Difference between revisions of "Pescara Grand Prix"

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{{X}}
 
{{X}}
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{{F1 race |
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{| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:250px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
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  Flag              = Flag of Italy.png |
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|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
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  Name              = Pescara Grand Prix |
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| colspan=2 style="padding:0; background:#505050; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #999;" |[[File:470px-Circuit_Pescara.png|280px]]
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   Circuit            = [[Pescara Circuit]] |
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|- style="color:#fff; background:darkred; font-size:larger;"
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  Circuit_image      = Circuit Pescara.png |
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! colspan=2 |'''Pescara Grand Prix'''
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   Laps              = 18 |
+
|-
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   Circuit_length_km  = 25.58 |
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| Circuit              ||   [[Pescara Circuit]]  
−
   Circuit_length_mi  = 15.89 |
+
|-
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   Race_length_km    = 460.42 |
+
| Laps                ||   18  
−
   Race_length_mi    = 268.09 |
+
|-
−
   Most_wins_driver  = [[Stirling Moss]] (1) |
+
|  Circuit length km    ||   25.58  
−
   Most_wins_constructor = [[Vanwall]] (1) |
+
|-
−
   Current_year      = 1957 |
+
|  Circuit length mi    ||   15.89  
−
   Winner            = [[Stirling Moss]] |
+
|-
−
   Winning_team      = [[Vanwall]] |
+
|  Race length km      ||   460.42  
−
   Winning_time      = 2:59'22.700 |
+
|-
−
   Pole_driver        = [[Juan Manuel Fangio]] |
+
|  Race length mi      ||   268.09  
−
   Pole_team          = [[Maserati]] |
+
|-
−
   Pole_time          = 9:44.600 |
+
|  Most wins driver    ||   [[Stirling Moss]] (1)  
−
   Fastest_lap_driver = [[Stirling Moss]] |
+
|-
−
   Fastest_lap_team  = [[Vanwall]] |
+
|  Most wins constructor  ||   [[Vanwall]] (1)  
−
   Fastest_lap        = 9:44.600
+
|-
−
}}
+
|  Current year        ||   1957  
 +
|-
 +
|  Winner              ||   [[Stirling Moss]]  
 +
|-
 +
|  Winning team        ||   [[Vanwall]]  
 +
|-
 +
|  Winning time        ||   2:59'22.700  
 +
|-
 +
|  Pole driver          ||   [[Juan Manuel Fangio]]  
 +
|-
 +
|  Pole team            ||   [[Maserati]]  
 +
|-
 +
|  Pole time            ||   9:44.600  
 +
|-
 +
|  Fastest lap driver  ||   [[Stirling Moss]]  
 +
|-
 +
|  Fastest lap team    ||   [[Vanwall]]  
 +
|-
 +
|  Fastest lap          ||   9:44.600
 +
|-
 +
|colspan=2|
 +
|-
 +
| colspan=2 style="padding:0; background:#333333; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #999;" |<videoflash>aEiz_35bLwQ|280|200</videoflash>
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
 
 +
The '''Coppa Acerbo''' was an automobile race held in [[Italy]], named after [[Tito Acerbo]], the brother of [[Giacomo Acerbo]], a prominent fascist politician. Following Italy's defeat in [[World War II]], and the consequent demise of [[fascism]], the race was renamed the '''Circuito di Pescara''', and in some years was also referred to as the '''Pescara Grand Prix''' (''Gran Premio di Pescara''). The race was run between 1924 and 1961 and over the years was held to a variety of vehicle class regulations and durations. In F1 1957 the Pescara Grand Prix formed a round of the [[Formula One]] World Championship, a race which still holds the record as having the longest circuit length ever used for a Championship event.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==Pescara Circuit==
 +
''Main Article'' [[Pescara Circuit]]
 +
 
 +
The Coppa Acerbo races were held over a 15 - 16 mile (24 – 26&nbsp;km) circuit, beginning and ending at [[Pescara]], on the [[Adriatic Sea|Adriatic]] coast. The course layout featured an inland route through the [[Abruzzo]] hills, that passed through several villages, followed by a long, straight descent back to the coast, where a tight right-hand corner led on to a four mile (6&nbsp;km) long straight running next to the sea. The pit and paddock complex was located at the end of this straight. In an effort to slow competitor speeds past these pits the Pescara circuit became one of the first to have an artificial chicane installed, just before the pit lane. The Pescara circuit layout holds the record as the longest circuit to ever to host a Formula One World Championship event, with the [[Nürburgring]] Nordschleife coming second at ~23&nbsp;km.
  
