PROSPECTS OF A NEW G.P. FORMULA

PROSPECTS OF A NEW G.P. FORMULA

Motor racing is in an. interesting state of change at the moment. The 1,500 c.c. category has now grown so suddenly into maturity that it threatens—or rather is almost certain—to rank higher in importance than the racing under the existing Grand Prix formula. It all boils down to a matter of competition. Grand Prix racing to-day is frankly a monopoly of the Ger

mans, Mercedes-Benz and Auto-Union. Neither Alfa-Romeo nor Maserati can be considered as serious rivals, and the same thing applies to the French teams, Darracq and Delahaye. It is not to be wondered at, then, that Grand Prix races have lost practically all interest as races, although they still continue to be magnificent spectacles. At the start of a Grand Prix one is faced with two questions : will Mercedes beat Auto-Union, or vice-versa ? Beyond that it is possible to take an academic interest in such points as whether Muller and Seaman are definitely getting on terms with the older drivers, and to speculate as to whether Nuvolari or Caracciola is the world’s finest driver. But that is as far as it goes. How different it or is or going to be this year in the

1,500 c.c. field. In. the big races there will be no certain winners, and the interest will not be confined to two teams— but to four at least. Who can say which will triumph— E. R.A. , Alfa-Romeo, Maserati or Mercedes-Benz? And the international element is strong, too,with teams representing Britain, Germany and Italy. For there is absolutely no doubt that motor-racing rivalry between teams of cars is infinitely more interesting than that between independent drivers, however brilliant the latter may be. Not only does it permit of greater scope for tactics, one car in each team generally being given the

job of pace-maker to break up the first-string drivers of other teams, but the importance of victory and defeat seem far greater in the case of an organisation than with a single driver. The competition of teams also makes the race of greater attraction to the casual spectator, without whom it is impossible to get a really worth-while

gate.” And if those teams happen to come from different countries, so much the better. There are all the indications that next year the Grand Prix formula will be for 1,500 c.c. cars. Italy and Germany are both in favour of it. Britain, with

her E.R.A.s, will plumb for it every time. As for France, no doubt the A.C.F. will try to arrange matters so that there will be room for het unblown cars of bigger capacity, but that need not be a difficulty. The most gratifying part of the whole business will be that Britain will at long last have a representative team in Grand Prix formula racing—always providing, of course, that the British Motor Racing Fund achieves its object, which it is to be devoutly hoped it will. In the matter of In matter of experience of obtaining the highest power output from small engines E. R.A.s have a good start on MercedesBenz and Alfa-Romeo, and there is no reason whatever why they should not be firm favourites for Grand Prix honours. The mere thought of a British car winning a real Grand Prix—it would be the first time for nearly twenty years–sounds like a fairy-tale. And a fairy-tale

it will remain unless every motoring enthusiast comes forward with his donation to the Fund.

On Streamlined Form—Owing to pressure of space this article is unavoidably held over until the June issue.