EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 1932
By Hans Etzrodt with Tony Kaye
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Although the writer carried out the entire research, Tony Kaye provided very strong input to explain the fundamental problems, which is the reason for this
introduction. At disposal were four separate magazines from four different countries and one book published 51 years later. None of them provided a
detailed description of the championship at the time it was formulated by the CSI, the International Sporting Commission of the AIACR. The points
data emerged sometime later and then only as an adjunct to race reports.
The magazines are conflicting on the issue of whether there were two parallel championships - one for drivers and one for manufacturers - or just one
all-embracing championship. All commonsense would say two championships. It seems inconceivable, as at least one magazine reported, that a car
manufacturer could win the championship followed by several drivers and then another manufacturer in seventh place. It is perhaps analogous to a
horse race in which the horse won, because its nose crossed the line first, followed in second place by its jockey and then the second horse in
third place, then another horse close behind in fourth and then the jockey of the second horse in fifth place. Sounds ridiculous? Well, it is!
The contemporary reports on the 1932 European Championship regulations are flimsy at best. The same applies to the official title of the championship
where the various sources disagree on the major issue of whether there was one overall championship (the table concluding the story) or two parallel
championships for drivers and manufacturers, both using the same point system.
The two individual tables shown just below this paragraph appear to be the more logical interpretation, which is probably the correct version.
However, in no way does this make these two lists a fact. Remember that the CSI or the AIACR had neither published rules nor results about the 1932
European Championship. All that could be found in the contemporary press is less than complete information.
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| | Driver | Italian
Grand Prix
5. June | French
Grand Prix
3. July | German
Grand Prix
17. July | Total
Points |
1
2
3
4
5
5
7
7
9
9
9 |
Tazio Nuvolari
Mario-Umberto Borzacchini
Rudolf Caracciola
René Dreyfus
Louis Chiron
Luigi Fagioli
Giuseppe Campari
Marcel Lehoux
Albert Divo
Achille Varzi
Amedeo Ruggeri |
1st
3rd
11th
5th
DNF
2nd
4th
DNF
6th
DNF
8th |
1
3
6
5
6
2
4
6
6
6
6 |
1st
2nd
3rd
5th
4th
DNS
DNS
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNS |
1
2
3
5
4
7
7
6
6
6
7 |
2nd
3rd
1st
4th
DNF
DNS
DNS
DNF
DNS
DNS
DNF |
2
3
1
4
6
7
7
6
7
7
6 |
4
8
10
14
16
16
18
18
19
19
19 |
| | Manufacturer | Italian
Grand Prix
5. June | French
Grand Prix
3. July | German
Grand Prix
17. July | Total
Points |
1
2
3 |
Alfa Romeo
Maserati
Bugatti |
1st
2nd
6th |
1
2
6 |
1st
DNS
4th |
1
7
4 |
1st
DNF
DNF |
1
6
6 |
3
15
16 |
At the September 18, 1931 CSI meeting of the AIACR in Paris [1], the commission signified its intention to hold a European Championship for 1932, however there would be considerable changes from the 1931 regulations, which had shown various shortcomings. The German Grand Prix should probably be added to the Grands Prix counting towards the 1932 European Championship. [1] At the second CSI meeting on Friday, October 9 in Paris the decision was made to repeat the World Championship for automobiles. As before, the final classification would result from the points attained in the international Grands Prix. A special sub-commission would still have to agree the regulations for this championship. [2] Present at the CSI meeting were Consul C. O. Fritsch (Germany), M. Köchert (Austria), Baron Nothomb, M. Langlois (Belgium), W.F. Bradley (USA), Pérouse (France), O'Gorman, Lindsay Lloyd (Great Britain), Vincenzo Florio, Mercanti (Italy), Regulski (Poland), Prince Ghika (Romania), Count von Rosen (Sweden), J. Decrauzat and Töndury (Switzerland). [2] At the AIACR meeting on Tuesday, October 13 [3] the 1932 CSI members were voted in and consisted of: Consul C. O. Fritsch as Vice-President, Phillip Count von Berckheim (Germany); Alexander Count van der Straten Ponthoz, Emanuel H. Köchert (Austria); Baron Nothomb, M. Langlois (Belgium); M. Resines (Spain); S. Hogan, W. F. Bradley (USA); Pérouse (France); Colonel O'Gorman, Colonel Lindsay Lloyd (Great Britain); Vincenzo Florio, Arturo Mercanti (Italy); J. Decrauzat and Töndury (Switzerland). Monaco, Poland, Romania and Sweden each had an advisory function. Monaco was now also represented. [3, 4]
The contemporary magazines did not publish any decisions made by the CSI sub-commission. The title of the 1932 World Championship subsequently changed and was later reported as the European Championship or European Automobile Championship, even once as the International Championship.
