1948 British Grand Prix

The RAC International Grand Prix, now regarded as the first British Grand Prix, was held at Silverstone Circuit on October 2, 1948.
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==Background==
The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) had run two previous International Grands Prix at Brooklands in 1926 and 1927, and the Donington Park circuit had hosted four non-ranking GPs in 1935-1938, but both tracks had suffered heavily from the war effort (Brooklands would never again host racing), and the UK was sorely lacking in race tracks. But there was a number of redundant airfields across the country, and after some negotiation RAF Silverstone was given on a one-year lease to the RAC in 1948 for the purpose of hosting auto races.
For the 1948 events, the organizers laid out a track that used part of the perimeter road, and most of the two longest runways.
===Entry List===
No 	Driver 	Entrant 	Car 	Qual.
1 	Louis Chiron 	Ecurie France 	Talbot-Lago T26C 	1
2 	Gianfranco Comotti 	G. Comotti 	Talbot-Lago T26C 	11
3 	Louis Rosier 	L. Rosier 	Talbot-Lago T26C 	12
4 	Philippe Étancelin 	P. Étancelin 	Talbot-Lago T26C 	3
5 (r) 	Peter Mitchell-Thomson 	Lord Selsdon 	Talbot-Lago T26C 	–
6 	Reg Parnell 	R. Parnell 	Maserati 4CLT/48 	7
7 (r) 	Fred Ashmore 	F. Ashmore 	Maserati 4CL 	–
8 	Duncan Hamilton 	D. Hamilton 	Maserati 6CM 	18
9 	Bob Ansell 	R.E. Ansell 	Maserati 4CL 	21
10 	Raymond Sommer 	R. Sommer 	Ferrari 125 	DNA
11 	Giuseppe Farina 	G. Farina 	Ferrari 125 	DNA
12 	Raymond Mays 	Raymond Mays 	ERA B-Type 	17
14 	Peter Walker 	P.D.C. Walker 	ERA E-Type 	8
15 	Leslie Johnson 	Leslie Johnson 	ERA E-Type 	5
16 	Bob Gerard 	F.R. Gerard 	ERA B-Type 	4
17 (r)	George Watson 	G. Watson 	Alta 69/IS 	16
18 	Luigi Villoresi 	Scuderia Ambrosiana	Maserati 4CLT/48 	24
19 	B. Bira 	H.R.H. Prince Chula	Maserati 4CL 	6
20 	Emmanuel de Graffenried	E. Platé 	Maserati 4CL 	2
21 (r)	Anthony Baring 	A.A. Baring 	Maserati 6CM 	–
22 	Geoffrey Ansell 	G. Ansell 	ERA B-Type 	15
23 	Cuth Harrison 	T.C. Harrison 	ERA B-Type 	10
24 	David Hampshire 	D.A. Hampshire 	ERA A-Type 	19
25 (r)	John Bolster 	P.H. Bell 	ERA B-Type 	13
26 	Sam Gilbey 	S.J. Gilbey 	Maserati 6CM 	23
27 	Roy Salvadori 	Rowland Motors Ltd.	Maserati 6CM 	22
28 	Leslie Brooke 	Alfieri Maserati 	Maserati 4CLT 	–
29 	Tony Rolt 	A.P.R. Rolt 	Alfa Romeo 3.45 L 	9
30 (r)	George Nixon 	G. Nixon 	A-Type 	20
31 (r)	Geoff Richardson 	G. Richardson 	Riley-ERA 	14
32 	Bobby Baird 	R. Baird 	Emeryson-Duesenberg	DNQ
(11)1 	Alberto Ascari 	Scuderia Ambrosiana	4CL/48 	25
1 Late entry, assumed the running number of non-arrival Giuseppe Farina.
(r) Reserve entry.
==Qualifying==
===Qualifying Results===
==Race==
===Results===
Pos 	No 	Driver 	Manufacturer	Laps 	Time/Retired
1 	18 	Luigi Villoresi 	 	65 	3:18:03.0
2 	11 	Alberto Ascari 	 	65 	+ 14.0
3 	16 	Bob Gerard 	 	65 	+ 2:03.0
4 	3 	Louis Rosier 	 	65 	+ 4:35.6
5 	19 	Prince Bira 	 	64 	+ 1 Lap
6 	25 	John Bolster Peter Bell 	 	63 	+ 2 Laps
7 	24 	Philip Fotheringham-Parker David Hampshire	 	60 	+ 5 Laps
8 	27 	Roy Salvadori 	 	60 	+ 5 Laps
9 	20 	Emmanuel de Graffenried 	 	59 	+ 6 Laps
10 	30 	George Nixon 	 	58 	+ 7 Laps
11 	14 	Peter Walker 	 	53 	+ 12 Laps
12 	9 	Bob Ansell George Bainbridge 	 	50 	+ 15 Laps
Ret 	23 	Cuth Harrison 	 	47 	Valve
Ret 	1 	Louis Chiron 	 	37 	Gearbox
Ret 	26 	Sam Gilbey Dudley Folland 	 	36 	Gearbox
Ret 	12 	Raymond Mays 	 	35 	Piston
Ret 	4 	Philippe Étancelin 	 	22 	Engine
Ret 	22 	Geoffrey Ansell Brian Shawe-Taylor 	 	22 	Accident
Ret 	31 	Guy Richardson 	 	12 	Transmission
Ret 	17 	George Watson 	 	8 	Camshaft
Ret 	8 	Duncan Hamilton 	 	8 	Oil pressure
Ret 	29 	Tony Rolt 	 	6 	Engine
Ret 	2 	Gianfranco Comotti 	 	3 	Brakes
Ret 	15 	Leslie Johnson 	 	0 	Transmission
Ret 	6 	Reg Parnell 	 	0 	Split fuel tank
Source:	Source:	Source: 	Source: 	Source:	Source:
==Milestones==
==References==
Category:Grand Prix articles
Category:1948 Grands Prix
Category:British Grand Prix
Category:Formula One races in the United Kingdom