  
−
The '''Pescara Grand Prix''' is the longest circuit ever used in the [[Formula 1|F1 World Championship]], at just under 16 miles. Located in [[Pescara]], an [[Italy|Italian]] town, on the [[adriatic]] coast, it utilised the roads there.
+
==Pre-war races==
  
−
[[Grand Prix motor racing]] first started here with [[Enzo Ferrari]] winning in 1924. Know as the [[Coppa Acerbo]], it was a challenging race that attracted many top drivers during the 1930's who wanted to show off their skills.
+
[[Image:Coppa Acerbo Pescara0004.JPG|thumb|right|270px|A sculpture, placed between the villages of [[Cappelle sul Tavo]] and [[Spoltore]] at the highest point on the Pescara Circuit, commemorating the pre-war Coppa Acerbo racers.]]
  
−
The circuit started on the roads in the outskirts of the town, the course followed the coastline, until heading inland toward the villages [[Spoltore]] and [[Villa Raspa]]. From here it followed through the roads there to the outskirts of a town called [[Cappelle]], where a sharp right [[hairpin turn|hairpin]] sent the racers down the "flying kilometer" a stretch of track near [[Montesilvano]]. In [[1950]], [[Juan Manuel Fangio]] was clocked going over 192 [[mph]] through the "flying kilometer".
+
The first Coppa Acerbo was staged in 1924 and was won by a then-unknown junior driver by the name of [[Enzo Ferrari]], later to find fame as the creator of [[Ferrari]] and head of the Formula One team [[Scuderia Ferrari]]. The race was run for the top class of international competition, the only real limiting factor on vehicle specifications being the cars' ability to transmit power through the inadequate tyres of the day. Although never itself a [[Grande Epreuve]], or later a constituent of the [[European Championship (auto racing)|European Championship]], the Coppa Acerbo was considered one of the most prestigious races of its day. These early races were dominated by home-grown cars and drivers, and [[Alfa Romeo]] in particular was almost unbeatable. The Milanese manufacturer won seven of the first nine races; only in 1926 were they beaten by the legendary [[Bugatti Type 35|Bugatti T35]], and again in 1930 by Italian star-driver [[Achille Varzi]] driving a [[Maserati]].
  
−
The only [[Formula 1|World Championship]] race was held in [[1957]], with [[Stirling Moss]] taking 1st place.
+
Alfa's domination of the race came to an end with the introduction of the 750&nbsp;kg Grand Prix regulations in 1934, a race that was also marked by tragedy when [[Guy Moll]], one of the most promising young drivers of the day, was killed. Germany's state-funded [[Silver Arrows]] of [[Mercedes-Benz]] and [[Auto Union]] would come to eclipse all their rivals for the subsequent five years. Although the race was again won by two Italian drivers during this time, including a second victory for Varzi, it was only when the organisers decided to run the Coppa to the 1.5 litre [[voiturette]] formula in 1939 that any other manufacturer could stand a realistic chance of winning. Perhaps fittingly it was Alfa Romeo, with their new [[Alfa Romeo 158|158 ''Alfetta'']] car, that took the honours in this last competition before the outbreak of [[World War II]].
  
−
The circuit closed for good in [[1961]] as it was impossible for race organisers to guarantee safety.
 
