1936 Donington Grand Prix

May 2026 1936 motor race GP Donington 3 October 1936 II Donington Grand Prix 1936 North West Leicestershire, England Donington Park (1935-1936) - 2.552 Mi.png Road course 2.552 4.107 120 306.2 492.8 Dry United Kingdom Thomas Cholmondeley-Tapper (by ballot) Maserati 8CM New Zealand Hans Rüesch Alfa Romeo Switzerland Richard Seaman Great Britain Charlie Martin Alfa Romeo Great Britain Peter Whitehead Peter Walker E.R.A. Great Britain Great Britain The 1936 Donington Grand Prix was a non-championship Grand Prix that was held on 3 October 1936 at Donington Park in North West Leicestershire, England. It was the 39th race of the 1935 Grand Prix season. The race, which was 120 laps, was won by Hans Ruesch and Richard Seaman, who both drove 60 laps each.Donington Grand Prix – 1936 https://www.flyinglap.com.br/donington-grand-prix-1936/ Flying Lap 28 May 2026 The race was also the final event for the 1936 British Racing Drivers Club Gold Star championship; going into the race, B. Bira led the table, and only Richard Seaman could catch him. Seaman however had to win and to hope that Bira did not score a point, with fifth place being worth one point. Entries No.DriverEntrantCar1GBR Cyril Mervyn WhiteC. Mervyn WhiteBugatti Type 512NZL Thomas Cholmondeley-TapperT. Cholmondeley-TapperMaserati 8CM3GBR Antony Powys-LybbeA. Powys-LybbeAlfa Romeo 8C 23004GBR Philip JuckerP. JuckerAlta IFS5GBR Percy MaclureP. MaclureRiley 2000/66GBR Reg ParnellR. ParnellMG Magnette7GBR Hector DobbsDenis ScribbansE.R.A. R9B8GBR Peter WhiteheadP. WhiteheadE.R.A. R10B9GBR Darcy TaylorD. TaylorBugatti Type 5110GBR Charlie MartinC. MartinAlfa Romeo Tipo B11GBR Thomas ClarkeT. ClarkeDelahaye 135S12CHE Hans RüeschH. RüeschAlfa Romeo 8C3514GBR Douglas BriaultD. BriaultERA R6B15GBR Reggie TongueR. TongueERA R11B16GBR Arthur DobsonArthur DobsonERA R7B17GBR Ian ConnellI. ConnellAlfa Romeo 8C 230018Thailand B. BiraPrince ChulaMaserati 8CM19GBR Austin DobsonAustin DobsonAlfa Romeo 8C 230020LUX Pablo CurtisP. CurtisSalmson L421GBR Tommy WisdomAlan SelborneDelahaye 135S22USA Laury SchellAlan SelborneDelahaye 135S23FRA René CarrièreAlan SelborneDelahaye 135S24CHE Christian KautzC. KautzMaserati 4CMSource:Donington Grand Prix - 1936 https://www.flyinglap.com.br/donington-grand-prix-1936/ flyinglap 28 May 2026 Non-participants A number of reserve drivers were nominated, but did not get to take a turn at the wheel. The most notable of these was Eileen Ellison, who was reserve to Cholmondeley-Tapper, and who took part in official practice.Speed kings at Donington Leicester Evening Mail 3 October 1936 5 Pablo Curtis The only entry which did not turn up was that of Pablo Curtis,Derby driver thrills crowd at Donington Grand Prix Derby Daily Telegraph 3 October 1936 8 an obscure driver from Luxembourg who was claimed to be a national champion,Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb Kidderminster Shuttle 19 September 1936 10 but who had also withdrawn from the Albi Grand Prix and Shelsley Walsh hill climb events earlier in the season.Shelsley Hill Climb Evesham Standard & West Midland Observer 19 September 1936 3 His only actual appearances seem to have been a handful of 1936 events, including the 24 hour Bol d'Or (in which he finished 5th in the 1.1 litre racing category, in his blown Salmson, despite retiring in the 16th hour)La ronde de Saint-Germain L'Echo des Sports 2 June 1936 2 and a class victory in a hillclimb at Ars-la Châtre, where a track was later built.La Pratique automobile vulgarisée Sport et tourisme 1 July 1936 8 Qualifying The grid was decided by ballot rather than practice times; Seaman had been fastest in practice, setting a time of 2m 02, four seconds faster than Rüesch, who was in turn just under a second faster than Bira.Snellman Leif II Donington Grand Prix https://www.goldenera.fi/gp3611.htm#37 Golden Era 29 May 2026 The cars lined up on the grid in rows of 4, albeit asymmetrically, alternating between two groups of two and a middle group of two with cars on left and right.Nye Doug British Grand Prix 1926-76 1977 B.T. Batsford London 22–25 Race The event proved to