Between 1926
and 1935 Sunbeam, Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Bugatti built
‘monster-engined’ cars to exploit the fast circuits. Were they successful?
Imagine in 2013 McLaren, Red Bull or Ferrari building
special fast-circuit models, powered by two 2.4 litre V8s producing a combined1400
horsepower? In the McLaren laid side-by-side as a W-16-cylinder, in the Red
Bull end-to-end to form a V16 and in the Ferrari one in front of the cockpit,
the other behind. How fast would they be? Would they perform better than the
standard cars at the high-speed venues Silverstone, Monza and Spa?
WHY SUCH
MONSTER CARS?
After the end of the 2.0 litre Grand Prix Formula of
1922-1925 and during the poorly-supported 1.5 litre Formula of 1926-1927, many
major grand prix races reverted to Free Formula for the years 1926 to 1933.
Most grand prix cars of the 1926-1933 period had
engines of between 2.0 and 3.0 litres. However in those carefree days of the
late twenties and early thirties, when grand prix engine formulae capacities were
unrestricted, the top manufacturers produced ‘monster-engined’ cars of at least
twice the capacity of the ‘standard’ models. These ‘Heavy Metal’ cars’ engines
ranged in capacity from 3.5 to 7.1 litres, and all were supercharged.
The motivation for building these ‘brutes’ was to
exploit the wide difference in circuit speeds that then existed. Lap speeds at
the slowest circuits, the Madonie in Sicily, Monte Carlo, Alessandria
and Montenero did not exceed 100 km/h (62 mph). At the fastest road circuits, Tripoli, Tunis, Pescara, Monza, Reims and San Sebastian, the cars
averaged over 160 km/h (100 mph). At the banked Avus, Littorio and Miramas
tracks up to 260km/h (160mph) was attained.
Taking the slow street circuits at a base speed figure
of 100.0%, this variation represents an increase in speed of 60% for the road
circuits and up to 160% faster for the banked tracks. By modern comparison in 2012
the lap average speed at the slowest circuit, Monaco,
was just over 160 km/h (100mph) while at the fastest, Monza, it was 250 km/h (155 mph). That is a difference
of about 56%, much less than the circuit speed differences of the 1926 to 1935
period.
The manufacturers in the late twenties and early
thirties wanted to exploit the fast circuits and considered it worthwhile
building special, large-engined cars for that purpose. Bizarre as they were,
these ‘Heavy Metal’ cars certainly were the fastest of their day as well as technically
adventurous and exciting. Some were surprisingly successful.
The races included here are all among the major, classic
grand prix events tabled in my 1993 analytical book, ‘Grand Prix: a Century of
Racing; 1894-1993’.
1926 SUNBEAM TIGER,
4.0 LITRE, V-12: CAREER 1926-1932
 |
| 1926 Sunbeam Tiger |
The first manufacturer to experiment with a ‘Heavy Metal’
option in grand prix racing was the British Sunbeam. Their ex-Fiat-engineer designed,
six-cylinder cars had been England’s
first successful grand prix winners in the 2.0-litre Formula years 1923 and
1924. In 1926, Brooklands-influenced and with an eye to further utilising their
now-obsolete but outstanding, 2.0-litre, supercharged, six-cylinder engines,
Sunbeam built two blocks into a V12 of 4.0-litres. Mounted in a larger car
named ‘Tiger’, the supercharged, four overhead-camshaft, V12 engine produced
296 BHP (225 Kw) and set a new world land speed record at 245 km/h (152 mph).
This at a time when the fastest grand prix cars managed about 200km/h (124 mph)
flat-out.
The first race the Sunbeam Tiger entered was the
Spanish GP in July 1926 at the fast, 17 kilometre/10.6 mile Lasarte road
circuit at San Sebastian.
There was strong opposition from powerful, 2.0 litre Delage V12s and nimble,
2.0-litre Bugatti Type 35s. The Sunbeam Tiger’s experienced and very refined
driver Henry Segrave took the lead from the Delages shortly after the start,
until a wheel bearing failed after 85 of the 693 kilometres (430 miles). The
Sunbeam’s handling was obviously good, for the narrow Lasarte roads consisted
of some sinuous parts that suited the lightweight Bugattis.
The big Sunbeam’s next classic grand prix appearance was
the 1932 Avus Rennen. This time the driver was the aging Malcolm Campbell,
nowhere near Segrave’s class or speed. In addition the circuit was much faster
than Lasarte and the opposition included some new Heavy Metal: Maserati’s
16-cylinder, 5-litre V5, Bugatti’s 4.9 litre Type 54 and Mercedes-Benz’s 7.1
litre, aero-bodied model SSKL which won. The eight year old Sunbeam Tiger
retired without featuring near the front. It was a good looking car, well-proportioned
and but for that wheel bearing failure, would probably have won its debut at San Sebastian.
1927-1932 MERCEDES-BENZ
S/SS/SSK/SSKL, 6.8 TO 7.1 LITRE, 6-CYLINDER: CAREER 1927-1932
 |
| 1929 Mercedes SSK |
During the depths of the German depression the two
pioneering firms Daimler and Benz combined in 1926 for financial survival.