  
 +
==Post-war races==
 +
 +
After WWII the race remained suspended for a year during post-war rebuilding. When it was finally run again in 1947 the name of the race was changed, because of its fascist connections, and it became known as the ''Circuito di Pescara''. For the first three years the race was run for two-seater sports cars and was a fairly minor constituent in the European racing calendar. However, in common with many race orgaisers around the continent, with the introduction of the [[Formula One]] World Championship in 1950 the race organisers saw their chance to return the Pescara event to its former position of prominence. Although, once again, not a World Championship event the race did attract many top-name teams and drivers over the following two years. Despite it being an Italian event, and himself a former winner, Ferrari decided to withdraw his team from the 1950 event, but the Alfa Romeo, Maserati and [[Talbot-Lago]] works teams did attend, along with many privateer and amateur racers. The 1950 race was won by future World Champion [[Juan Manuel Fangio]] driving for Alfa Romeo. The following year Ferrari did attend, and the race was won by Fangio's Argentinian compatriot [[José Froilán González]] driving one of their [[Ferrari 375|375]] cars.
 +
 +
When the World Championship switched to the slower [[Formula Two]] regulations, the organisers decided to abandon formula racing in favour of further sportscar events. During this period endurance sportscar racing was almost as prestigious as the top open-wheel series, and for 1952 the organisers changed the race's name, once again, to the ''12 Ore di Pescara'' (12 Hours of Pescara). The change of format did not hinder Ferrari's chances of victory, however, and their cars and drivers took wins in both 1952 and 1953. Despite the success of the endurance format, though, when the Formula One engine capacity limit was raised to 2.5 litres from 1954 the Circuito di Pescara was quickly switched back to single-seat rules. The 1954 event was won by one of the most iconic Formula One cars of all time, a [[Maserati 250F]], driven by [[Luigi Musso]]. This was to be the last race for two years, as in 1955, as a result of the disaster at the [[24 hours of Le Mans]], the race was cancelled.
 +
 +
Sportscars returned once more in 1956, before in 1957 the Pescara race was elevated to a round of the [[Formula One]] World Championship. This race, although commonly referred to as the ''[[1957 Pescara Grand Prix]]'' was officially another Circuito event. In a field dominated by numerous Maserati 250F cars, reigning World Champion Fangio used his example to set a pole position time of 9 minutes 44.6 seconds, at an average speed of over 157&nbsp;km/h (98 mph). In the race, however, it was second-placed starter [[Stirling Moss]] in his [[Vanwall]] who took the initiative and victory. He led all but one of the race's 18 laps and finished over three minutes clear of Fangio in second place.
 +
 +
By the early 1960s, safety issues had become a major concern and the Pescara racecourse was seen as too dangerous for major international events. After a two year break the race was downgraded to Formula Two status for 1960, a race won by future World Champion [[Denny Hulme]] in his first year racing in Europe. For its 1961 swansong once again, for only the second time in its history, the Pescara race was raised to World Championship status, this time in the [[World Sportscar Championship]]. Appropriately, for a race subtitled the 4h Testa Rosa, the final Gran Premio di Pescara was won by a [[Ferrari TR|Ferrari Testa Rossa]], driven by [[Lorenzo Bandini]] and [[Giorgio Scarlatti]] and entered by [[Scuderia Centro Sud]]; an Italian team, with an Italian car and two Italian drivers, won the final iteration of this famous Italian event. With ever-increasing speeds and the fragile build-quality of most cars of the time, the race was discontinued after the 1961 event.
 +
 +
 +
==Race winners==
 +
[[Bernd Rosemeyer]], [[Luigi Fagioli]], and [[Achille Varzi]] all won the race twice but [[Giuseppe Campari]] is the only driver to win it on three occasions.
  
−
== Winners of the Pescara Grand Prix ==
 
 
{| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:600px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
 
{| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:center; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:600px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
 
|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
 
|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
 
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
 
|- tr BGCOLOR=darkred
 
! Year
 
! Year
−
! Driver  
+
! Driver/s
−
! Constructor
+
! Class
−
! Location
+
! Vehicle
−
! Report
+
! Race title
 +
|-
 +
! [[1961 World Sportscar Championship season|1961]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Lorenzo Bandini]]<br>{{flagiconITA}} [[Giorgio Scarlatti]]
 +
| [[Sports car racing|Sports car]]
 +
| [[Ferrari]] [[Ferrari TR|250TRI]]
 +
| [[1961 Pescara Grand Prix|1961 4h Testa Rosa]]
 +
|-
 +
! 1960
 +
| {{flagiconNZL}} [[Denny Hulme]]
 +
| [[Formula Two]]
 +
| [[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]] [[Cooper T52|T52]] - [[British Motor Corporation|BMC]]
 +
| [[1960 Pescara Grand Prix|XXVI Gran Premio di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="5"| 1958 - 1959: Not held.
 