be more successful than the preceding year, with a much bigger entry, and more overseas interest. The race was also broadcast over radio from 4.15pm,Your weekend wireless Daily Sketch 3 October 1936 13 commentary coming from F. J. Findon of the Light Car magazine and motorcycle racer Graham Walker, father of future commentator Murray.Week-end wireless Western Daily Mail 3 October 1936 13 Up to 15,000 spectators attended in autumn sunshine and Cholmondeley-Tapper, taking advantage of the fortuitous grid draw, led the first lap as favourite Bira stalled. By the time Bira got going, he had lost nearly 2 laps, and Rüesch took the lead after 4 laps - which he would in fact never lose. By 20 laps his lead over Charlie Martin and Cholmondeley-Tapper was over a minute, and at half-distance - when he handed over to Seaman - the lead over Martin and Whitehead was nearly a lap.Records in Grand Prix Derby Daily Telegraph 5 October 1936 7 After Seaman brought the Alfa home, the competitors were allowed to continue for 10 minutes in order to complete the race distance, Arthur Dobson completing the 120 laps just within the time limit, and the other runners were flagged off; Bira's recovery drive to fifth meant that he pipped Seaman to the Gold Star title.Prince Bira's history https://bira.co.th/heritage/ Bira Circuit 29 May 2026Snellman Leif II Donington Grand Prix https://www.goldenera.fi/gp3611.htm#37 Golden Era 29 May 2026British cars challenge at Donington Leicester Evening Mail 3 October 1936 19 The main incident in the race was caused by Arthur Dobson's oil filler cap coming loose; this led to a spillage of oil around the circuit, a number of cars going off (including his brother Austin), and the damage from the off-course moment caused Tapper's steering to break.Wisdom Thomas H (Tommy) Racing cars skate on oil at 90mph Daily Herald - 5 October 1936 9 The last runner was shared by Kaye Don and Tommy Wisdom; it was Don's first appearance in a race in two years,Kaye Don Back to Racing Today Daily Herald 3 October 1936 6 and he took over from Wisdom at half-distance,Wisdom Thomas H "Tommy" Going foreign Daily Herald 9 October 1936 9 but - with second gear missing - could not make the race pace,Early thrills in Grand Prix in Donington Leicester Mercury 3 October 1936 9 and the transmission trouble cost Delahaye the team prize to E.R.A.Seaman's easy road race win Daily Telegraph 5 October 1936 4 Race results Pos. No.Driver(s)Car LapsTime/Retired1 12CHE Hans RüeschGBR Richard SeamanAlfa Romeo 8C35 1204:25:22 2 10GBR Charlie MartinAlfa Romeo Tipo B 1204:28:253 8GBR Peter WhiteheadGBR Peter WalkerERA R10B 1204:31:354 15GBR Reggie TongueERA R11B 1204:32:295 18Thailand "B. Bira"Maserati 8CM 1204:33:196 16GBR Arthur DobsonERA R7B 1204:35:067 3GBR Antony Powys-LybbeAlfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza118 Flagged off823FRA René CarrièreGBR Alan SelborneDelahaye 135S 118 Flagged off917GBR Ian ConnellGBR Kenneth EvansAlfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza 115 Flagged off1019GBR Austin DobsonGBR Andrew LeitchAlfa Romeo Tipo B 115 Flagged off11 11GBR Thomas ClarkeDelahaye 135S 114 Flagged off1222USA Laury SchellDelahaye 135S 114 Flagged off13 14GBR Douglas BriaultERA R6B 113 Flagged off14 9GBR Darcy TaylorBugatti Type 51 112 Flagged off 15 21GBR Kaye DonGBR Tommy WisdomDelahaye 135S 100 Flagged off ret 7GBR Hector DobbsGBR Denis ScribbansDonington Grand Prix Observer 4 October 1936 29ERA R9B 67 Engine ret 6GBR Reg ParnellMG K3 Magnette 58 Axle shaft ret 24CHE Christian KautzMaserati 4CM 55 Piston ret 2NZL Thomas Cholmondeley-TapperMaserati 8CM 42 Steering ret 1GBR Cyril Mervyn-WhiteBugatti Type 53 23 Propellor shaft ret 4GBR Philip JuckerAlta IFS 23 Oil pressure ret 5GBR Percy MaclureRiley 2000 1 Big endSource:Donington Grand Prix - 1936 https://www.flyinglap.com.br/donington-grand-prix-1936/ flying lap 29 May 2026 External links Race footage References Donington Grand Prix 1936 1935 Donington Grand Prix 1937 Donington Grand Prix Category:Donington Grand Prix Category:1936 in motorsport Category:1936 in British motorsport Category:1936 in Grand Prix racing