The Albert Park Circuit is a motorsport street circuit around Albert Park Lake in the suburb of Albert Park in Melbourne. It is used annually as a circuit for the Formula One Australian Grand Prix, the supporting Supercars Championship Melbourne SuperSprint and other associated support races. The circuit has an FIA Grade 1 licence.
The 1952 Formula One season was the sixth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. In comparison to previous seasons, the 1952 season consisted of a relatively small number of Formula One races, following the decision to run all the Grand Prix events counting towards the World Championship of Drivers to Formula Two regulations rather than Formula One. The Indianapolis 500, which also counted towards the World Championship, was still run to AAA regulations as in previous seasons. Since this season racing helmets were made mandatory in Formula One.
Roy Francesco Salvadori was a British racing driver and team manager. He was born in Dovercourt, Essex, to parents of Italian descent. He graduated to Formula One by 1952 and competed regularly until 1962 for a succession of teams including Cooper, Vanwall, BRM, Aston Martin and Connaught. Also a competitor in other formulae, he won the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans in an Aston Martin with co-driver Carroll Shelby.
Ninian Sanderson was a Scottish car dealer, sports car racing driver, and winner of the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The I Avon Trophy was a non-championship Grand Prix which was held at the Castle Combe Circuit on 1 October 1955, three weeks after the end of the season. It was the inaugural running of the Avon Trophy, and the last race run to Formula One regulations to be held at the circuit.
The 3rd Joe Fry Memorial Trophy was a non-championship Grand Prix held at the Castle Combe Circuit, Wiltshire on 28 August 1954. The race was won by Horace Gould in a Cooper T23, with Bill Whitehouse and John Riseley-Prichard second and third in their Connaughts. Bob Gerard set fastest lap in his Cooper.
The 1st Joe Fry Memorial Trophy was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at Castle Combe Circuit on 4 October 1952. The race was won by Roy Salvadori in a Ferrari 500, setting fastest lap in the process. Ken Wharton in a Frazer Nash FN48-Bristol was second and Ninian Sanderson third in a Cooper T20-Bristol. Stirling Moss started from pole in an ERA G-Type but retired just after halfway distance.
The 6th Ulster Trophy was a non-championship Formula One motor race held at the Dundrod Circuit on 7 June 1952. The race was won from pole position by Piero Taruffi in a Ferrari 375, setting fastest lap in the process. Mike Hawthorn in a Cooper T20-Bristol was second and Joe Kelly third in an Alta GP.
The 2nd Newcastle Journal Trophy was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at Charterhall on 15 August 1953. The race was won by Ken Wharton in a Cooper T20-Bristol. Roy Salvadori and Ron Flockhart were second and third in their Connaught A Type-Lea Francises All three shared fastest lap.
The 2nd United States Air Force Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 25 July 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 15 laps, and was won by British driver Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. Bob Gerard in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and set fastest lap. Leslie Marr in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis was third. Earlier in the day of the meeting Ferrari driver Bobbie Baird was killed in a sports-car race.
The 7th Ulster Trophy was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at the Dundrod Circuit on 16 May 1953. The race was held over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 14 laps. Mike Hawthorn driving a Ferrari 500 won the final from pole position ahead of the Cooper T23-Bristol of Ken Wharton and the Ferrari 500 of Bobbie Baird. Hawthorn also set fastest lap in the final, and overall fastest lap in the second heat which he also won, again from pole position. Stirling Moss in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis set pole and fastest lap in the first heat but finished second behind Duncan Hamilton's HWM-Alta. Moss failed to start the final, while Hamilton finished sixth.
The 3rd Coronation Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 25 May 1953 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 10 laps.
The 1st Mid-Cheshire MC Formula 2 Race was a Formula Two motor race held on 8 August 1953 at Oulton Park Circuit, Cheshire. The race was run over 33 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis; Rolt also setting fastest lap. Peter Whitehead in a Cooper T24-Alta was second and the Hon. Edward Greenall was third in a Cooper T18-JAP. Les Leston in a Cooper T26-JAP started from pole position but retired after 12 laps.
The 1st Curtis Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 17 October 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 15 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Bob Gerard in a Cooper T23-Bristol, who also set fastest lap. Les Leston in a Cooper T26-JAP and Jimmy Somervail in a Cooper T20-Bristol were second and third.
The 3rd Grand Prix de Sables d'Olonne was a Formula Two motor race held on 9 August 1953 at Les Sables-d'Olonne, in Pays de la Loire, France. The race was held over two heats of 45 laps each, with the result being decided by aggregate time. The overall winner was Louis Rosier in a Ferrari 500. Louis Chiron was second in an O.S.C.A. Tipo 20 and Stirling Moss third in a Cooper T24-Alta. Jean Behra and Maurice Trintignant were the winners of heat 1 and 2 respectively, both driving a Gordini Type 16, but both retired from the other heat.
The 1st Snetterton Coronation Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 30 May 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 10 laps, and was won by British driver Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. Rolt also set fastest lap. Alan Brown in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and Bobbie Baird in a Ferrari 500 was third.
The 1st Bristol MC & LCC Formula 2 Race was a Formula Two motor race held on 3 August 1953 at Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire. The race was run over 20 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis; Rolt also set fastest lap. Horace Gould in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and Jack Walton was third in a Cooper T25-Bristol.
The 1st Crystal Palace Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 11 July 1953 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over 15 laps and was won by Tony Rolt in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. Roy Salvadori was second in another Connaught, also setting fastest lap, and Les Leston was third in a Cooper T26-JAP.
The 1st RedeX Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 12 September 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 10 laps, and was won by British driver Eric Thompson in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis, setting fastest lap in the process. Peter Whitehead in a Cooper T24-Alta was second and Les Leston in a Cooper T18-JAP was third.
The 1st London Trophy was a Formula Two motor race held on 19 September 1953 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps with the winner being decided by aggregate time.
Bob Gerard