|-
 
|-
−
! [[1957 Formula One season|1957]]
+
! {{F1|1957}}
 
| {{flagiconUK}} [[Stirling Moss]]
 
| {{flagiconUK}} [[Stirling Moss]]
−
| [[Vanwall]]
+
| [[Formula One]]
−
| [[Pescara Circuit|Pescara]]
+
| [[Vanwall]] [[Vanwall VW5|VW5]]
−
| [[1957 Pescara Grand Prix|Report]]
+
| [[1957 Pescara Grand Prix|XXV Circuito di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
! 1956
 +
| {{flagiconFRA}} [[Robert Manzon]]
 +
| [[Sports car racing|Sports car]]
 +
| [[Gordini]] [[Gordini T15|T15S]]
 +
| [[1956 Pescara Grand Prix|XXIV Gran Premio di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="5"| 1955: Not held.
 +
|-
 +
! {{F1|1954}}
 +
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Luigi Musso]]
 +
| [[Formula One]]/[[Formula Two|Two]]
 +
| [[Maserati]] [[Maserati 250F|250F]]
 +
| [[1954 Circuito di Pescara|XXIII Gran Premio di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
! 1953
 +
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Umberto Maglioli]]<br>{{flagiconUK}} [[Mike Hawthorn]]
 +
| [[Sports car racing|Sports car]]
 +
| [[Ferrari]] [[Ferrari America|375MM]]
 +
| [[1953 12 Hours of Pescara|2° 12 Ore di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
! 1952
 +
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Giovanni Bracco]]<br>{{flagiconITA}} [[Paolo Marzotto]]
 +
| [[Sports car racing|Sports car]]
 +
| [[Ferrari]] [[Ferrari 250|250S]]
 +
| [[1952 Pescara Grand Prix|1° 12 Ore di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
! {{F1|1951}}
 +
| {{flagiconARG}} [[José Froilán González]]
 +
| [[Formula One]]
 +
| [[Ferrari]] [[Ferrari 375|375]]
 +
| [[1951 Pescara Grand Prix|XX Circuito di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
! {{F1|1950}}
 +
| {{flagiconARG}} [[Juan Manuel Fangio]]
 +
| [[Formula One]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo 158|158]]
 +
| [[1950 Pescara Grand Prix|XIX Circuito di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
! 1949
 +
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Franco Rol]]
 +
| [[Sports car racing|Sports car]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo 6C|6C 2500 SS]]
 +
| [[1949 Pescara Grand Prix|XVIII Circuito di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
! 1948
 +
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Giovanni Bracco]]
 +
| [[Sports car racing|Sports car]]
 +
| [[Maserati]] [[Maserati A6|A6GCS]]
 +
| [[1948 Pescara Grand Prix|XVII Circuito di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
! 1947
 +
| {{flagiconITA}} [[Vincenzo Auricchio]]
 +
| [[Sports car racing|Sports car]]
 +
| [[Stanguellini]]-[[Fiat 1100]]
 +
| [[1947 Pescara Grand Prix|XVI Circuito di Pescara]]
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="5"| 1940 - 1946: Not held.
 +
|-
 +
! [[1939 Grand Prix season|1939]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Clemente Biondetti]]
 +
| [[Voiturette]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo 158|158]]
 +
| [[1939 Coppa Acerbo|XV Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1938 Grand Prix season|1938]]
 +
| {{flagiconNazi Germany}} [[Rudolf Caracciola]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Mercedes-Benz]] [[Mercedes-Benz W154|W154]]
 +
| [[1938 Coppa Acerbo|XIV Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1937 Grand Prix season|1937]]
 +
| {{flagiconNazi Germany}} [[Bernd Rosemeyer]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Auto Union]] C Typ.
 +
| [[1937 Coppa Acerbo|XIII Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1936 Grand Prix season|1936]]
 +
| {{flagiconNazi Germany}} [[Bernd Rosemeyer]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Auto Union]] C Typ.
 +
| [[1936 Coppa Acerbo|XII Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1935 Grand Prix season|1935]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Achille Varzi]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Auto Union]] B Typ.
 +
| [[1935 Coppa Acerbo|XI Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1934 Grand Prix season|1934]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Luigi Fagioli]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Mercedes-Benz]] [[Mercedes-Benz W25|W25]]
 +
| [[1934 Coppa Acerbo|X Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1933 Grand Prix season|1933]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Luigi Fagioli]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo P3|Tipo-B 'P3']]
 +
| [[1933 Coppa Acerbo|IX Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1932 Grand Prix season|1932]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Tazio Nuvolari]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo P3|Tipo-B 'P3']]
 +
| [[1932 Coppa Acerbo|VIII Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1931 Grand Prix season|1931]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Giuseppe Campari]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo Tipo A|Tipo A]]
 +
| [[1931 Coppa Acerbo|VII Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1930 Grand Prix season|1930]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Achille Varzi]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Maserati]] [[Maserati 26M|26M]]
 +
| [[1930 Coppa Acerbo|VI Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1929 Grand Prix season|1929]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Giuseppe Campari]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo P2|P2]]
 +
| [[1929 Coppa Acerbo|V Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
!colspan="5"| 1928: Not held.
 +
|-
 +
! [[1927 Grand Prix season|1927]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Giuseppe Campari]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo P2|P2]]
 +
| [[1927 Coppa Acerbo|IV Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1926 Grand Prix season|1926]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Luigi Spinozzi]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Bugatti]] [[Bugatti Type 35|T35]]
 +
| [[1926 Coppa Acerbo|III Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1925 Grand Prix season|1925]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Guido Ginaldi]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo RL|RL]]
 +
| [[1925 Coppa Acerbo|II Coppa Acerbo]]
 +
|-
 +
! [[1924 Grand Prix season|1924]]
 +
| {{flagiconITA|1861}} [[Enzo Ferrari]]
 +
| [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]]
 +
| [[Alfa Romeo]] [[Alfa Romeo RL|RL]]
 +
| [[1924 Coppa Acerbo|I Coppa Acerbo]]
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
For details on other winners between 1924 and 1961, see [[Coppa Acerbo]].
 