Daimler-Benz continued their long-time racing involvement, but due to financial
constraints, could no longer fund special grand prix car manufacturing. They had
to make do with modified versions of their big, roadgoing, touring four-seater,
the Typ S. The engine was a powerful, supercharged six of 6.8 litres, which
partly overcame the racing disadvantages of the large, heavy and unwieldy touring
body and chassis. Careful development, initially under Dr Ferdinand Porsche,
produced surprisingly successful results for this unpromising behemoth during the
six seasons 1927 to 1932.
In assessing the competitiveness of any car one has to
take the opposition into account. Mercedes-Benz carefully picked most of their
races, understandably, in view of their car’s size and weight. These white cars
performed exceptionally well at their ‘home-tracks’ the Nurburgring and the
high-speed AVUS, against strong opposition from the lighter, nimbler,
‘normal-sized’ 2.0- to 3.0- litre cars as well as against rival Heavy Metal
models. Their prime weapon was their outstanding driver Caracciola, who ranked with
Nuvolari, Varzi and Chiron the best of the era. Additionally the company ran
such a competent racing department and used the Nurburgring as their own
test-track. Mercedes-Benz were meticulously-prepared for these ‘home’ events.
1927 S
The first major race for the big, heavy Typ-S, four-seater
was the German Grand Prix of 1927 on the magnificent, new, 22.8 kilometre
Nurburgring in the Eifel
Mountains. The big, white
cars dominated against weak opposition, consisting of several 1.5 litre,
privately-owned Bugattis. They scored the first three places and set fastest
lap for a hollow victory.
1928 SS
In 1928 the Stuttgart
team again entered just one major race, the German GP at the Nurburgring. This
was with a lighter, lower, upgraded 7.0 litre version, still four-seated, re-named
SS. The Stuttgart
team achieved an even better 1, 2, 3, 5 result and fastest lap. This time the
big Mercedes-Benz’s surprisingly and soundly beat strong rivals in the form of four
official Bugatti team 2.3 litre 35Bs of Conelli and Minoia and the 2.0-litre 35Cs
of Chiron and Brilli-Peri, all top-rate drivers. Outclassed, the best Bugattis
finished fourth, sixth and seventh. Birkin’s 4.4-litre, ‘Blower’ Bentley
finished eighth, 31 minutes down on Caracciola’s winning Mercedes-Benz SS, after
nearly five hours, a margin of almost 11%.
1929: SSK
For 1929 the white cars in SSK for ‘kurz’ or
shortened-chassis form, were now two-seaters. They competed in the Monaco, Rome,
German and Monza
grands prix. In Monte Carlo
in one of the great drives of all time, Caracciola charged through from second-last
on the 16-car grid to the lead! Let down by an uncharacteristically slow
refuelling stop, he yet managed a third place finish! This against far nimbler
Bugattis which finished 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
On Rome’s
Trefontana circuit Caflisch and Momberger both retired their SSKs, being
completely outclassed by the resuscitated 1925, 2.0-litre, P2 Alfa Romeos.
Back home for the German GP at the Nurburgring, the
German cars were at last beaten by the Bugattis, the Chiron and Rothschild
2.0-litre, Type 35s, and only managed third and sixth places. Caracciola led
initially, but the big car was too exhausting to drive. The season’s finale at Monza saw the Momberger
and Caflisch SSKs unable to cope with the Varzi Alfa Romeo P2 and Nuvolari’s
1.7 litre Talbot-Plate, nor with the 16-cylinder Maserati V4’s speed until it
had tyre problems. This despite the German cars’ 7.0, supercharged litres and
the circuit consisting only of the high-speed, banked oval. Momberger finished
third, Caflisch fifth.
1930 SSKL
Further lightened as the ‘Licht’ in the model name,
the SSKL entered only two events with star driver Caracciola , and several
other events with private owners. The long, low white car now produced 300 bhp
and was capable of 215 kmh/135 mph. But its 1600-odd kilogram startline weight
told against it. Completely outclassed at Monza
by the 2.0-litre, P2 Alfa Romeos, the 2.5-litre, 8C2500 Maseratis and by the
2.3- and 2.0-litre Bugattis, Caracciola came in seventh. This seemed to
indicate the end of the road for the big German car.
1931 SSKL
At Monaco,
using his car which had won the Mille Miglia the week before, Caracciola could not
match the normal-sized cars, the new 2.3-litre, Type 51 Bugattis and Monza
Alfas and the 2.8-litreMaseratis. He retired with clutch trouble without
featuring in the top six at all. At the Nurburgring’s Eifelrennen and in the absence
of other works teams the Caracciola SSKL managed to win from privateer Von
Morgen’s 2.3-litre, 35B Bugatti, with Mercedes-Benz SSKL team-mate Von Brauchitsch
third. Caracciola’s big white car was then trounced for speed in the French GP
at Montlhéry by the works 2.3-litre Bugattis and 2.8 and 2.5-litre Maseratis, and
retired.
