Rome Grand Prix (May 19th)

Vallelunga Autodrome—Two Heats

The little Vallelunga Autodrome just north of Rome has recently been lengthened to 3.2 kilometres to the lap, but still remains very much an enclosed stadium, and here a Formula One race was held in two Heats with the addition of the results forming the general classification.

It was essentially an event for private owners and gave Bob Anderson a good opportunity for a win with his 1962 Lola-Climax V8. This race saw the first appearance in competition of the de Tomaso flat-8-cylinder Formula One car, driven by Nasif, but it was not very impressive; however, another de Tomaso car, a Junior with a 1,500-c.c. Ford engine, driven by young Bernabei, caused a big stir by leading the whole field for quite a long time in Heat 1, until the engine came apart. Both Heats were over a distance of 40 laps each, and Bob Anderson won them both, from de Beaufort (Porsche) and Raby (Gilby-B.R.M. V8), so that the final classification was easy to work out.