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Cairo Grand Prix


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#1 Eastern

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Posted 21 January 2015 - 19:50

I have never posted in this forum before, and am not sure this is the right venue.

 

An Egyptian friend of mine posted this short clip on FB. I had no idea there had ever been an Egyptian Grand Prix.This is apparently from 1947.

 

https://www.facebook...5532949&fref=nf

 

Edit: I found an explanation of it:

 

http://weekly.ahram....gypt,-----.aspx


Edited by Eastern, 21 January 2015 - 20:02.


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#2 Vitesse2

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Posted 21 January 2015 - 20:34

Well, the Al Ahram report is just a teensy bit fanciful. Formula One it most certainly was not! The Cisitalia D46 - more correctly the type 201, but D46 has become ingrained ('Dusio 46') - had only made its debut in September 1946 in a race in Milan and far from 'racing all around the Mediterranean' only one had competed thereafter - in the Penya Rhin GP in Spain.

 

Dusio's original idea was indeed an all-star one-make series, but - as mentioned - the Cairo race was a financial disaster and the planned next race in Alexandria was cancelled - as were plans to fly some of the cars to South America afterwards - and the whole thing went tits up. Although the Cisitalias were very successful in Italian national racing over the next couple of seasons.

 

Nuvolari of course didn't drive a D46 in the 1947 Mille Miglia - it was a type 202 sports car.

 

Just for fun, I did go round the circuit on Google Street View a while back! That tight corner seen on the film was - I suspect - the only really challenging bit.



#3 Tim Murray

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Posted 21 January 2015 - 20:35

Welcome to TNF, Eastern - we hope you'll stay with us.  :)

There are more details on the Egypt race and the Cisitalia 'circus' in these earlier threads:

http://forums.autosp...n-race-in-1947/

http://forums.autosp...n-the-fourties/

Edited by Tim Murray, 21 January 2015 - 20:37.