1932 Australian Grand Prix

The 1932 Australian Grand Prix was a motor race held at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia on 14 March 1932.[1] It was the fifth Australian Grand Prix and the fifth to be held at Phillip Island.[1]

The race was organized by the Light Car Club of Australia, formerly known as the Victorian Light Car Club, and was limited to cars having an engine with a piston displacement of 2000cc or less.[1] It was the first Australian Grand Prix to be decided on a straight handicap basis,[2] with the winner being the first car to complete the 31 laps.[1] The two "scratch" competitors had to concede starts ranging up to 29 minutes, equating to an advantage of four laps.[3] The previous practice of cars contesting four classes was discontinued.[1] Weather conditions were reported to be "ideal".[3]

The race, in which there were 18 starters,[3] was won by Bill Thompson driving a Bugatti.[1] Thompson was also awarded the Herald Trophy for recording the fastest time of the race.[1]

Classification
Race winner Bill Thompson (Bugatti Type 37A) contesting the 1932 Australian Grand Prix
Bill Williamson placed ninth driving a Riley
Pos[4] No.[1] Driver[4] Entrant[1] Car[1] Handicap[1] Laps[4] Handicap time[4] Actual time[4]
1 1 Bill Thompson Woolworth Tyre Co Bugatti Type 37A s/c Scratch 31 3h 15m 11s 2h 40m 11s
2 12 Geoff Disher G Disher Salmson 16 min 31 3h 19m 11s 3h 00m 07s
3 5 Cyril Dickason Austin Distributors P/L Austin 7 Ulster 8 min 31 3h 24m 28s 2h 57m 28s
4 9 Mert Wreford M Wreford Bugatti Brescia 15 min 31 3h 28m 51s 3h 08m 51s
5 3 Carl Junker C Junker Bugatti Type 39 4 min 31 3h 34m 27s 3h 03m 27s
6 22 Bill Northam J Wall Austin 7 s/c 29 min 31 3h 36m 24s 3h 30m 24s
7 20 Les Jennings L Jennings Morris Cowley 26 min 31 3h 39m 31s 3h 30m 31s
8 18 Clarrie May Austin Distributors P/L Austin 7 s/c 26 min 31 3h 40m 36s 3h 31m 36s
9 14 Bill Williamson W Johnson Riley 18 min 31 3h 58m 07s 3h 41m 07s
10 4 Barney Dentry G Dentry Riley Brooklands 6 min 31 4h 11m 55s 3h 41m 55s
Ret 16 Graham Tucker Rhodes Motor Co. P/L Triumph s/c 20 min 16
Ret 7 Harold Drake Richmond[1] H Drake Richmond Bugatti Type 37 10 min  ?
Ret 2 Arthur Terdich AJ Terdich Bugatti Type 37A s/c Scratch 8
Ret 15 Alan Chamberlain A Chamberlain Chamberlain Special 19 min 4
Ret 11 Ken Hopkins K Hopkins Bugatti Brescia[2] 15 min 3+
Ret 6 Bill Lowe WH Lowe Lombard AL3[5] 10 min 3+
Ret 19 Ken McKinney K McKinney Austin 7 26 min 2
Ret 8 Albert Edwards A Edwards Alvis FWD s/c 10 min 1
DNS (#)[2] 21 Jack Sidebottom[1] J Sidebottom Singer[2] 28 min –
DNS (##)[2] 17 Compton Jones[1] HC Jones Austin 12 23 min –

(#) Sidebottom's Singer was excluded at scrutineering.[2]

(##) The Austin 12 of Compton Jones was withdrawn after its engine suffered a piston failure during practice.[2]

Notes
  • Race distance: 31 laps, 206 miles, 321.8 km[2]
  • Race time limit: Four and a quarter hours[1]
  • Fastest time: Bill Thompson – 2h 40m 11s (76.27 mph)[1]
  • Fastest lap: Bill Thompson – 4m 49.4s (82 mph)[1]

References
  1. John Blanden, The 1932 Australian Grand Prix, A History of Australian Grand Prix 1928–39, pages 75 to 90
  2. The official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, 1986, pages 52 to 59
  3. W Thompson's great drive, The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995), Wednesday 23 March 1932, page 2, via trove.nla.gov.au
  4. 1932 Australian Grand Prix, www.formula1results.co.za, as archived at web.archive.org on 4 June 2015
  5. John B Blanden, Historic Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, page 191
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