In the German GP at the Nurburgring however,
Caracciola scored another of his great wins. He beat the three other best drivers
of the day in their normal-sized, 2.3-litre cars, the Chiron and Varzi Bugattis
Type 51which finished second and third and the Nuvolari Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Monza
which was fourth. This was a great race, started in drizzle which increased to
a heavy downpour until lap eight of the 22. Unexpectedly, in the rain the SSKL
outhandled the smaller cars! Caracciola was famed for his wet-weather ability,
but veteran team-mate Merz finishing fifth and Stuck sixth in the other SSKLs
underlined that Caracciola’s skill was aided by the SSKL’s marked
competitiveness at the Nurburgring. Nuvolari, Chiron and Varzi, like most great
drivers, were also renowned for their wet-weather abilities.
Another great Rudi Caracciola win followed at the high
speed Avus track outside Berlin.
Again it was Rudi’s renowned sensitivity and tyre-saving drive that saw him
edge out Von Morgen’s faster, 5-litre, Type 54 Bugatti, with Von Brauchitsch’s
SSKL third.
The season- ending Masaryk GP saw Caracciola’s SSKL
damaged by the opening lap bridge crash which involved and sidelined the normal-sized
grand prix cars of Fagioli/Maserati 8C2500, Nuvolari/Alfa Romeo 8C2300 and
Varzi/Bugatti 51. Von Brauchitsch’s SSKL managed a fine second place behind
Chiron’s 2.3-litre Bugatti 51.
1932 SSKL
After three wins in 1931 and the appearance for 1932
of the new single-seater, ‘P3’ Alfa Romeo 8C2600B, the big Bugatti T54s and
Maserati V5, it seemed that the huge, sports-tourer based Mercedes-Benz’s days
were over. In addition Caracciola had left to drive for Alfa Romeo! The Stuttgart engineers had
other ideas...
For the 1932 Avus race Daimler-Benz had an
aerodynamically-efficient body designed, which added 25 km/h to give the SSKL a
top speed of about 240km/h (150 mph). Despite Caracciola’s best efforts in his 2.3
litre Monza Alfa Romeo and early leader Dreyfus’ sixteen-cylinder Maserati V5, Von
Brauchitsch drove a canny, tyre-conserving race to win right at the end! The
huge Berlin
crowd were ecstatic, especially as their man and car had beaten Caracciola’s red
Alfa Romeo. Stuck in a standard-bodied SSKL was fourth, behind Stuber’s 2.3
litre Bugatti T51. This fine win was in fact the SSKL’s last.
At the next race on the Nurburgring for the Eifel
Trophy, Von Brauchitsch drove the aero-bodied version and Stuck the normal
model. Caracciola’s 2.3-litre, Alfa Romeo Monza dominated and Von Brauchitsch
could only manage fourth place behind the 2.3 litre Bugattis of Dreyfus and
Chiron, with Stuck’s standard-bodied SSKL fifth. The Caracciola/ Alfa Romeo was
fortunate that Chiron’s Type 51 Bugatti suffered ignition trouble from the
start, for Chiron’s was a far faster package. The last SSK and SSKL appearances
were at the 1932 season-ending races at Pescara
for the Coppa Acerbo and at Miramas for the Marseilles GP. All the white cars retired,
being totally outclassed by the 2.6-litre, 8C2600B Alfa Romeos.
Six wins in six seasons, four seconds and eight thirds
from 20 grand prix events was outstanding, especially for a big, tourer-based
car. This was a triumph of development over concept! As well as superb driving
by Caracciola and Von Brauchitsch.
1929 MASERATI
V4, 4.0-LITRE, 16-CYLINDER: CAREER 1929-1934
 |
| 1929 Maserati V4 |
The Maserati brothers were perhaps encouraged by the
Sunbeam Tiger. They certainly had their eye on the high speeds possible at Tripoli, Monza and Rome’s Littorio banked
oval. For 1929 they built their own ‘monster’, by setting two of their 2.0
litre supercharged straight-eights side-by-side, each with its own compressor,
to make the 4.0 litre, 16-cylinder, Tipo V4. This referred not to the engine
configuration but to the capacity. Power was initially 280 bhp at 5500 rpm,
later improved to 305 bhp. This compares with the 155 of the ‘normal’
2.0-litre, Maserati Tipo 26B grand prix model. The big V4 was well-proportioned
and handled well too. It was certainly no monster. Except in terms of being
about 300kg/660 lbs heavier than their normal grand prix model. The V4’s maximum
speed set a new grand prix top-speed record at 246kmh/152 mph, timed on the
road circuit at Cremona.
The aging Alfieri Maserati debuted the powerful,
hefty, 16-cylindered, V4 in September 1929 at the First Monza GP. Cruising to
finish just a fifth of-a-second behind a 7.1-litre Mercedes-Benz SSK in its
heat, Alfieri then displayed the V4’s superior acceleration and top speed in
the final by taking the lead from the start. However he soon suffered tyre
troubles, the consequent pit stops delaying the heavy car to finish sixth. It
did set a new grand prix, lap-speed record at 200 kmh/124 mph. This was against
a pair of revamped Alfa Romeo P2s, 2.0 litre Maseratis and 2.0 and 2.3-litre Bugattis
and the big, 7.1-litre SSK Mercedes-Benzes.
Early in 1930 second string driver Borzzachini dominated
the Tripoli GP in the V4, his closest rival being team-mate Arcangeli in the
‘standard’ 2.0-litre, Tipo 26B which finished second. In the Coppa Acerbo at
Pescara Luigi Arcangeli drove the big V4. He revelled in its power and speed on
the 10-kilometre-long Adriatic seaside straight, the climb up into the hills
and then down the five-kilometre straight back to the seafront. From the start
the 16-cylinder V4 led a strong field of team-mates Varzi and Fagioli in the
latest Maserati 8C2500 models and Nuvolari in a P2/30 Alfa Romeo. This was
until one third distance when Arcangeli spun off and crashed. He had set
fastest lap and was timed at 246km/h (152 mph) on the long straight. This grand
prix road-race record exactly equalled the Sunbeam Tiger’s speed on the beach at
Southport.
In the 1930 season finale at Monza younger brother Ernesto Maserati drove
the V4 to win the heat for cars over 3.0-litres. But in the final he could not
cope with his top-rated team-mates Arcangeli and Varzi in the 2.5-litre, 8C2500
models who finished first and second. Ernesto’s V4 finished third, but did beat
team-mate Fagioli’s 8C2500 and Caracciola’s 7.1-litre, Mercedes-Benz SSKL.
In 1931 at the huge, steeply banked Littorio track
outside Rome,
Ernesto became the first owner-driver to win a grand prix. This pre-dated Jack
Brabham’s 1966 feat by 35 years. Ernesto’s V4 averaged 163 km/h (101 mph) to beat
team-mates Fagioli and Dreyfus in 8C2500s and the 2.0-litre Nuvolari and the
2.3-litre Varzi Bugattis. The moderate average speed was due to the tight,
hair-pinned section before the pits, which drastically reduced speed from the
banked oval. This proved the V4 was no brutish, ill-handling monster; just as
the 1926 San Sebastian
race showed that the big Sunbeam Tiger was no freak either.
The last major grand prix appearance for the V4 was in
the 1934 Tripoli GP. Driven by privateer Gazzabini, the now five year old,
16-cylinder car retired early on.
1931 ALFA
ROMEO TIPO A, 3.5 LITRE, 12-CYLINDER: CAREER 1931
 |
| 1931 Alfa Romeo Tipo A |
Since 1929 Alfa Romeo had been racing their cars under
the management of Enzo Ferrari’s Scuderia Ferrari based in Modena. Inspired by the Maserati V4, engineer
Bazzi proposed building a twin-engined Alfa Romeo for the fast circuits. He
used two of the Tipo 6C1750 sports car, six-cylinder engines side-by-side, to
create the Tipo A, a 3.5-litre twelve. Like the Maserati V4, this car appeared
well-proportioned and handled well.
The Tipo A was of course bigger, wider and heavier
than the ‘standard’ Alfa Romeo Tipo 8C2300 Monza models. Its startline weight of about 1200
kg/2640 lbs compared with the Bugatti T35’s 975 and the 1020 kg/2244 lbs of the
Alfa Romeo P2/29 and Maserati 8C2500. The Tipo A’s power at about 220 bhp was
much less than the 300 bhp of the Sunbeam Tiger, the Maserati V4 and the
Mercedes-Benz SSKL.
The Alfa Tipo A’s debut was tragic: practising for the
Italian GP at Monza
in June, Luigi Arcangeli crashed fatally. Nuvolari and Borzzachini shared the
remaining Tipo A in the race, but soon withdrew due to high-speed tyre problems.
In August Campari drove the Tipo A to win the Coppa Acerbo at Pescara’s fabulous road circuit. Team-mate
Nuvolari had set the fastest lap in the other Tipo A, but troubles delayed him
to finish third. The field included strong opposition from the ‘normal-sized’
brigade, Fagioli, Dreyfus and Klinger in 8C2800 and 8C2500 Maseratis, Chiron
and Varzi in Type 51 Bugattis and the Monza Alfa Romeos of Borzzachini and
Severi. This was great win that displayed the all-round capabilities of the
Tipo A on fast road circuit.
The third and final appearance for the Tipo A was at the
Monza GP. On this event’s slower version of the circuit however, Nuvolari’s
Tipo A never led before retiring with piston failure. The Maserati 8C2800s of
Fagioli and Dreyfus dominated to finish 1-2, sounding the death knell of Alfa
Romeo’s twin-engined Tipo A.
1931 BUGATTI
TYPE 54, 4.9 LITRE, 8-CYLINDER: CAREER 1931-1933
 |
| 1931 Bugatti T54 |
The next manufacturer to join the Heavy Metal ranks
was Bugatti from Molsheim in Alsace,
north-eastern France.