For details on other winners between 1924 and 1961, see [[Coppa Acerbo]].
  
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== Video ==
 
  
−
{| border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=4 style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:300px; background:#505050; border-collapse:collapse; border:1px solid #999; font-size:83%; line-height:1.5; " summary="Infobox Automobile"
+
== External Links ==
−
|- style="text-align:center; background:#505050;"
+
 
−
| colspan=2 style="padding:0; background:#808080; color:#fff; border-bottom:1px solid #999;" |<videoflash>aEiz_35bLwQ|300|200</videoflash>
+
[http://www.etracksonline.co.uk/Europe/Italy/pescara34-61.html Etracksonline page on Pescara circuit]
−
|- style="color:#fff; background:darkred; font-size:larger;"
 
−
! colspan=2 |'''Tribute to Grand Prix of Pescara'''
 
−
|}
 
  
  
−
== External Links ==
+
==References==
 +
*[http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/main.htm The Golden Era of Grand Prix Racing]
 +
*[http://wsrp.ic.cz/ World Sports Racing Prototypes]
 +
*[http://www.silhouet.com/motorsport/archive/f1/title.html The GEL Motorsport Information Page]
 +
*[http://www.formula2.net/FJ60_E51.htm F2 Register]
  
−
[http://www.etracksonline.co.uk/Europe/Italy/pescara34-61.html Etracksonline page on Pescara circuit]
 
  
  

Latest revision as of 22:53, 4 November 2009

470px-Circuit Pescara.png
Pescara Grand Prix
Circuit Pescara Circuit
Laps 18
Circuit length km 25.58
Circuit length mi 15.89
Race length km 460.42
Race length mi 268.09
Most wins driver Stirling Moss (1)
Most wins constructor Vanwall (1)
Current year 1957
Winner Stirling Moss
Winning team Vanwall
Winning time 2:59'22.700
Pole driver Juan Manuel Fangio
Pole team Maserati
Pole time 9:44.600
Fastest lap driver Stirling Moss
Fastest lap team Vanwall
Fastest lap 9:44.600


The Coppa Acerbo was an automobile race held in Italy, named after Tito Acerbo, the brother of Giacomo Acerbo, a prominent fascist politician. Following Italy's defeat in World War II, and the consequent demise of fascism, the race was renamed the Circuito di Pescara, and in some years was also referred to as the Pescara Grand Prix (Gran Premio di Pescara). The race was run between 1924 and 1961 and over the years was held to a variety of vehicle class regulations and durations. In F1 1957 the Pescara Grand Prix formed a round of the Formula One World Championship, a race which still holds the record as having the longest circuit length ever used for a Championship event.


Pescara Circuit

Main Article Pescara Circuit

The Coppa Acerbo races were held over a 15 - 16 mile (24 – 26 km) circuit, beginning and ending at Pescara, on the Adriatic coast. The course layout featured an inland route through the Abruzzo hills, that passed through several villages, followed by a long, straight descent back to the coast, where a tight right-hand corner led on to a four mile (6 km) long straight running next to the sea. The pit and paddock complex was located at the end of this straight. In an effort to slow competitor speeds past these pits the Pescara circuit became one of the first to have an artificial chicane installed, just before the pit lane. The Pescara circuit layout holds the record as the longest circuit to ever to host a Formula One World Championship event, with the Nürburgring Nordschleife coming second at ~23 km.


