13 André Dubonnet
A. Dubonnet
Hispano-Suiza H6

14 Francesco Conelli
Count F. Conelli
Ballot Indy

5 Alfieri Maserati
S. A. Autocostruzioni Diatto
Diatto 20 Special

Dubonnet wins the Autumn GP, Maserati victorious in the small class

The Autumn Grand Prix held to Formula Libre regulations was the third large race staged on the new racetrack in the Royal Park of Monza. 26 cars were entered of which 12 started in the category up to 3000 cc and another ten were over 3000 cc. All cars had to drive 40 laps or 400 km, half the Grand Prix distance. The small category was won by Maserati (3000 Diatto) ahead of Sivocci (3000 Alfa Romeo) and Costantini (2000 Bianchi). Mattei (SCAT) was not classified while six of the cars retired. The 3000 Alfa Romeo RL was a new prototype and the Bianchi also had its first race.       The large category was won by Dubonnet (6300 Hispano-Suiza) chased by Franz Conelli (4900 Ballot), Niccolini (4900 Fiat), Galleani (7200 Mercedes) and Ardizzone (4500 Fiat). Caiselli (4900 12-cylinder Packard) and Martinelli (8000 Isotta-Fraschini) both exceeded the maximum allowable time and did not classify. Amongst the three retirements was Brilli-Peri (4900 Fiat) who retired due to an engine fire while leading the race on lap 12.

To crown their motoring festival after the Italian Grand Prix on 10. September, the Milan Automobile Club organized the Autumn Grand Prix on 22. October. Two categories of cars were allowed, the first up to 3000 cc with a minimum weight of 1000 kg and the second over 3000 cc with 1100 kg minimum weight. The organization of the event left nothing to be desired, everything inside the parc, on the track and in the pits proceeded in order under the supervision of Arturo Mercanti President of ACI and the president of the Milan AC, senator Silvio Crespi. The race took place on the new Monza Park track, later known as the 10-km Autodromo di Monza A-circuit, comprising of the original 4.5 km high-speed oval track and the 5.5 km asphalt circuit over 40 laps, a total of 400 km. The prize money for each of the two categories was 10,000 lire for first, 5,000 for second, 3,000 for third and 2,000 for fourth, a total of 40,000 lire.

Entries: Bianchi's debut into racing was eagerly awaited, a new chapter for the company. The 2-Liter Bianchi, so called Corsa, had a 4-cylinder (69.9 x 130 mm) twin ohc, 16-valve engine, designed for the Autumn Grand Prix. The cars were seldom raced thereafter and only by works. The three factory cars were driven by the team leader Eugenio Silvani in the type 18, while the two Corsa types were trusted to Count Caberto Conelli who did not follow the tactics and conduct of the competition displayed by an elegant and likeable teammate Meo Costantini. It was Costantini, calm, refined, skilled and serene, who defended the name of Bianchi very well.       The Diatto works arrived with two cars for Guido Meregalli and Alfieri Maserati. At the scrutineering of the cars on Friday morning Maserati's car was registered with its 4-cylinder (90 x 116.6 mm) engine of 3000 cc displacement, producing 105 hp at 3700 rpm, a top speed was 180 km/h and the weight was 1050 kg. Alessandro Silva informed us that this was a special car with a 3-L Diatto engine in a Tipo 20 chassis. Only one example of the engine existed for the use of Alfieri Maserati. Meregalli's Diatto was a so called Tipo 20S GP, made for the 1922 Coppa Florio, basically a souped up Tipo 20S.       Luigi Mattei's SCAT made a good run for regularity and demonstrated the good endurance qualities of the commercial "Sport" type of the old company in Corso Francia.       The Ceirano factory entered two 3-Liter cars type Sport for Ernesto Ceirano and Pietro Cattaneo. The cars were completely standard, equipped with side valve engines.       The 1500 Chiribiri was driven by 36-years old Jack Scales with Brooklands and Indianapolis experience. He was worried about making very fast laps, the same tactic shown at Garda Circuit by Amadeo Chiribiri.       The 1500 Bugatti-Silvani driven by Fausto Alberti was a product of the Milan engineer Eugenio Silvani, who developed a cylinder head and built up the engine of a Fiat 501, increasing the performance significantly, mounted in a Bugatti chassis.       Alfa Romeo introduced the 3-Liter RL's for the October race with 2994 cc (76 x 110 mm) 6-cylinder engine, giving 71 hp at 3500 rpm. Sivocci scored with the RL in the race, a great success for the Portello factory and their managers, engineer Giorgio Rimini and Giuseppe Merosi who had designed the engine. The Type RLSS was only introduced after 1924/25. The 4.3-Liter Alfa Romeo 20-30 ES was carried over from 1921 with a 4250 cc (102 x 130 mm) 4-cylinder engine giving 67 hp at 2600 rpm. Campari drove one of them in the race while Ferrari had practiced in one but did not start for unknown reasons.       Paolo Carlo Niccolini and Filippo Ardizzone went to battle with 1914 type Grand Prix Fiats, the same type driven by Gastone Brilli-Peri to battle Luigi Martinelli in his much-criticized 1907 mammoth Isotta-Fraschini. Ardizzone's 4.5-Liter Fiat was the same car in which Giulio Masetti had won the 1921 Targa Florio. Alverà had driven another Fiat in practice but he did not start in the race. Griffini started with a Fiat Special.       Franz Conelli's arrived in one of the 1919 Indianapolis Ballot with a 4.9-L straight-8 (74 x 140 mm) engine with double ohc for 32 valves, producing peak power of 150 hp at 4000 rpm. An ex-DePalma double-six Packard sprint car, not the 1919 Packard Indianapolis car, was also taking part, which would reveal the speed of its 12-cylinders driven by Count Franco Caiselli. The white 7.2-Liter touring Mercedes 28/95 of commendatore Carlo Ferrario was driven by Mario Galleani. Frenchman André Dubonnet received his 6.3-Liter Hispano-Suiza in time just before the race.