Ettore Bugatti’s team used their existing big, twin-cam, supercharged, 5.0-litre,
straight-eight engine and three-speed gearbox from the Type 50 sports-tourer.
Installed in a new chassis and body, the new model
Type 54 looked like scaled-up Type 35 Bugatti. It was good-looking and very
fast on the straights, but surprisingly for Molsheim, was deficient in handling
and braking. The big engine developed about 300 bhp, enough to reach top speeds
of 250-260 km/h (155-160 mph). The startline weight at about 1270 kg/2790 lbs
was about 30% more than the normal’, 2.3-litre, Bugatti Type 51’s 970 kg/2134
lbs.
Debuted by Chiron and Varzi in the 1931 Monza GP in
September, the big Bugatti beat the Tipo A Alfa Romeos driven by Nuvolari and
Campari as well as Ernesto Maserati’s V4 in their heat. However in the final on
this slower version of the Monza circuit, Varzi’s
Type 54 could only finish third behind two ‘normal-sized’ grand prix cars,
Fagioli’s 8C2800 Maserati and Borzzachini’s Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Monza.
For the 1932 season the five Type 54s built appeared
in works team and private hands for six events. In the Tunisian GP in April
Lehoux’s Type 54 finished second to Chiron’s normal-sized Type 51 Bugatti, with
Czaikowski’s Type 54 fourth while the other privateer, Von Morgen’s Type 54
retired. The Type 54’s next appearance was in June on the Avus circuit. This
very high-speed track utilised two ten kilometre-long lanes of the new autobahn
south-west of Berlin,
joined by a steeply-banked curve at one end. Veteran Albert Divo’s Type 54 set
the fastest practice lap at a grand prix record 220 kmh/137 mph, as well as the
fastest race lap. However that other Heavy Metal car, the Maserati V5 led from
the start and Divo’s Type 54 retired early. The race was won by another Heavy Metal
machine, the aero-bodied SSKL Mercedes-Benz. The other Type 54 of privateer Prince
Lobkowicz crashed fatally in practice.
Two weeks later the Bugatti team entered two Type 54s
for Chiron and Varzi in the Italian GP at Monza,
run on the combined road and banked, oval-track sections. Each led briefly
before being overtaken by Fagioli’s 5.0 litre, 16-cylinder Maserati V5. Both
Bugatti’s retired before half-distance.
At the fast Reims
road circuit for the French GP a month later, Varzi was joined by Divo, with
privateers Lehoux and Howe, all in Type 54s. The big Bugattis were completely
outclassed from the start by the 2.6-litre, Alfa Romeo 8C2600Bs. The Type 54s
all suffered brake and gearbox problems and none featured high-up in the race.
For the Monza GP in September Chiron and Varzi again
drove Type 54s. They could only finish fifth and sixth in the final, being beaten
by three Alfa Romeo 8C2600B’s and again by the big V5 Maserati. At the
season-finale on the Miramas banked oval, the Chiron and Varzi Type 54s were
again outpaced by the 8C2600B Alfa Romeos and the 16-cylinder, V5 Maserati. Both
Type 54s retired.
At the 1933 season-opening Tunis GP, despite two
straights over three kilometres long, Lehoux’s solitary Type 54 Bugatti did not
shine against the normal-sized Alfa Romeos , Maseratis and Bugattis, retiring
early on with piston failure.
At the AVUS Rennen in May though, the big Bugatti Type
54s won at last. Varzi, Czaikowski and Williams competed against works 2.6
litre Monza Alfa Romeos and the aero-bodied, 7.1-litre, Mercedes-Benz SSKL.
Czaikowski had just completed setting class world records at AVUS in his Type
54. That he knew the car and the circuit were obvious when he led Varzi’s T54
from the start, set fastest lap at 222 kmh/138 mph and averaged over 205
kmh/127 mph for the race. However the crafty Varzi had followed him closely all
the way until the last few hundred metres, when he nipped passed to win by
three lengths. This one-two was the Type 54s only success.
Czaikowski retired his Type 54 from the next GP, the
French at Montlhery. At season’s end on Miramas’s banked oval Dreyfus’s
singleton Type 54 did manage to lead one lap in a close struggle with the
‘normal’ 2.6-litre Alfa Romeos and 3.0-litre Maseratis. The Type 54 then shed a
wheel and crashed at half-distance. This was the Bugatti Type 54’s last major
grand prix appearance. Two weeks later Czaikowski crashed his Type 54 fatally
in the Monza GP. This event I have not included in my classic grand prix tables.
It had dropped in status, being run in two short heats and a 60 kilometre
final, and was held on the same day as the Italian GP.
1932 MASERATI
V5, 5.0 LITRE, 16-CYLINDER: CAREER 1932-1934
 |
| 1932 Maserati V5 |
For the 1932 season Maserati built an bigger-engined,
more powerful car, using two of their 2.5 litre, twin-cam, supercharged
straight-eights from the 8C2500 that had dominated the 1930 season. Set
alongside each other as in the V4, the resultant 5.0-litre, 16-cylinder model V5
developed 330 to 360 bhp. The V5 weighed about 1290 kg/2840 lbs, about 35% more
than the new, single-seater ‘P3’Alfa Romeo 8C2600B.