Pre-war races

A sculpture, placed between the villages of Cappelle sul Tavo and Spoltore at the highest point on the Pescara Circuit, commemorating the pre-war Coppa Acerbo racers.

The first Coppa Acerbo was staged in 1924 and was won by a then-unknown junior driver by the name of Enzo Ferrari, later to find fame as the creator of Ferrari and head of the Formula One team Scuderia Ferrari. The race was run for the top class of international competition, the only real limiting factor on vehicle specifications being the cars' ability to transmit power through the inadequate tyres of the day. Although never itself a Grande Epreuve, or later a constituent of the European Championship, the Coppa Acerbo was considered one of the most prestigious races of its day. These early races were dominated by home-grown cars and drivers, and Alfa Romeo in particular was almost unbeatable. The Milanese manufacturer won seven of the first nine races; only in 1926 were they beaten by the legendary Bugatti T35, and again in 1930 by Italian star-driver Achille Varzi driving a Maserati.

Alfa's domination of the race came to an end with the introduction of the 750 kg Grand Prix regulations in 1934, a race that was also marked by tragedy when Guy Moll, one of the most promising young drivers of the day, was killed. Germany's state-funded Silver Arrows of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union would come to eclipse all their rivals for the subsequent five years. Although the race was again won by two Italian drivers during this time, including a second victory for Varzi, it was only when the organisers decided to run the Coppa to the 1.5 litre voiturette formula in 1939 that any other manufacturer could stand a realistic chance of winning. Perhaps fittingly it was Alfa Romeo, with their new 158 Alfetta car, that took the honours in this last competition before the outbreak of World War II.


Post-war races

After WWII the race remained suspended for a year during post-war rebuilding. When it was finally run again in 1947 the name of the race was changed, because of its fascist connections, and it became known as the Circuito di Pescara. For the first three years the race was run for two-seater sports cars and was a fairly minor constituent in the European racing calendar. However, in common with many race orgaisers around the continent, with the introduction of the Formula One World Championship in 1950 the race organisers saw their chance to return the Pescara event to its former position of prominence. Although, once again, not a World Championship event the race did attract many top-name teams and drivers over the following two years. Despite it being an Italian event, and himself a former winner, Ferrari decided to withdraw his team from the 1950 event, but the Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Talbot-Lago works teams did attend, along with many privateer and amateur racers. The 1950 race was won by future World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio driving for Alfa Romeo. The following year Ferrari did attend, and the race was won by Fangio's Argentinian compatriot José Froilán González driving one of their 375 cars.

When the World Championship switched to the slower Formula Two regulations, the organisers decided to abandon formula racing in favour of further sportscar events. During this period endurance sportscar racing was almost as prestigious as the top open-wheel series, and for 1952 the organisers changed the race's name, once again, to the 12 Ore di Pescara (12 Hours of Pescara). The change of format did not hinder Ferrari's chances of victory, however, and their cars and drivers took wins in both 1952 and 1953. Despite the success of the endurance format, though, when the Formula One engine capacity limit was raised to 2.5 litres from 1954 the Circuito di Pescara was quickly switched back to single-seat rules. The 1954 event was won by one of the most iconic Formula One cars of all time, a Maserati 250F, driven by Luigi Musso. This was to be the last race for two years, as in 1955, as a result of the disaster at the 24 hours of Le Mans, the race was cancelled.

Sportscars returned once more in 1956, before in 1957 the Pescara race was elevated to a round of the Formula One World Championship. This race, although commonly referred to as the 1957 Pescara Grand Prix was officially another Circuito event. In a field dominated by numerous Maserati 250F cars, reigning World Champion Fangio used his example to set a pole position time of 9 minutes 44.6 seconds, at an average speed of over 157 km/h (98 mph). In the race, however, it was second-placed starter Stirling Moss in his Vanwall who took the initiative and victory. He led all but one of the race's 18 laps and finished over three minutes clear of Fangio in second place.

