +3 laps | 6 | |
| 8 | 14 | Roy Salvadori | Ferrari | 82 | +3 laps | 19 | |
| 9 | 4 | Ken Downing | Connaught-Lea Francis | 82 | +3 laps | 5 | |
| 10 | 21 | Peter Whitehead | Ferrari | 81 | +4 laps | 20 | |
| 11 | 26 | Prince Bira | Gordini | 81 | +4 laps | 10 | |
| 12 | 1 | Graham Whitehead | Alta | 80 | +5 laps | 12 | |
| 13 | 19 | Rudi Fischer | Ferrari | 80 | +5 laps | 15 | |
| 14 | 27 | Johnny Claes | Simca-Gordini-Gordini | 79 | +6 laps | 23 | |
| 15 | 31 | Lance Macklin | HWM-Alta | 79 | +6 laps | 29 | |
| 16 | 3 | Kenneth McAlpine | Connaught-Lea Francis | 79 | +6 laps | 17 | |
| 17 | 33 | Harry Schell | Maserati-Platé | 78 | +7 laps | 32 | |
| 18 | 34 | Gino Bianco | Maserati | 77 | +8 laps | 28 | |
| 19 | 32 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati-Platé | 76 | +9 laps | 31 | |
| 20 | 10 | Eric Brandon | Cooper-Bristol | 76 | +9 laps | 18 | |
| 21 | 23 | Tony Crook | Frazer Nash-BMW | 75 | +10 laps | 25 | |
| 22 | 11 | Alan Brown | Cooper-Bristol | 69 | +16 laps | 13 | |
| Ret | 29 | Peter Collins | HWM-Alta | 73 | Ignition | 14 | |
| Ret | 30 | Duncan Hamilton | HWM-Alta | 44 | Engine | 11 | |
| Ret | 12 | Stirling Moss | ERA-Bristol | 36 | Engine | 16 | |
| Ret | 25 | Maurice Trintignant | Gordini | 21 | Gearbox | 21 | |
| Ret | 28 | Tony Gaze | HWM-Alta | 19 | Engine | 26 | |
| Ret | 7 | David Murray | Cooper-Bristol | 14 | Engine | 22 | |
| Ret | 24 | Robert Manzon | Gordini | 9 | Clutch | 4 | |
| Ret | 20 | Peter Hirt | Ferrari | 3 | Brakes | 24 | |
| Ret | 35 | Eitel Cantoni | Maserati | 0 | Brakes | 27 | |
| DNS | 2 | Bill Aston | Aston Butterworth | 0 | Non Starter | | |
| Source: ||||||||

#### Notes

* ^1 – Includes 1 point for fastest lap

## Championship standings after the race
### Drivers' Championship standings

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| | 1 | Alberto Ascari | 27 |
| | 2 | Piero Taruffi | 19 |
| | 3 | Nino Farina | 12 |
| | 4 | Troy Ruttman | 8 |
| | 5 | Robert Manzon | 7 |
| Source: ||||
* Note: Only the top five positions are included. Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship.