1953 Albi Grand Prix
The XV Grand Prix de l'Albigeois was a combined Formula One and Formula Two motor race held on 31 May 1953 at Circuit Les Planques, Albi, France. The race was held over two heats of 10 laps; one for Formula One and one for Formula Two, and a final of 18 laps in which both classes took part. The top four finishers in each heat qualified for the final, plus another four based on finishing position.
| 1953 Albi Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-championship race in the 1953 Formula One season | |||
 | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 31 May 1953 | ||
| Official name | XV Grand Prix de l'Albigeois | ||
| Location | Circuit Les Planques, Albi, France | ||
| Course | Temporary Road Circuit | ||
| Course length | 8.954 km (5.564 mi) | ||
| Distance | 18 laps, 161.162 km (100.141 mi) | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Ken Wharton | BRM | |
| Time | 2:52.0 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Ferrari | ||
| Second | BRM | ||
| Third | Gordini | ||
Élie Bayol in an O.S.C.A. Tipo 20 qualified in pole position for the Formula Two heat but finished second behind Louis Rosier's Ferrari 500. Peter Whitehead was third in a Cooper T24-Alta. Roberto Mieres set fastest lap in his Gordini Type 16.
In the Formula One heat, Juan Manuel Fangio qualified on pole, set fastest lap and won in a BRM Type 15. José Froilán González was second in another Type 15 and Louis Rosier was third in a Ferrari 375.
Rosier won the final in the Ferrari 375. González was second and Maurice Trintignant third in a Gordini Type 16. Ken Wharton set fastest lap in another BRM Type 16.[1][2]
Classification
Heat One - Formula Two cars
| Pos | No | Driver | Entrant | Car | Time/Retired | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 |  Louis Rosier |
Ecurie Rosier | Ferrari 500 | 33:41.4, 158.19 kph | 3 |
| 2 | 8 | Élie Bayol |
Élie Bayol | O.S.C.A. Tipo 20 | +24.5s | 1 |
| 3 | 10 | Peter Whitehead |
Graham Whitehead | Cooper T24-Alta | +52.7s | 5 |
| 4 | 6 |  Roberto Mieres |
Equipe Gordini | Gordini Type 16 | +54.0s | 4 |
| 5 | 12 |  Tom Cole |
Atlantic Stable | Cooper T23-Bristol | +1:31.2 | 6 |
| 6 | 16 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Charles de Tornaco |
Ecurie Francorchamps | Ferrari 500 | +2:26.3 | 8 |
| 7 | 14 | Johnny Claes |
Ecurie Belge | Connaught Type A-Lea Francis | +3:00.4 | 7 |
| 8 | 18 | John Lyons |
Connaught Engineering | Connaught Type A-Lea Francis | +3:12.1 | 9 |
| Ret. | 4 | Harry Schell |
Equipe Gordini | Gordini Type 16 | 8 laps, spark plugs | 2 |
| DNA | 20 | Rodney Nuckey |
Rodney Nuckey | Cooper T23-Bristol | ||
Heat Two - Formula One cars
| Pos | No | Driver | Entrant | Car | Time/Retired | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Juan Manuel Fangio |
BRM Ltd. | BRM Type 15 | 29:57.8, 178.15 kph | 1 |
| 2 | 9 | Ken Wharton |
BRM Ltd. | BRM Type 15 | +1:11.5 | 4 |
| 3 | 5 | Louis Rosier |
Ecurie Rosier | Ferrari 375 | +2:06.6 | 10 |
| 4 | 15 | Maurice Trintignant |
Equipe Gordini | Gordini Type 16 | +2:10.5 | 6 |
| 5 | 11 | José Froilán González |
BRM Ltd. | BRM Type 15 | +2:52.5 | 3 |
| 6 | 17 | Yves Giraud-Cabantous |
Ecurie Rosier | Talbot-Lago T26C | +1 lap | 7 |
| 7 | 21 |  Giovanni de Riu |
Giovanni de Riu | Maserati 4CLT/48 | +1 lap | 9 |
| Ret. | 19 | Duncan Hamilton |
Duncan Hamilton | Talbot-Lago T26C | 8 laps, gearbox | 8 |
| Ret. | 3 | Giuseppe Farina |
G.A. Vandervell | Ferrari 375 | 5 laps, engine | 5 |
| Ret. | 1 | Alberto Ascari |
Ferrari | Ferrari 375 | 3 laps, gearbox | 2 |
Final
Formula One competitors highlighted in blue.
| Pos | No | Driver | Entrant | Car | Time/Retired | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Louis Rosier |
Ecurie Rosier | Ferrari 375 | 56:36.8, 169.72 kph | 3 |
| 2 | 11 | José Froilán González |
BRM Ltd. | BRM Type 15 | +31.0s | 2 |
| 3 | 15 | Maurice Trintignant |
Equipe Gordini | Gordini Type 16 | +1:53.8 | 4 |
| 4 | 6 | Roberto Mieres |
Equipe Gordini | Gordini Type 16 | +1 lap | 7 |
| 5 | 10 | Peter Whitehead |
Graham Whitehead | Cooper T24-Alta | +1 lap | 6 |
| 6 | 14 | Johnny Claes |
Ecurie Belge | Connaught Type A-Lea Francis | +1 lap | 11 |
| 7 | 12 | Tom Cole |
Atlantic Stable | Cooper T23-Bristol | +1 lap | 8 |
| Ret. | 16 | Charles de Tornaco |
Ecurie Francorchamps | Ferrari 500 | 11 laps, engine | 10 |
| Ret. | 9 | Ken Wharton |
British Racing Motors | BRM Type 15 | 11 laps, accident | 2 |
| Ret. | 7 | Juan Manuel Fangio |
British Racing Motors | BRM Type 15 | 9 laps, tyres/brakes | 1 |
| Ret. | 17 | Yves Giraud-Cabantous1 |
Ecurie Rosier | Talbot-Lago T26C | 9 laps, mechanical | 12 |
| Ret. | 8 | Élie Bayol |
Élie Bayol | O.S.C.A. Tipo 20 | 2 laps, clutch | 5 |
1Lyons should have been in the final but had packed his car away, believing he had been eliminated. Giraud-Cabantous took his place.
References
- "XV Grand Prix d'Albi 1953". Retrieved 2022-06-07.
- "1953 Non-World Championship Grands Prix". Retrieved 2022-07-22.