13 replies to this topic

[Barry Boor]

Not being anywhere near as steeped in the history of motor sport as many TNF regulars, it occurred to me, earlier today, to wonder if some of the well known names from the earlier days of the World Championship series actually ever won any major races.

I'll start the questioning off with 2 names; Roberto Mieres and Harry Schell.

[Vitesse2]

'Arree had a couple of national wins in Vanwalls in 1955 - the Redex Trophy at Snetterton and the Avon Trophy at Castle Combe - plus a heat win at Crystal Palace (first win for a Vanwall). He also won the 1956 Caen GP in a Maserati and shared the winning car in the 1956 Nurburgring 1000kms. He also won the 2 litre class at Sebring in 1958.

The only win I can find for Mieres immediately is the 1959 Daytona 6 Hours with Anton von Dorey (or maybe Fritz d'Orey or ..... )

[David McKinney]

Otherwise only class wins
Schell won his class at Le Mans in 1953 (with Trintignant) and in the 1955 Venezuela GP (with Castellotti), in Ferraris both times. He also won his class in the 1956 Tour de France, with Vidilles in an Alfa Romeo
Mieres won the F2 class of the 1953 Albi GP (Gordini) and was also first in class in the 1958 Buenos Aires 1000km (with Barth in a Porsche)

[Barry Boor]

Thank you, gentlemen.

Now may I toss in a couple more names?

Alfonso de Portago and Cesare Perdisa.

[jarama]

Barry,

Fon de Portago's brief career international wins:

1954
GP de Metz, Maserati A6GCS
Governor's Trophy, Nassau, Ferrari
1000 Km de Buenos Aires, sharing with Harry Schell, Ferrari

1955
Governor's Trophy, Nassau, Ferrari

1956
Tour de France Automobile, codriver Eddy Nelson, Ferrari 250GT
GP do Porto, Ferrari

Carles.

[Roger Clark]

Perdisa won the 1955 Gran Premio di Imola

[David McKinney]

Perdisa won the 1955 Bari sportscar race as well as the Imola. Without looking it up, I think both these were 2-litre races. And of course his short career as a works Ferrari driver enabled him to share victory the 1957 Beunos Aires 1000km.
There were also class wins at Monza (in the GP Supercortamaggiore) and Syracuse in 1954, and in the 1956 Mille Miglia

Portago did not win the 1954 BA 1000km - he and Schell were second. He did however win GT races at Oporto, Montlhéry and Rome in 1956, and the 1957 Coupe du Salon at Montlhéry

[Roger Clark]

Originally posted by David McKinney
Perdisa won the 1955 Bari sportscar race as well as the Imola.

1954, according to Settant'Anni (Carli)

[jarama]

David,

of course, you're right. It's been my mistake, 'cause I've post it without checking... from the top of my head.

Carles.

[Joe Fan]

Harry Schell is listed as a co-winner of the 1956 Nurburgring 1000KM with Moss, Behra and Taruffi.

Perdisa is sometimes shown as a co-winner of the 1957 Buenos Aires 1000KM with Masten Gregory, Castellotti and Luigi Musso. However, he was entered as a co-driver but he never actually took a stint in the car. Perdisa's stint went to Castellotti, who was pulling double duty.

[David McKinney]

My information (without checking every available source) is that Castellotti and Musso did not take over the Gregory/Perdisa car until well into the second half. It's difficult to believe Gregory would have driven all that way without relief

[Roger Clark]

Autosport said that Castellotti took over from Gregory on lap 33 (of 98) which was about the time most cars seemed to make their first driver change.

[Joe Fan]

Originally posted by Roger Clark
Autosport said that Castellotti took over from Gregory on lap 33 (of 98) which was about the time most cars seemed to make their first driver change.

Roger's info is what I have. Both Moss and Masten turned over their cars on the same lap to Fangio and Castellotti respectively. Moss was running first and Masten second at the time of the driver change. On the 57th lap, Fangio brought the 4.5 Maserati into the pits where it retired. The Castellotti-Gregory car then assumed first. Musso took over the final stint in the car so it may have been Musso who took Perdisa's stint but Castellotti drove three Ferraris during the race. Eugenio's original entry he shared with von Tripps but it retired after 55 laps. He drove the winning Ferrari with Masten and was put into service in the de Portago-Collins 3.5 Ferrari later in the race.

[Barry Boor]

If the two sides of my brain were actually connected together, I might have realised the link here before someone pointed it out!

http://www.atlasf1.c...postid=1076842#