The V5 scored a debut win on Rome’s banked Littorio track, despite a tight
road-type section that drastically reduced average speeds. Fagioli’s V5 easily
outpaced the main opposition, team-mate Dreyfus’s 2.8-litre Maserati 8C2800 and
Varzi’s 2.3 litre Bugatti Type 51.
The next outing at the AVUS track featured two V5s
driven by Ernesto Maserati and René Dreyfus. They faced the old Sunbeam Tiger,
two Bugatti Type 54s and the aero-bodied Mercedes-Benz SSKL. Dreyfus proved his
V5’s superior power and speed to lead convincingly for one fifth distance,
before troubles sidelined both Maseratis. The V5 set fastest lap at 200 kmh/124
mph.
In the next major race, the Italian GP at Monza, Fagioli led the
field in his V5 with ease. Until one of his notoriously slow pit stops
carelessly delayed the big V5 to finish second behind Nuvolari’s 2.6 litre Alfa
Romeo 8C2600B. The V5 again set the fastest lap, at 184 km/h (115 mph). At Pescara the trio of Alfa
Romeo Tipo Bs were too competent all-round on this fast but varied road
circuit; Fagioli’s V5 could only manage a fifth place finish. Fagioli and the
V5 did better at the Monza GP, where he beat the Nuvolari Alfa Romeo 8C2600B in
the heat. The exciting final saw Fagioli’s V5 mixing it with the Nuvolari and
Caracciola Alfa 8C2600Bs to finish second. At the huge, featureless,
shallow-banked Miramas track near Marseilles,
Fagioli’s V5 managed to wrest the lead from Nuvolari’s Alfa Romeo 8C2600B for five
laps. Then the customary leisurely Fagioli-Maserati pit stop dropped him from
contention to finish fifth! Two potential V5 wins squandered.
The last appearance for this big Maserati V5 was at Tripoli in 1934 when
Piero Taruffi led the formidable field from the start. Then the brakes started
locking, and on lap eight, when travelling at 255 km/h (155 mph) approaching
the corner at the end of the straight, the fronts locked solid. As Piero
himself described it in that excellent book ‘Il Lotteria Gran Premio di
Triploi’: “I can still see the spectacle of my immobile front wheels and the
smoke from the tyres as they melted […] it was an appalling situation, the bend
was coming nearer […] finally the wheels unlocked, but I dared not touch the
brake pedal and I tried rubbing off speed along the sand dunes […] I decided to
leave the track forwards to prevent rolling the heavy car. I took off and had
the sensation of being one of those flat stones I used to skim across the water
of the Adriatic as a boy.” The car bounced
three times before plunging into a sandbank; Taruffi was concussed and suffered
a broken arm and shattered leg. Fortunately his father was a surgeon and after
months of painful treatment he recovered.
The big V5 never raced again.
1935 ALFA
ROMEO BI-MOTORE, 16-CYLINDER, 5.8 AND 6.4 LITRE: CAREER 1935
 |
| 1935 Alfa Bi-Motore |
With the advent of the 750 kilogram Formula in 1934
and the appearance of the technically advanced, larger capacity, 4.4-litre
Auto-Union and 3.4-litre Mercedes-Benz cars, it seemed that extreme,
monster-car experiments would no longer be viable. By 1935 when the Scuderia
Ferrari realised their Alfa Romeo grand prix cars were no longer fast enough,
engineer Bazzi reckoned they had little to lose by trying again. He proposed
building a new car using two of the current 8-cylinder engines, one in front of
the cockpit as per normal, and one behind! The resultant Bi-Motore ended up
being big and heavy, but amazingly fast, Nuvolari setting a world road-speed
record on the Milan-Como Autostrada at 320 km/h (199 mph).
Two Bi-Motores were built using the current
straight-eight engines in 2.9 and 3.2 litre forms, to make 5.8 and 6.4 litre
models. Although these two Alfa Romeos were 18% and 30% larger in engine
capacity than any of the previous Heavy Metal cars, except for the
Mercedes-Benz SS-SSKL range, this was partly negated by the large engines of
the latest 1935 German cars with 5.6-litres for the Auto-Union and 4.3 litres
for the Mercedes-Benz. Where the Sunbeam Tiger, Maseratis V4 and V5 and the Bugatti
Type 54s were about double the capacity of contemporary ‘normal’ grand prix
machines, the Alfa Romeo Bi-Motores were not: the 5.8 Bi-Motore was 13.5% up on
the Mercedes and just 3.5% up on the Auto Union; the bigger 6.4 litre Bi-Motore
was 15% up on the Mercedes-Benz and 11% larger capacity than the Auto-Union.
However the Bi-Motores were prodigiously powerful: at 510 and 540 bhp against
the 380 and 350 of the Auto-Union and the Mercedes-Benz respectively. It must
be pointed out that the Bi-Motore’s exceeded the 750 kilogram Formula weight
limit, so Alfa Romeo/Ferrari only entered them in the two, free-formula events
at Tripoli and
AVUS.
