1949 Marseilles Grand Prix

Fellow NFers,
I am after some information about the 1949 Marseilles Grand Prix

a) The race was held on the Prado circuit. Does anyone have
any information on this circuit?

b) Supercharged cars were banned from entering. Were there
other races of the era that had similar entry restrictions, and
what was the reason for banning them?

c) The GP was won by JM Fangio in a Simca-Gordini. Was this
the only occassion that Fangio drove a Simca-Gordini

Just to note that the Prado circuit was 2.73 miles, and not the 1.7mile/2.67km Marseille circuit used later. And I have just realised that I have no further info on it! If someone could help.......

The circuit obviously ran over normal roads within the city, as pictures below show.





The French wanted a French win, as Etancelin, Chiron, “Levegh”, and Mairesse entered Talbot-Lagos T26C. The result showed that the small and nimble Gordinis outclassed the big dinosaurs, and also Sommer had a big chance for winning in the F2 Ferrari if he was not forced to retire in lap 38. By the way, it is still unclear to me whether it was a F2 race plus 4.5 litre n/c cars, or F1 less 1.5 litre s/c?

Gordini is not my special field, but as far I know the T11 0004GC was bought on the spot by the ACA from Amedée Gordini at the 1947/48 Temporada, which was driven then by Fangio at Rosario and Palermo. For Reims 1948 he then got a single works drive with a T15. For the 1948/49 Temporada J.M. Fangio and Benedicto Campos drove works T15 (0008GC & 0007GC), both cars consequently had been bought by the ACA for being raced in the European season by Fangio and Campos. The “Equipo Argentino” also operated under the name “Scuderia Achille Varzi”, and took headquarters at the late Varzi’s residence at Galliate.
Soon after Marseille the ACA took over the Ferrari 166 F2 # 011F from Maranello, which had been ordered months before already together with a 2nd car (which only was delivered as late as December 1949), and which Fangio drove at Monza Autodromo GP and Reims. Don’t know who drove the 2nd Gordini T15 then.
Besides the 2 T15 and the 166 for Formula 2, the Equipo Argentino also owned 2 Maserati 4CLT/48 for F1 races.

From memory, Avenue du Prado runs from the 'Ville Centre' to the beachside area away from the port. The top picture seems to me to be quite near to the port, however, as I remember that tunnel entry being in that area.

If anyone digs out more photos I might be able to piece together an approximate map... I'm fairly sure I have a map of Marseilles here somewhere.

Here is the Result of the Marseilles GP

14 May - Jean Pierre Wimille: 50 laps x 2.73 miles = 188.65 miles

1 Juan Manuel Fangio Simca-Gordini 15 1h18m33.0
2 Philippe Etancelin Talbot-Lago T26C 1h18m51.6
3 Maurice Trintignant Simca-Gordini 15 1h19m08.5
4 Felice Bonetto Ferrari 166C 1h19m39.6
5 Benedicto Campos Simca-Gordini 15 1h20m00.8
6 Louis Chiron Talbot-Lago T26C 49 laps
7 Eugene Chaboud Delahaye 135 S 47 laps
8 Roberto Vallone Ferrari 166 Inter 46 laps

But Can some one help complete the result on who did not finish the GP and/or did not Attend

According the book "Les Grand Prix de Provence et de Marseille"by Maurice Louche, here's the results:
heat 1 (66 km)
1- Etancelin Talbot T26C
2- Fangio Simca Gordini T15
3- Sommer Ferrari 166
4- Eugène Martin Jicey
5- Vallone Ferrari 166 Inter
6- Chaboud Delahaye monoplace
7- Carini Maserati A6GCS
8- Bonnet DB
9- Degioanni Bugatti 57S

DNF (too ill, replaced by Carini after 1 lap)- Nuvolari Maserati A6 GCS
DNF- Tintore Maserati A6 GCS
DNF- Manzon Simca Gordini T15

Heat 2 (66 km)
1- Campos Simca Gordini T15
2- Trintignant Simca Gordini T15
3- Righetti Stanguellini
4- Bonetto Ferrari 166
5- Chiron Talbot T26C
7- "Levegh" Talbot T26C
8- Mairesse Talbot T26C
9- Loyer Cisitalia D46
10- Romano Maserati A6 GCS
11- Landon Cisitalia D46

DNF- Schell Cisitalia D46

"repechage"
1- "Levegh" Talbot T26C
2- Mairesse Talbot T26C
3- Bonnet DB
4- Loyer Cisitalia D46
5- Tintore Maserati A6 GCS
6- Degioanni Bugatti 57S

Final: 14 qualified, the six first of each heat + Levegh and Mairesse (1st and 2nd of the "repechage"). 8 finishers.

About the track, first used in 1949.
The track was located in the Borély Park. It followed a part of the racecourse (horses) and a part of the Park. It was principally made of big curves and had a short straight line (300 m.), a bend and an hairpin. length = 2.640 km.
8 finishers

Thanks Marcor

I miss sixth in heat 2 and equal one of starters in final?

Answer to question c: Fangio and Gordini
1 february 1948 - Rosario GP, Simca Gordini T11 4GC #11, DNF
14 February 1948 - Dalmiro Varela Castex GP, Simca Gordini T15 7GC #11, DNF, 2nd heat 1
18 July 1948 - Reims GP (F2), Simca Gordini T15 8GC #6, DNF
18 July 1948 - ACF GP (F1), Simca Gordini T15 8GC #22, DNF
13 February 1949 - Rosario GP, Simca Gordini T15 7GC, DNF
21 May 1949 - Marseille GP, Simca Gordini T15 8GC #32, 1st
24-25 June 1950 - 24 H du Mans, Simca Gordini T15S 20S #33, DNF (co-driver = Gonzales)
20 May 1951 - Paris GP, Simca Gordini T15 12GC #20, DNF
3 May 1953 - Bordeaux GP, Gordini T16 33 #24, 3rd

Source: Christian Huet, GORDINI, Un Sorcier, une équipe

Unfortunatelt Multimap failed me on this in trying to find a suitable map of Le Parc Borely which included the horse track etc. Can anyone supply/point to an adequate map?

It is interesting to notice that the circuits for the postwar Marseille races (1946/1952) were all different:
1946 Prado, av. de La plage; roughly of T form head on the beach
1947 Prado, av. de la Plage; with a much longer section alongside the beach
1949 Parc Borely, around the race track and the Grden
1950 Parc Borely, much faster with a slow turn removed
1951/52 Parc Borely, the slow corner is back, but taken on the return part of the lap. In 1952 that corner was banked (surlévé)

Darren I have made a map of the 1946 circuit from Multimap, that I'll send to you.