Eric David Thompson was a British motor racing driver, book dealer and insurance broker. He participated in sports car racing between 1949 and 1955 taking his greatest success by finishing third in the 1951 Les 24 Heures du Mans and took part in the 1952 RAC British Grand Prix.
Ecurie Ecosse was a motor racing team from Edinburgh, Scotland. The team was founded in November 1951 by Edinburgh businessman and racing driver David Murray and mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson. Its most notable achievement was winning the 1956 and the 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team also raced in three Formula One races. Ecurie Ecosse's cars were always distinctive in their flag blue metallic paint.
Davidstow Circuit is a disused motor racing circuit and airfield built in Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. The circuit was built on the site of a World War II RAF Coastal Command base, RAF Davidstow Moor, opened in 1942. Davidstow circuit opened in 1952, and held three Formula 1 races between 1954 and 1955. The circuit hosted its last race in 1955, and was one of many of Britain's airfields to be transformed into motor racing venues. Davidstow circuit is notable for the first victory in a Formula One race by a Lotus.
The 2nd Curtis Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 5 June 1954 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 10 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Roy Salvadori in a Maserati 250F, who also set fastest lap. Bill Whitehouse in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis and Jimmy Somervail in a Cooper T20-Bristol were second and third.
The 2nd Crystal Palace Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 19 June 1954 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 10 laps.
The 1st August Cup was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 2 August 1954 at Crystal Palace Circuit, London. The race was run over two heats of 10 laps and a final of 10 laps, and was won by British driver Reg Parnell in a Ferrari 500.
The 2nd RedeX Trophy was a motor race, run to Formula One rules, held on 14 August 1954 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 40 laps, and was won by British driver Reg Parnell in a Ferrari 625, setting fastest lap in the process. Bob Gerard in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and Don Beauman in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis was third.
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 6th Madgwick Cup was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held at Goodwood Circuit on 26 September 1953. The race was won by Roy Salvadori in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis, starting from pole and setting fastest lap. Stirling Moss in a Cooper T24-Alta finished second and Tony Rolt was third in another Type A.
The 2nd Aston Martin Owners Club Formula 2 Race was a Formula Two motor race held on 18 April 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 10 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Eric Thompson in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. Bob Gerard in a Cooper T23-Bristol was second and Peter Whitehead in a Cooper T24-Alta was third. Bobbie Baird in a Ferrari 500 set 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 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 2nd West Essex CC Formula 2 Race was a Formula Two motor race held on 27 June 1953 at Snetterton Circuit, Norfolk. The race was run over 10 laps of the circuit, and was won by British driver Kenneth McAlpine in a Connaught Type A-Lea Francis. McAlpine's teammate John Coombs was second and Rodney Nuckey in a Cooper T23-Bristol was third. Roy Salvadori in another Connaught set fastest lap but retired on the last lap with engine failure.
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.
Ron Flockhart