By the early 1960s, safety issues had become a major concern and the Pescara racecourse was seen as too dangerous for major international events. After a two year break the race was downgraded to Formula Two status for 1960, a race won by future World Champion Denny Hulme in his first year racing in Europe. For its 1961 swansong once again, for only the second time in its history, the Pescara race was raised to World Championship status, this time in the World Sportscar Championship. Appropriately, for a race subtitled the 4h Testa Rosa, the final Gran Premio di Pescara was won by a Ferrari Testa Rossa, driven by Lorenzo Bandini and Giorgio Scarlatti and entered by Scuderia Centro Sud; an Italian team, with an Italian car and two Italian drivers, won the final iteration of this famous Italian event. With ever-increasing speeds and the fragile build-quality of most cars of the time, the race was discontinued after the 1961 event.


Race winners

Bernd Rosemeyer, Luigi Fagioli, and Achille Varzi all won the race twice but Giuseppe Campari is the only driver to win it on three occasions.

Year Driver/s Class Vehicle Race title
1961 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Lorenzo Bandini
3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Giorgio Scarlatti 		Sports car Ferrari 250TRI 1961 4h Testa Rosa
1960 22px-Flag of New Zealand.png Denny Hulme Formula Two Cooper T52 - BMC XXVI Gran Premio di Pescara
1958 - 1959: Not held.
1957 22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Stirling Moss Formula One Vanwall VW5 XXV Circuito di Pescara
1956 22px-Flag of France.png Robert Manzon Sports car Gordini T15S XXIV Gran Premio di Pescara
1955: Not held.
1954 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Luigi Musso Formula One/Two Maserati 250F XXIII Gran Premio di Pescara
1953 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Umberto Maglioli
22px-Flag of the United Kingdom.png Mike Hawthorn 		Sports car Ferrari 375MM 2° 12 Ore di Pescara
1952 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Giovanni Bracco
3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Paolo Marzotto 		Sports car Ferrari 250S 1° 12 Ore di Pescara
1951 22px-Flag of Argentina.svg.png José Froilán González Formula One Ferrari 375 XX Circuito di Pescara
1950 22px-Flag of Argentina.svg.png Juan Manuel Fangio Formula One Alfa Romeo 158 XIX Circuito di Pescara
1949 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Franco Rol Sports car Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS XVIII Circuito di Pescara
1948 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Giovanni Bracco Sports car Maserati A6GCS XVII Circuito di Pescara
1947 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Vincenzo Auricchio Sports car Stanguellini-Fiat 1100 XVI Circuito di Pescara
1940 - 1946: Not held.
1939 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Clemente Biondetti Voiturette Alfa Romeo 158 XV Coppa Acerbo
1938 22px-Flag of Germany 1933.png Rudolf Caracciola Grand Prix Mercedes-Benz W154 XIV Coppa Acerbo
1937 22px-Flag of Germany 1933.png Bernd Rosemeyer Grand Prix Auto Union C Typ. XIII Coppa Acerbo
1936 22px-Flag of Germany 1933.png Bernd Rosemeyer Grand Prix Auto Union C Typ. XII Coppa Acerbo
1935 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Achille Varzi Grand Prix Auto Union B Typ. XI Coppa Acerbo
1934 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Luigi Fagioli Grand Prix Mercedes-Benz W25 X Coppa Acerbo
1933 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Luigi Fagioli Grand Prix Alfa Romeo Tipo-B 'P3' IX Coppa Acerbo
1932 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Tazio Nuvolari Grand Prix Alfa Romeo Tipo-B 'P3' VIII Coppa Acerbo
1931 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Giuseppe Campari Grand Prix Alfa Romeo Tipo A VII Coppa Acerbo
1930 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Achille Varzi Grand Prix Maserati 26M VI Coppa Acerbo
1929 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Giuseppe Campari Grand Prix Alfa Romeo P2 V Coppa Acerbo
1928: Not held.
1927 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Giuseppe Campari Grand Prix Alfa Romeo P2 IV Coppa Acerbo
1926 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Luigi Spinozzi Grand Prix Bugatti T35 III Coppa Acerbo
1925 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Guido Ginaldi Grand Prix Alfa Romeo RL II Coppa Acerbo
1924 3dflagsdotcom italy2bs.gif Enzo Ferrari Grand Prix Alfa Romeo RL I Coppa Acerbo

For details on other winners between 1924 and 1961, see Coppa Acerbo.


External Links

Etracksonline page on Pescara circuit


References



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