Originally the championship was to consist of five races, but it was finally whittled down to three. The Grand Prix of Belgium, planned for July 10, 1932, was cancelled in early April. This was considered one of the most important events of the European Automobile Championship. The Grand Prix of Spain to be held in September 1932 was then to count as the fourth Championship event but it was cancelled in May.
Rules and regulation as reported in the various magazines:
- Title - European Championship [12] or European Automobile Championship 1932 [11]
- Applicable for manufacturers and drivers [11, 12, 13]
- Applicable races were the Grands Prix of Italy, France and Germany [12, 13, 14]
- From each official factory team only the best placed car of the entire team counted regardless of which driver was steering the car. [11, 12]
- Independent drivers were also classified. [11, 12]
- The manufacture/driver with the lowest point score would be the winner [11, 12, 13]
- Point score:
1 = First place [11, 12, 13]
2 = Second place [11, 12, 13]
3 = Third place [13]
4 = Fourth place [11, 12]
5 = Fifth place [11, 12, 13]
6 = All others [11, 12]
7 = Non starters [11, 12]
Since the contemporary magazines failed to issue the formal regulations immediately after the CSI meetings, it has been necessary to construct the details as the season progressed.
AUTOMOBIL-REVUE ended their Italian Grand Prix report: "The results of the Italian Grand Prix will now be considered for the European Automobile Championship. As is generally known, the Grand Prix of France and the Grand Prix of Germany also count for this championship." [5]
In their report of the Grand Prix of France, AUTOMOBIL-REVUE wrote, "Possibly greater interest was due to this year's Grand Prix of France, since it counted as the second race for the significant European Automobile Championship. After the Grand Prix of Italy it had to come to a re-match at this French race, the result of which everybody in France and the rest of Europe was looking forward to with impatience and suspense." [6]
"In 14 days all drivers will line up at the Nürburgring for the last battle of the European Automobile Championship. The future will show, if there will be a reprisal and which driver will be crowned with the title of European Automobile Champion 1932." [6]
A few days later AUTOMOBIL-REVUE reported, "As is generally known, the Grand Prix of France counted as the second event of the European Automobile Championship. After the race at Reims the following points standing emerges in the classification: for the championship of makes: Alfa Romeo 2 points, Bugatti and Maserati each 9 points; and in the championship of drivers: Nuvolari 2 points, Borzacchini 5 points, Caracciola 9 points, Dreyfus 9 points, Fagioli 9 points, Chiron 10 points, Ghersi 11 points, Williams 13 points." [7]
After the German Grand Prix report, AUTOMOBIL-REVUE concluded, "With this victory the Alfa Romeo make receives the European Championship of manufacturers and Nuvolari the European Championship of drivers." [8]
Allgemeine Automobil Zeitung , Vienna, reported: "The German Grand Prix concluded the International Automobile Championship. Alfa Romeo as constructor received a cash prize of 150,000.00 francs and Nuvolari became European Champion of drivers in second place." [10]
AUTOMOBIL-REVUE then wrote: "Nuvolari becomes European Champion. The Italian race driver Tazio Nuvolari won the Grands Prix of Italy and France and came second in the Grand Prix of Germany, resulting in the following classification: 1. Nuvolari 4 points, 2. Borzacchini 8 points; 3. Caracciola 10 points, 4. Dreyfus 14 points and 5. Chiron and Fagioli, ex aequo, 16 points. The French driver René Dreyfus, who figured in sixth place after the Grand Prix of France, has now advanced to fourth place in the final classification after the Grand Prix of Germany." [9]
AUTOMOBIL-REVUE and A-Z Motorwelt (Brno, Czechoslovakia) concluded their reports in October 1932 by publishing the final classification of the European Championship of 1932.