On their Tripoli
debut, Nuvolari showed his 6.4 litre, Bi-Motore’s pace by ostentatiously
overtaking Fagioli’s Mercedes at full speed in front of the main grandstand. This
speed was false though, for Nuvolari had to make the first of his thirteen tyre
stops on lap three of the 40! The rubber technology was not up to the weight
and speed of the Bi-Motores. Nuvolari’s finished fifth, Chiron’s smaller 5.8-litre
version sixth.
Two weeks later at AVUS Nuvolari and Chiron ran again.
The German cars had various special ‘tweaks’ for this high-speed venue:
faired-in suspensions, behind-wheel fairings, high-sided cockpits, smaller
radiator air intakes and one Auto Union even had a fully-closed, clear plastic
bubble cockpit cover. To such effect that an Auto-Union and a Mercedes-Benz
lapped at an astounding 260 km/h (160 mph) lap average! The Bi-Motores could
not do more than a few seconds at 305kmh/190 mph before stripping tyre treads.
In his heat Nuvolari had to pit for a tyre change so only finished an
unclassified sixth. Chiron drove a canny, tyre-conserving race in his heat,
non-stopping to finish fourth and qualify for the final. Using his renowned
sensitivity and race-craft, Chiron finished second to Fagioli’s Mercedes-Benz
in the final. An outstanding drive from this vastly under-rated driver.
The most audaciously conceived and fastest of the
Heavy Metal cars, the Bi-Motores never again raced in a grand prix.
COMPARING
THEIR RESULTS
Measuring success in terms of bare win-rates, the best
were the Mercedes-Benz S of 1927and the SS of 1928, which each won their single,
albeit carefully selected, races for a 100% win-rate. Next was the 1931-1933
SSKL with four wins from 10 races and an impressive win-rate of 40%. Then the 1931
Tipo A Alfa Romeo with one win in three races for a 33% win-rate. The 1929
Maserati V4 won once in six appearances for a 17% win-rate; the V5 Maserati at
one win in seven races for 14%; then the Bugatti 54 with one win from 12 races
and a rate of 8%. The Sunbeam Tiger and Alfa Romeo Bi-Motore did not score
wins.
The total victories for the ten Heavy Metal models
from five manufacturers was eleven wins from 52 races for a rate of 21%. This one-in-five
win-rate would be very good for any grand prix car over a period of ten seasons.
So it can be said that the monster cars were a success. Bear in mind that they
only entered a few, selected events in that frenetic period of up to 16
classic, grand prix races per season.
MONSTER VS
MONSTER
These brutes met each other only occasionally, so I am
going to briefly state how they fared:
*1930 Monza GP: the Ernesto Maserati/Maserati V4 beat
the Mercedes-Benz SSK, finishing third to the German car’s seventh place.
*1932 AVUS Rennen the aero-bodied Mercedes-Benz SSKL
won against the Maserati V5 and the Bugatti T54. Initially the Fagioli and
Dreyfus Maserati V5s led, running 1-2 and set fastest lap, until they struck
trouble.
*1932 Italian GP at Monza: the Fagioli/Maserati V5 easily
beat the Chiron and Varzi Bugatti T54s and lost the lead through a slow pit stop,
which dropped the V5 to finish second to Nuvolari’s 2.6 litre Alfa Romeo
8C2600B.
*1932 Marseilles GP at Miramas: the Maserati V5 was
again easily faster than the Bugatti T54s, but again lost the lead due to slow
pit stops and only finished sixth
*1933 AVUS Rennen: theVarzi and Czaikowski Bugatti
T54s dominated from the start and finished 1-2, to beat the aero-bodied
7.1-litre, Mercedes-Benz SSKL.
MONSTERS VS NORMAL GP CARS
The big cars did not usually compete on the slower
circuits, but they did nevertheless start in many road circuit races. How they
fared against their ‘normal-sized’grand prix rivals is stated briefly:
- 1926
Spanish GP at San Sebastian:
this was the first Heavy Metal appearance and clash. The Sunbeam Tiger was
leading the 2.0-litre Delages and Bugattis comfortably until a
wheel-bearing seized at lap six of 40. The Sunbeam must have had very good
handling to lead the Bugattis on this sinuous circuit, where the French
cars always performed so well.
- 1928
German GP at Nurburgring: the first race won by a ‘monster’ car when the
huge Mercedes-Benz SS driven by Caracciola and Christian Werner beat the Bugatti
team’s four 2.0 and 2.3-litre Type 35B and 35C models.
- 1929
Monaco GP: Caracciola’s SSK climbed from the back of the grid to lead at
half-distance. It should have won but for a slow refuelling stop, which
dropped it to a third place finish. Amazingly for this huge, heavy car, at
1680 kg being over 70% heavier than the Type 35 Bugatti’s 970 kg
(startline weights), especially on this slow, tight and confined street
circuit, it was faster than the 2.0- and 2.3-litre Bugatti 35Bs, 35Cs and
a Maserati 26B 2.0 litre.