Practice:       Monday practice from 10 to 12 in the morning was held under the direction of Colonel de Ambrosio with Niccolini, Brilli-Peri, Maserati and Griffini on the track. Permission was also given for practice on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.       Tuesday practice started at 10 a.m. to end at 3 p.m. on a sunny morning at the Monza Park track when Mattei showed up with his red SCAT after 11 a.m. He was followed by Alverà in the Fiat, Maserati in the 2-Liter Grand Prix Diatto, Ascari with the Alfa Romeo RL and Brilli-Peri in the Indianapolis Fiat. Niccolini with another Indianapolis Fiat and Ferrari with an Alfa Sport were also present in the morning, but neither of the two drivers participated in practice. Under the direction of Colonel de Ambrosio, the Commissioner General commendatore Arturo Mercanti, President of the ACI, the drivers Matetti and Alverà completed some laps at reduced speed; when Alverà interrupted practice due to a car accident. Maserati in his Diatto completed numerous laps at 4m20s and 4m30s, while Ascari started at 5m03s, then managed a lap in 4m48s. Brilli-Peri achieved consecutively at 4m30s, 4m25s, 4m16s and 4m10s. Among the spectators were engineer Rimini and Merosi from Alfa Romeo, Mr. Corbetta from Zenit and Ferdinado Minoia. After a quick breakfast in the parc, the tests were resumed when Sivocci made a lap in 4m40s with his Alfa Romeo RL. Campari showed up late and was admitted to practice.       Wednesday practice from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m saw action of 14 cars on the track. Sivocci with the Alfa Romeo completed seventeen laps in the morning, the fastest in 4m29.8s and 4m30s. Ferrari tested the track with an Alfa Romeo ES Sport at moderate speeds. Maserati drove numerous laps with the Diatto in 4m26s and 4m23s. Meregalli was present and was to test his victorious 2-Liter Diatto from Garda Circuit on Thursday. The Milanese Alberti with his Bugatti-Silvani repeatedly turned laps in 5m30s. Besides Sivocci and Ferrari, Campari made laps in 4m21s, 4m19s, 4m15s, 4m11s to close at 4m5s and 4m4s. Martinelli in the big Isotta-Fraschini with chain-drive made a few laps at moderate pace in 5m27s, while Griffini managed with his Fiat 5m16s to 5m37s. Brilli-Peri with his large Fiat, achieved his best time in 4m21.4s. Ardizzone entered the track with a 1914 GP Fiat, the same car in which two years earlier Count Giulio Masetti had won the Targa Florio. After midday Ascari, Conelli, Ceirano, Cattaneo and Alverà showed up for practice. Ascari managed one lap in 4m21.8s with his Alfa Romeo RL. Ceirano and Cattaneo aboard their sport-type Ceirano, limited themselves to just taking an excursion of the circuit. The timing of Franz Conelli's Ballot (his brother Caberto sat in place of the mechanic) were marked in 4m28s, 4m32s and 4m30s. Niccolini, Silvani, Costantini and commendatore Ferrario were present on the track, but did not take part in Wednesday practice.       Thursday practice was slowed by continuous, monotonous rain, often alternating with violent gusts. At 10 in the morning, the official starting time, the cav. Vaccarossi, commissioner in charge of practice, Mr. Ferrario of Michelin, Engineer Züst, Ernesto Ceirano and Pietro Cattaneo drove in their Ceirano sport. Matetti arrived later with the SCAT. The Mercedes of commendatore Ferrario was driven by Galleani. Alberti and Belgir with their tiny and vibrant Bugatti-Silvani practiced also in the morning. Only after breakfast did the Alfa Romeo team enter the track accompanied by their managers and the engineers Pozzi and La Torre of Pirelli. Campari and Sivocci practiced, joined by Ascari around 4 pm, while Ferrari was watching as a mere spectator. They only drove several laps until around 4 pm when Campari made the best times of the day, lapping in 4m13s and 4m11s. Costantini drove some nice laps watched by the small crowd of enthusiasts and onlookers. Griffini and Alverà also did some laps at a moderate pace. Silvani, Bianchi's team leader, arrived at the track when practice had already officially ended.       Friday and Saturday practice were planned but reports about this activity could not be found. On Friday, scrutineering of the cars was carried out at the same place, also weighing of drivers and mechanics which had to be not less than 120 kg.       The drawing of lots for the starting order happened on Wednesday, at 2 pm, at the Monza Park control area and was the most interesting action performed by commendatore Mercanti and commendatore Galli in the presence of the competitors, not only those who had participated in practice, but also Niccolini, Brilli-Peri, Ardizzone, and Dubonnet. The Frenchman had made some excursion laps of the track aboard the Lancia of cavaliere Vaccarossi. Dubonnet hoped to receive the Hispano-Suiza on Friday for his race on Sunday. Of the 13 entries in the first category, only Giovannelli was excluded from the draw because he was ill. The other 12 were accepted in the order decided at the drawing of lots. Of the 14 entries in the second category, Stefanelli was excluded from the draw and not admitted to the GP in accordance with article 17 of the regulations. Wagner had smashed his car in practice, so he was out. Alverà was excluded, again for article 17. This article authorized the Milan A. C. to exclude any member from the race, without giving reasons for such exclusion but the reason was basically to be found in the technical requirements of the cars.

