1934 Masaryk Grand Prix
| 1934 Masaryk Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 30 September 1934 | ||
| Official name | V Velká Cena Masarykova | ||
| Location | Masaryk Circuit, Brno | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 29.140 km (18.107 miles) | ||
| Distance | 17 laps, 495.4 km (307.8 miles) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Bugatti | ||
| Grid positions set by ballot | |||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Luigi Fagioli | Mercedes-Benz | |
| Time | 13:17.2 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Auto Union | ||
| Second | Mercedes-Benz | ||
| Third | Maserati | ||
The V Velká Cena Masarykova (1934 Masaryk Grand Prix, V Masarykův okruh) was a 750 kg Formula race held on 30 September 1934 at the Masaryk Circuit.[1]
Josef Brázdil[edit]
The event is known for the controversial entry and death of 29-year old Czechoslovak driver Josef Brázdil, named one of the most "bizarre" and "fantastic" stories in Grand Prix and motorsport history by specialised sources.[2][3] Little is known of Brázdil's life until the month of the race. He was a Bratislava resident with no racing experience, and no known involvement in motorsport prior to the event. Brázdil and a Bratislavan friend named Štefan Marciš managed to convince Marciš' very wealthy American fiancée to buy a brand new Maserati 6C-34, one of the fastest and most expensive Grand Prix cars at the time, in cash. It had the same specifications as the ones driven by works Maserati drivers, such as Tazio Nuvolari. Marciš' fiancée financed an entry for Brázdil for the Masaryk Grand Prix, despite his complete lack of experience.
Brázdil took part in the opening practice session on Wednesday as planned, although several competitors complained about his erratic driving style. That night he was arrested for financial irregularities, of which the details are still unclear. He was released on bail shortly afterwards, on the condition that he would turn himself back to the police after the Grand Prix. He arrived to the track early in the morning the day after, and left the pits at around 8am, before the start of official practice. In his first flying lap, he had a fatal accident at the high speed U Krize kink. Due to the lack of braking marks, the lack of apparent mechanical issues on his car, and the fact that the accident occurred at a relatively easy part of the track, it has been speculated that his accident may have been a suicide due to his sudden legal troubles. However, it is also likely that his accident was just a simple error by a very inexperienced competitor driving an extremely challenging car.[2][3]
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Classification[edit]
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 |  Hans Stuck
|
Auto Union | Auto Union A | 17 | 3:53:27.9 | 5 | |
| 2 | 18 | Luigi Fagioli
|
Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz W25 | 17 | + 2:56.6 | 9 | |
| 3 | 26 | Tazio Nuvolari
|
Maserati | Maserati 6C-34 | 17 | + 3:46.2 | 12 | |
| 4 | 32 | Hermann zu Leiningen
|
Auto Union | Auto Union A | 17 | + 8:37.3 | 6 | |
| 5 | 4 | Achille Varzi
|
Scuderia Ferrari | Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3 | 17 | + 10:41.0 | 2 | |
| 6 | 20 | Ernst Henne Hanns Geier
|
Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz W25 | 16 | + 1 Lap | 10 | |
| 7 | 12 | Wilhelm Sebastian
|
Auto Union | Auto Union A | 17 | + 1 Lap | 15 | |
| 8 | 2 |  László Hartmann
|
L. Hartmann | Bugatti T51 | 15 | + 2 Laps | 1 | |
| DNF | 16 | Rudolf Caracciola
|
Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz W25 | 11 | Broken wheel | 8 | |
| DNF | 6 |  Louis Chiron
|
Scuderia Ferrari | Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3 | 9 | Oil pipe | 3 | |
| DNF | 8 | Gianfranco Comotti
|
Scuderia Ferrari | Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3 | 9 | Fuel tank/gearbox? | 4 | |
| DNF | 14 |  Zdeněk Pohl
|
Valdemar Gut | Bugatti T51 | 8 | 7 | ||
| DNF | 22 |  Eugen Bjørnstad
|
E. Bjørnstad | Alfa Romeo Monza | 8 | 11 | ||
| DNF | 28 |  Robert Benoist
|
Bugatti | Bugatti T59 | 8 | 13 | ||
| DNF | 30 | Jean-Pierre Wimille
|
Bugatti | Bugatti T59 | 6 | 14 | ||
| DSF | 36 | Frantisek Holešák
|
F. Holešák | Bugatti T35B | 6 | DSQ - too slow | 17 | |
| DNF | 34 | Jan Pavlíček
|
Pavlíček | Bugatti T35C | 1 | 16 | ||
| DNS | August Momberger
|
Auto Union | Auto Union A | Reserve driver | ||||
| DNS | Hanns Geier
|
Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz W25 | Reserve driver | ||||
| DNS | 24 | Josef Brázdil
|
J. Brázdil | Maserati 6C-34 | Fatal crash in practice |
References[edit]
- ^ "Reference at www.kolumbus.fi". Archived from the original on 2010-09-27. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
- ^ a b "Motorsport Memorial -". motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
- ^ a b "1934 GRAND PRIX SEASON - 1934 Czech Masaryk Grand Prix (Masarykuv Okruh), 1934 Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix, 1934 Donington Park Trophy, 1934 Mountain championship, 1934 Modena Circuit (Circuito di Modena), 1934 Napels Grand Prix (Circuito di Napoli, Coppa Principessa di Piemonte), 1934 Alger Grand prix". www.goldenera.fi. Retrieved 2023-12-15.