1932 Australian Grand Prix

February 2020 June 2026 The 1932 Australian Grand Prix was a motor race held at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia on 14 March 1932.John Blanden, The 1932 Australian Grand Prix, A History of Australian Grand Prix 1928–39, pages 75 to 90 It was the fifth Australian Grand Prix and the fifth to be held at Phillip Island. The race was organized by the Light Car Club of Australia, formerly known as the Victorian Light Car Club, and was limited to cars having an engine with a piston displacement of 2000cc or less. It was the first Australian Grand Prix to be decided on a straight handicap basis,The official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, 1986, pages 52 to 59 with the winner being the first car to complete the 31 laps. The two "scratch" competitors had to concede starts ranging up to 29 minutes, equating to an advantage of four laps.W Thompson's great drive, The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995), Wednesday 23 March 1932, page 2, via trove.nla.gov.au The previous practice of cars contesting four classes was discontinued. Weather conditions were reported to be "ideal". The race, in which there were 18 starters, was won by Bill Thompson driving a Bugatti. Thompson was also awarded the Herald Trophy for recording the fastest time of the race. Classification thumb|Race winner Bill Thompson (Bugatti Type 37A) contesting the 1932 Australian Grand Prix thumb|Bill Williamson placed ninth driving a Riley Pos1932 Australian Grand Prix, www.formula1results.co.za, as archived at web.archive.org on 4 June 2015 No. Driver Entrant Car Handicap Laps Handicap time Actual time 1 1 Bill Thompson Woolworth Tyre Co Bugatti Type 37A s/c Scratch 31 3h 15m 11s 2h 40m 11s 2 12 Geoff Disher G Disher Salmson 16 min 31 3h 19m 11s 3h 00m 07s 3 5 Cyril Dickason Austin Distributors P/L Austin 7 Ulster 8 min 31 3h 24m 28s 2h 57m 28s 4 9 Mert Wreford M Wreford Bugatti Brescia 15 min 31 3h 28m 51s 3h 08m 51s 5 3 Carl Junker C Junker Bugatti Type 39 4 min 31 3h 34m 27s 3h 03m 27s 6 22 Bill Northam J Wall Austin 7 s/c 29 min 31 3h 36m 24s 3h 30m 24s 7 20 Les Jennings L Jennings Morris Cowley 26 min 31 3h 39m 31s 3h 30m 31s 8 18 Clarrie May Austin Distributors P/L Austin 7 s/c 26 min 31 3h 40m 36s 3h 31m 36s 9 14 Bill Williamson W Johnson Riley 18 min 31 3h 58m 07s 3h 41m 07s 10 4 Barney Dentry G Dentry Riley Brooklands 6 min 31 4h 11m 55s 3h 41m 55s Ret 16 Graham Tucker Rhodes Motor Co. P/L Triumph s/c 20 min 16 Ret 7 Harold Drake Richmond H Drake Richmond Bugatti Type 37 10 min ? Ret 2 Arthur Terdich AJ Terdich Bugatti Type 37A s/c Scratch 8 Ret 15 Alan Chamberlain A Chamberlain Chamberlain Special 19 min 4 Ret 11 Ken Hopkins K Hopkins Bugatti Brescia 15 min 3+ Ret 6 Bill Lowe WH Lowe Lombard AL3John B Blanden, Historic Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, page 191 10 min 3+ Ret 19 Ken McKinney K McKinney Austin 7 26 min 2 Ret 8 Albert Edwards A Edwards Alvis FWD s/c 10 min 1 DNS (#) 21 Jack Sidebottom J Sidebottom Singer 28 min – DNS (##) 17 Compton Jones HC Jones Austin 12 23 min – (#) Sidebottom's Singer was excluded at scrutineering. (##) The Austin 12 of Compton Jones was withdrawn after its engine suffered a piston failure during practice. Notes Race distance: 31 laps, 206 miles, 321.8 km Race time limit: Four and a quarter hours Fastest time: Bill Thompson – 2h 40m 11s (76.27 mph) Fastest lap: Bill Thompson – 4m 49.4s (82 mph) References External links Australian Grand Prix, Camperdown Chronicle, Tuesday 23 February 1932, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au Bill Thompson Takes His Second Grand Prix in Record Time, The Referee, Wednesday 16 March 1932, Page 23, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au Motor-Car Grand Prix, The Argus, Tuesday 15 March 1932 Page 13, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au "Grand Prix Road Race", The Argus, Tuesday 15 March 1932, Page 5, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au "Racing Car Crashes", The Argus, Tuesday 15 March 1932, Page 5, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au "Bill Northam Gets There in "Red Onzer" (images from the 1932 Australian Grand Prix), www.leski.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org Image of cover of Official Programme, Australian Grand Prix, Phillip Island, Monday, March 14, 1932, images.squarespace-cdn.com, as archived at web.archive.org Australian Grand Prix 1931 Australian Grand Prix 1932 1933 Australian Grand Prix Grand Prix Category:Australian Grand Prix Category:Motorsport at Phillip Island Australian Grand Prix