MOTORING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 3 April 1926, Page 11

MOTORING

THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX RACE

SOM3: REFLECTIONS ANO AN'HCiF RATIONS

illy II Uuist)

LONDON. F.'li. 18 KnlTies ai ordinary fees: L'so a oar. or £l5O lor five oars (the maximum miiiiilior allowed), for tlio first Orand I’rix raco of tlio.« Royal Automobile Club, closed at 80. Pali Mall. London. 5.W.1.. at b ji.m. on .March 15 1 1 1 . the late entry list at enhanced foes closing debt vtely at G |).m. on .May 31st. 'I lie race is In lie run on the track at \\ eybridge on Align'd 2nd (Hank Holiday). J92G. lor prizes of £I.OOO to he awarded to the col rant of the winning car. 0300 in resold o' the [lorforinanoe of the second car. arid £2OO of the third. All who would compete must, make up their minds to do so by the time the first of the great lllue Ribbon International races of this season shall have been mi:, namely, the 500 miles IndianapufTs Sweepstakes race on the square brick track in America.

Other races. such as the Grand Rrix df tin' Automobile Club <lt* France, nod the Grand Rrix of Europe rate in Spain, will also he before the race at Brooklands. Like those events, success in that in England will entitle the competitors to take part in the race for the Motor Car Championship of the World. 1926. this autumn, with which the first class racing season will conclude. Entries for tlie competition in this country aie therefore confined to those car types which are admissahle for the Blue Ribbon long distance international road and track races of the world, under the General Competition Hides ot the Association of International-Automo-bile Clubs*. But the ears must comply j also with ‘the Brooklamls Automobile! Hncitig Club’s Supplement ary Hegula-| tion. No. 21. This means, in brief, that, the machines must be approximately of 10 1 1 . p. Treasury rating, otherwise of a cylinder content not exceeding 1.500 c.c. or 91d, cubic inches, and weigh a minimum of 700 kgs empty. It is not permissible to add ballast, to the car to scale this weight. This is a most wise provision in face of what has occurred often in connection with racing of this sort mi the Continent. whereby constructors have lightened ears ridiculously. then piled up weight by adding ballast which, of course, does not represent mechanical strength. Cars will be weighed complete with body and the four wheels and tyres with which they will start. WEIGHT AND CORNERING On the other hand, the water, fuel, tools, spare parts, spare wheels and spare tyres, or lubricating oil (other than that which is carried in the crankcase, gearbox and back axle) will not be allowed to count ns weight. 1 am entirely against a minimum weight- limit, bolding that the proper way to encourage design evolution is to impose n maximum weight- limit for the vehicle in the competition which the B.A.C. will place it on tlie scales. 1 his, however, is one of the many points on which continued education will be necessary before we can achieve it. Just as one ltad to work for half a generation to get- cornering provided for in trade racing that the cars might be tested much more adequately. The object of the minimum weight- limit- is to ensure safety. But any constructor who cuts bis material too line risks breakdowns which would prevent him reaching the winning-post first ; 'therefore lie is merely a tool for bis pains. This is the greatest- safeguard possible against- undue weight ('lifting by manufacturers. For the rest, no theoretical engineer, let alone the committee of any race organisation, lias the faintest notion ho-w light it may he possible to construct motor vehicles of given powers and speeds, lienee the absurdity of insisting on minimum weight limits. Nevertheless, all the clubs do so at present. One of the prime objects to bo. attained by experiment in the form of racing of this sort should be to encourage lighter and yet lighter constructions with increase, not. decrease, of strength, for our Mandat'd vehicles of all suits are far too heavy for the useful loads they carry: in other words, the tost r.-l motoring is dearer than it need, and will, be. Imagine 5 cwt. of chassis — about the minimum we have —per passenger carried, if we except such proportions as the Austin Seven. That- is the* first. potable hivak-nway in a direction I have been urging for years. Meantime, the R.A'.C. face scheme represents a great piece ol enterprise on the part of British' motoring, despite tlie fact that, the distance is 300 miles only. The value of the race will consist in the fact that a suitable number of circuits will be contrived by using “selected portions of the Brooklamls track in which certain special turns, or bends. 1 will be introduced so as to cause the competing vehicles to slow down during each circuit." UK ELY COMPETITORS It is not. likely that the leading Continental manufacturers will all enter their cars directly. Most of them will present cars through their enneessioncairesi in this country. r l he drivers of most, however, will be the cracks of the steering-wheel of international reputation.. Therefore, it is reasonable to expect that, we shall see a much higher average >f skilful driving than was manifest on the occasion, of the first experiment last, autumn of the Junior Car Club in having two turns per circuit, Those who take part- in international road racing on the. Continent, and who establish reputation in. that. work, can corner in a way which surprises people. This is not necessarily an excitingly spectacular display—that depends on tlie individual driver’s method —but it is a matter of quickness and skill in getting a car found with a minimum loss of deceleration and acceleration, for it is intended to make this a race for testing engine acceleration, chassis braking. gear changing, steering, and so forth. The fact, that the public bad not the best opportunity for watching the cornering work at close range in tlie pioneer experimental track-cum-corner work race by the Junior Car Club last autumn is being held in mind botli by that body, which will run its 200 miles race on the track for cars of this size in the autumn. and bv ilio B.A.C. against its August. Rank Holiday race. One feature in connection with the Grand ITix of the R.A.C. at Weybridge, which may make it different as a spectacle from the i i.t cin it ion 1 1 Blue Bihhrn races on the Cuniinent of Europe for litis class oi car, is that we may have certain British linns competing which, nevertheless. will not be sending ears to compete abroad. This, however, would only present the same situation that obtains in respect of any oik* of the (fraud Pri.v races in Franee. Italy, or Belgium, for example, where certain localiv built cars compete against those produced by t lit* recognised leading firms of the world. Imt never run elsewhere. NO KUDOS BY TOUBTNG But the Royal Automobile r Guh introduces a regulation (No. 25, para-

graph 2|: "After the four leading ears have completed the prescribed number of circuits, the remaining cars in the race will be stopped on the completion of the circuit upon which they arc then engaged, and will be “placed in the race aecording to tlie distance they have, then run, and the time elapsed at (hr completion of Mm circuit in which they are slopped." I'll is reg tils,bio r: cannot, he overpoised by hnv tr.it n who has witnessed first ci iss ir.'ernatumal road races during flu* last score o! years, or more. 'The reason is that the motoring public throughout the "world is misled, quite unwittingly, in any account published of most, such events, because it learns of tile final placing of the cars, hut eaimol get any idea, from I lit 1 summary of sucii results, what has- been the nature of the comped it ion and what is tlie degree of merit displayed by tin.* different- ears that left the starting line to engage in it. The exigencies of space, however, dictate that this, and sundry other aspects, must he dealt with next we eh.