- Alfa Romeo won with 3 points, victorious at the Grands Prix of Italy, France and Germany. [11, 12]
- Nuvolari as twice winner gathered 4 points and was therefore the leading driver. [11, 12, 13,14]
- Borzacchini came second with 8 points (3 in Italy, 2 in France, 3 in Germany). [13, 14]
- Caracciola came third with 10 points (6 in Italy, 3 in France, 1 in Germany). [13, 14]
- René Dreyfus (independent Bugatti driver) fourth with 14 points (5 in Italy, 5 in France, 4 in Germany) [13, 14]
- René Dreyfus (independent Bugatti driver) fifth with 14 points (5 in Italy, 5 in France, 4 in Germany) [11, 12]
- Maserati, 15 points (2 in Italy with Fagioli, 7 in France for not starting, 6 in Germany with Ruggeri). [11, 12]
- Bugatti, 16 points (6 in Italy with Divo, 4 in France with Chiron, 6 in Germany with Chiron). [11, 12]
- Louis Chiron (Bugatti works driver) came fifth with 16 points (6 in Italy, 4 in France, 6 in Germany). [13, 14]
- Fagioli (Maserati works driver) fifth and equal with Chiron, 16 points (2 in Italy, 7 in France, 7 in Germany). [13]
- Marcel Lehoux (independent driver) gathered 18 points (in each of the three Grands Prix 6 points). [11, 12]
Source information:
1 - AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1931, #78, pg.3 CSI of AIACR meeting on Friday, September 18.
2 - AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1931, #84, pg.3 second CSI meeting on Friday, Oct 9 re-establish the World Championship.
3 - AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1931, #85, pg.3 AIACR meeting on Tuesday, Oct 13.
4 - Allgemeine Automobil Zeitung, Vienna, Austria, 1931, No.21, pg 9 basic rules, very brief; CSI members.
5 - AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1932, #48, pg.3 Italian Grand Prix report.
6 - AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1932, #56, pg.3, 5 French Grand Prix report.
7 - AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1932, #57, pg.5 French Grand Prix review with new point standings.
8 - AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1932, #60, pg.6 German Grand Prix report.
9 - AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1932, #62, pg.5 point standings: Nuv=4; Borzach=8; Caracciola=10; 4. Dreyfus=14....
10 - Allgemeine Automobil Zeitung , Vienna, Austria, 1932, No.7, pg 26 (July 1932) Championship winner, very brief.
11 - AUTOMOBIL-REVUE 1932, #88, pg.5 point standings: Alfa 3; Nuvolari 4?; Dreyfus 14; Bugatti 16; Lehoux 18.
12 - A-Z Motorwelt (Brno, Czechoslovakia) 1932, No.19, pg 6 (Nov. 30) European Championship rules, results.
13 - Dreyfus, René/Kimes,Beverly Rae: My Two Lives, Tucson, Arizona 1983, pg 35 left bottom (winning drivers).
14 - MOTOR 1932, #8 p38, 39: International Automobile Championship; drivers' standings.
Conclusion:
The information by the magazines was conflicting on the issue of whether there were two parallel championships - one for drivers, one for manufacturers - or just one all-embracing championship, which is shown below.
|
| | Driver | Italian
Grand Prix
5. June | French
Grand Prix
3. July | German
Grand Prix
17. July | Total
Points |
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
7
7
10
10
12
12
12 |
Alfa Romeo
Tazio Nuvolari
Mario-Umberto Borzacchini
Rudolf Caracciola
René Dreyfus
Maserati
Bugatti
Louis Chiron
Luigi Fagioli
Giuseppe Campari
Marcel Lehoux
Albert Divo
Achille Varzi
Amedeo Ruggeri |
1st
1st
3rd
11th
5th
2nd
6th
DNF
2nd
4th
DNF
6th
DNF
8th |
1
1
3
6
5
2
6
6
2
4
6
6
6
6 |
1st
1st
2nd
3rd
5th
DNS
4th
4th
DNS
DNS
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNS |
1
1
2
3
5
7
4
4
7
7
6
6
6
7 |
1st
2nd
3rd
1st
4th
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNS
DNS
DNF
DNS
DNS
DNF |
1
2
3
1
4
6
6
6
7
7
6
7
7
6 |
3
4
8
10
14
15
16
16
16
18
18
19
19
19 |
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