Race: Even the last race of the year did not stay dry. It rained all night and it rained persistently, while long columns of cars moved towards the racetrack entrances. But the weather really didn't encourage fans. The two categories were distinguished by the color of large rectangles painted laterally on the rear of the vehicle and on the hood. The first category had black numbers in a white rectangle, the second white numbers in a black rectangle. The cars lined up in front of the timekeepers' booth in order of their race numbers, which had been decided at Wednesday's drawing of lots. Between each row of cars was a gap of 20 meters. The first category started ahead of the second with an interval of two minutes.

3 C Conelli Bianchi 2 Costantioni Bianchi 1 Cattaneo Ceirano 4 Ascari Alfa Romeo 5 Maserati Diatto 6 Matetti SCAT 7 Meregalli Diatto 8 Scales Chiribiri 9 Sivocci Alfa Romeo 10 Ceirano Ceirano 11 Silvani Bianchi 12 Alberti Bugatti-Silvani

At 10 a.m. the 12 cars of the first category, arranged in 4 rows, started simultaneously. The rain was very heavy. Maserati's red Diatto shot ahead from the second row, passed very quickly and took the lead, followed by Conelli and all the others, with the exception of Meregalli who, due to an irreparable breakdown, was forced to retire as soon as the race had started.

-x- 14 F Conelli Ballot 13 Dubonnet Hispano-Suiza 16 Campari Alfa Romeo 17 Brilli-Peri Fiat 18 Ardizzone Fiat -x- 20 Niccolini Fiat 21 Griffini Fiat 22 Galleani Mercedes 23 Martinelli Isotta-Fraschini 24 Caiselli Packard

After an interval of two minutes the cars of the second category started. Alverà in #15 Fiat and Ferrari #19 with an Alfa Romeo had both practiced but did not start. Dubonnet, Franz Conelli, Niccolini and Campari passed for the first time after completing the street circuit, at the same time when Maserati followed by Scales passed in front of the stands completing the first lap. Maserati held the lead until the 5th lap. Brilli-Peri passed Dubonnet on the second lap and held the lead until lap five. Halfway through the 7th lap Ascari stopped to change a tire in about 35 seconds. Caiselli stopped his Indy Packard to change two spark plugs. In the middle of lap 8, the crowd in the stands watched anxiously as four cars were in the turn that led from the road circuit to the track, amongst them Niccolini's large Fiat which made a double spin around itself without any consequences. Maserati continued to increase his advantage. On lap 10, Campari set the fastest lap of the race in 4m14.2s at 141.620 km/h average speed.       On the 12th lap, when Brilli-Peri had a 40 second advantage over Dubonnet, he experienced valve failure which caused a backfire, setting the engine alight. He had to retire his 1917 Fiat with his mechanic burned, leaving the lead to Dubonnet who maintained good regularity, chased by Franz Conelli in his Ballot. On the 13th lap Sivocci went off the road in a turn without damaging the car and was able to continue. Caberto Conelli spun off in a turn and retired after completing 14 laps in 19m21.6s. Ceirano had to stop permanently on the circuit after he covered 19 laps in 1h42m26s. Campari, the lap record holder of the race, was unlucky. Besides his tire failures a balance wheel broke on the 20th lap and he retired after completing 19 laps in 1h28m59.2s.       