15 replies to this topic

[Barry Boor]

A small event but with a quality entry - if one discounts Ferrari and the three Maserati regulars all of whom had a weekend off

 

H.W.M. arrived with three cars - Collins, Macklin and the man who couldn't drive a nail into a piece of wood (not my words!)  But the rest of the entry was very European, with one notable and unusual exception.

 

At #24 on the entry was none other than John Fitch driving a Cooper-Bristol owned by R. J. (Bob?) Chase.  I'm fascinated to know how this combination came about and how it came to be at Aix-les-Bains, 71 years ago.

[Allan Lupton]

The report in the September 1953 Motor Sport tells us that John Fitch was driving Alan Brown's Cooper-Bristol.

[Bordino]

Hello Barry, this is what John Fitch said about this race in his biography :

 

The news that I was sought to drive a Cooper-Bristol Formula II machine in the Aix-les-Bains Grand Prix race in late July was passed along by Harry Schell (the well-known Franco-American driver). Harry told me the offer was 32 per cent of 250,000 francs, plus hotel expenses. Would I come?

Of course I agreed, as this would be my first chance at the fast, fenderless single-seat Grand Prix cars—and I was anxious to have a go in a genuine GP race under almost any terms. I contacted Alan Brown, the team manager, on practice day at Aix-les-Bains, and he handed over the Cooper-Bristol.

 

There is more to that, but no sign of a mister Chase.

 

If you like I can send you the 3 or 4 pages about that race via PM.

 

[rudi]

At the time Fitch was living in Paris and with the Schell family bar, there was an easy connection...

 

There is a photo with John Fitch in the "Circuits de nos régions" book.

[DCapps]

Omigosh, this event actually came up in one of my sessions with John Fitch at the IMRRC in what is now ages and ages ago.

As pointed out, it was first opportunity for a drive in a formula car and it was thanks to 'Arry Schell. 

I had honestly forgotten which race it was until all the comments, but knew it was one of rather ubiquitous French events of the day. 

Much of that particular conversation was about Harry, stunt-driving for The Racers (my sole film appearance... which got a laugh from John), that my Dad actually owned a Sprint or two (at least...). and just John bouncing from one ting to another.

As usual, whenever he was at the IMRRC.

 

Over the years, I have found myself digging into these sorts of events of the 40w & 50s and they are fascinating in their own way, of course, but when you follow the string back to the prewar years, 20s & 30s, they are even more interesting.

[Michael Ferner]

Absolute

 

 

Over the years, I have found myself digging into these sorts of events of the 40w & 50s and they are fascinating in their own way, of course, but when you follow the string back to the prewar years, 20s & 30s, they are even more interesting.

 

Absolutely! As some will be aware of, I'm currently kneedeep into motorcycle racing, and it's the same ole story here: the myriad of 'Internationals' (Inter-Rennen we called them in German, rather charmingly) are the true delight of my research - hundreds of races each year at such wonderful (though, mostly, incredibly dangerous) places such as Schwanenstadt, Bourg-en-Bresse, Coleraine, Hengelo, Riccione, Sankt Wendel or Sint-Joris are such a pleasure to 'discover', and something of an endangered species, too, not only because they're gone now (with very few exceptions) but also since they're about to be forgotten, no longer fitting in the narrow-minded Championship formula that is dictated by the powers-that-be of today (with cross references to another thread active on this board as of today....)

[LittleChris]

Absolutely! As some will be aware of, I'm currently kneedeep into motorcycle racing, and it's the same ole story here: the myriad of 'Internationals' (Inter-Rennen we called them in German, rather charmingly) are the true delight of my research - hundreds of races each year at such wonderful (though, mostly, incredibly dangerous) places such as Schwanenstadt, Bourg-en-Bresse, Coleraine, Hengelo, Riccione, Sankt Wendel or Sint-Joris are such a pleasure to 'discover', and something of an endangered species, too, not only because they're gone now (with very few exceptions) but also since they're about to be forgotten, no longer fitting in the narrow-minded Championship formula that is dictated by the powers-that-be of today (with cross references to another thread active on this board as of today....)

You and I both Michael though my interest is mainly confined to the circuits ( started a thread here many years ago with pics taken at Bourg-en-Bresse but I think the links are long gone ).

[Felix Muelas]

Barry,
When Alan Brown had opted-out of Ecurie Richmond and Dennis Bros, he joined Bob Chase as Manager, Car Division and Motor Racing Department. This association with Bob Chase created the Ecurie Anglaise, name under which Brown would race himself during 1953...

[Doug Nye]

I enjoy the notion of Brownie being Manager, Car Division and Motor Racing Department.  In effect he was managing a notional entity staffed by himself and one or two part-time others, a small boy, maybe a pet dog...oh, and a racing car (or two).

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 22 April 2024 - 18:27.

[Ray Bell]

I'm guessing that this is the Alan Brown who owned the Mustang and Galaxie?

 

As driven (and crashed) by Jack.

[Barry Boor]

Here are the dozen intrepid pilots who contested my version of  the event.

 

 

Two explanations required (or not!)   Car #10 is Louis Chiron's OSCA which was entered but did not participate and I probably have the wrong shade of green on the Cooper Bristol (it IS green, not black) but I had no images to go by - it was probably much lighter green but maybe not the Ecurie Richmond green from 1952.

 

I wonder where Bob Chase's involvement came, or was that simply a Wikipedia error?

[Steve123]

Can anybody explain John  Fitch's claim that the Cooper-Bristol was being paid 250,000 francs in starting money? I have looked at a rate of exchange website, which tells me that a pound in 1953 was worth around 10 French Francs. Unless I have made some mistake in my search of that website, that would make the Cooper Bristol's starting money to be around £25,000, which seems rather a lot!

I believe that in the early 1950s, HWM were paid around £200 per car for continental races-sometimes a bit more. That would suggest that the Cooper-Bristol would probably attract somewhere between £200-£250 in 1953, particularly as John Fitch was a thoroughly competent driver, but hardly a crowd-pulling star.

Can anybody explain the 250,000 franc quoted figure?

[Michael Ferner]

I think you got your exchange rate mixed up, in the early fifties it was more like 1,000 FF to 1 GBP. The 'old' Franc was replaced by the Nouveau Franc in 1959, which was worth 100 Anciens Francs.

[Steve123]

Thank you for clarifying this, Michael. That would suggest that the Cooper-Bristol was paid around £250 in starting money, which would appear to be fairly typical for continental F2 races in the early 1950s.

[DCapps]

I think you got your exchange rate mixed up, in the early fifties it was more like 1,000 FF to 1 GBP. The 'old' Franc was replaced by the Nouveau Franc in 1959, which was worth 100 Anciens Francs.

 

Gawd! I actually remember when that happened... there was now the NF to make France more of an adventure.

[LittleChris]

Be more than an adventure if the FN ever get power .........