- 1929
Monza GP: the V4 Maserati was leading the Alfa Romeo P2, Bugatti 35Bs and
35Cs and a Maserati 26B, until delayed by tyre troubles.
- 1930
Tripoli GP: the Borzzachini Maserati V4 beat Arcangeli’s 2.0-litre
Maserati Tipo 26B, Varzi’s 2.3 litre Bugatti 35B and Biondetti’s 1.7-litre
Talbot-Plate.
- 1930
Coppa Acerbo at Pescara:
the Arcangeli Maserati V4 was leading the Nuvolari 2.0-litre Alfa Romeo P2/29
and 2.5-litre Maserati 8C2500s when it spun off at lap four of ten.
- 1931
Eifel Rennen at the Nurburgring: the Caracciola SSKL beat three private Bugatti
T35Bs.
- 1931
Rome GP at Littorio: Ernesto Maserati’s Maserati V4 beat the 2.5-litre
Maserati 8C2500, the 2.0-litre 35C Bugattis and the 1.7-litre 26R
Maseratis.
- 1931
German GP at Nurburgring: the Caracciola Mercedes-Benz SSKL scored a great
win in this rainy race, over the Chiron and Varzi and 2.3-litre Bugatti
T51s and Nuvolari’s 2.3-litre Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Monza, which finished 2-3-4.
- 1931 Rome GP at Littorio: the Maserati V4
beat a Maserati 8C2800 and Type 35 B and 35C Bugattis.
- 1931
Coppa Acerbo at Pescara:
the Campari Alfa Romeo Tipo A won against Maserati 8C2800s and 8C2500s, Bugatti
T51s and Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Monzas.
- 1932
Rome GP at Littorio:the Fagioli Maserati V5 won, beating 8C2500 Maseratis
and two T51 Bugattis.
- 1932
AVUS Rennen: the aero-bodied Mercedes-Benz SSKL won, beating an Alfa Romeo
8C2300 Monza,
Bugatti T51s and Maseratis 8C2800 and 8C2500.
- 1932
Italian GP at Monza:
the Fagioli Maserati V5 led the Alfa Romeo 8C2600Bs, Maseratis 8C2800 and
8C2500, Type 51 Bugattis and Monza Alfa Romeo 8C2300s. However, surprisingly
casual pit stops dropped it to finish second, handing a debut win to
Nuvolari’s 2.6-litre Alfa Romeo 8C2600B.
- 1932
Marseilles GP at Miramas track: Fagioli’s Maserati V5 overtook Nuvolari’s
Alfa Romeo 8C2600B to lead until it made another slow pit stop, dropping
to finish sixth in this frenetic, high-speed race. The V5 was faster than
the smaller-engined Maserati 8C2800 and 8C2500, the Type 51 Bugattis and
the Monza Alfa Romeo 8C2300s.
- 1933 AVUS Rennen: the Bugatti T54s
dominated for a 1-2 finish, against Alfa Romeo 8C2600 and 8C2300 Monzas
and Bugatti T51s.
- 1934
Triploi GP: Taruffi/Maserati V5 was led all the works Alfa Romeo 8C2900Bs,
the new Maserati 8CM300s and 8C3000, Type 51 Bugattis and private Monza
Alfa Romeos from the start. Unfortunately on lap seven of the 40 the big
car crashed when the brakes locked on.
The Heavy Metal cars won eleven grand prix races,
twice beating rival ‘monsters’ and nine times defeating normal-sized cars in
the process. Had it not been for some slow pit stops and tyre troubles, this
score could well have been five or six wins more.
The bald statistics however ignore the exciting
contribution that these Heavy Metal cars brought to grand prix racing. In the hands
of the best drivers of the day- Segrave, Divo, Caracciola, Chiron, Nuvolari,
Varzi, Arcangeli, Fagioli and Dreyfus- they set many lap, race and top-speed records
and led a great number of laps. The sight and sound of Segrave’s big V12
Sunbeam accelerating on the winding Lasarte roads and echoing through the narrow,
village streets; the twin-six Alfa Romeo Tipo A blasting along Pescara’s
Adriatic coast road at 225 km/h (140 mph) and passing the ‘standard’ cars with
20 km/h in hand; the heftily powerful, 16-cylinder roar of the Maserati V4 and V5
models, hitting 250 km/h at Tripoli and Littorio; the dominant Bugatti Type 54s
finishing an impressive first and second at AVUS outside Berlin in 1933, which
sparked Hitler’s propagandist mind; these big, booming Bugattis whooshing past
the smaller Alfas and Maseratis on the long straights among Reims’s
wheatfields; and Nuvolari’s big, dark red, Alfa Romeo Bi-Motore passing the
German cars at 300 km/h (187 mph) in front of Tripoli’s packed, elegant, white-concrete,
cantilevered grandstand...
©
Patrick O’Brien. Nothing from this page can be used without the permission of
Patrick E. O’Brien.
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