In the middle of lap 20 Maserati stopped for about 6 minutes to change a tire, refuel and top up oil and Water. His lap time of 10m56.8s was enough to lose first place to Sivocci. Costantini stopped for 5 minutes to refuel almost at the same time as Mario Galleani in the Mercedes made his pit stop. Repeated stops were made also by Caiselli, Martinelli and Mattei. Cattaneo completed 21 laps with his Ceirano in 1h42m7.8s. Franz Conelli in the Ballot raised his pace significantly and proceeded with greater safety in the second part of the race. Meanwhile Maserati, after his long pit stop, continued the pursuit of Sivocci, determined to regain first position. Behind him advanced Silvani decisively in third place when an oil tank failure caused his retirement in the middle of the track, after completing 21 laps in 2h23m54s.       The interest in the fight was now limited to the Sivocci-Maserati duel, because it did not appear that Dubonnet's victory in the second category would be threatened. On lap 30 Maserati drove the fastest lap in his category with a time in 4m15.8s at 140.734 km/h average speed. He took the lead at the end of the 32nd lap after 2h38m30s only 10 seconds ahead of Sivocci. Maserati then stopped for a second time to refuel for about 40 seconds. Cattaneo retired his Ceirano along the circuit during the 32nd lap. Ascari, who suffered from repeated tire trouble, managed to move to 3rd place in the overall standings at the end of lap 35, just three minutes ahead of Maserati and Sivocci. But then Ascari retired due to a lubrication breakdown.       On the 35th lap Dubonnet led in 2h40m09.8s with Franz Conelli second in 2h43m22s. On the 40th lap Dubonnet's time was 3h02m57.4s and Franz Conelli 3h05m23.4s, which showed that in the last 5 laps Conelli had gained 47 seconds. In third place was Niccolini, who after an earlier frightening double spin in the turn, moderated his pace and took third place behind the two fast and stable French cars. He later complained of a broken balance wheel. In fourth place followed Mario Galleani, who drove the white touring Mercedes of Ferrario with which he completed laps after laps with great regularity, averaging 115,662 km/h. In fifth place was Ardizzone in the old Fiat GP, which caused long stops to its driver. At the end of the 36th lap, Sivocci in the small category held first place in 2h53m31s, with a 17 second advantage. It was only on lap 38 that Maserati passed him and held a two-second advantage over the Alfa Romeo, two seconds that became 10 at the end of the race.       Dubonnet, Franz Conelli, Maserati and Sivocci subsequently crossed the finish line amid the applause of the crowd. Niccolini finished fifth overall, followed by Costantini in the 2000 Bianchi, Galeani 's Mercedes was seventh and Ardizzone's Fiat eighth, the last car classified. Caiselli, Martinelli and Mattei did not classify, as all three exceeded the maximum allowable time, although they completed 40 laps.