THE PRIX ROYAL OF ROME.

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THE PRIX ROYAL OME.

GRAND SLAM FOR MASERATI ON THE NEW LITTORIO TRACK.

ERNESTO MASERATI, the younger brother of the manufacturer, won the ” Reale Premio ” (an untranslateable phrase) of Rome, which was run on Sunday, 7th June, on the new Littorio track near the Italian capital, which was described in “MOTOR SPORT” some months ago. The day was a great one for Maserati, for Ren.e Dreyfus, driving one of the 21-litre straight-eight racers of this marque, was second, and Biondetti, on one of the new 1,750 c.c. models, was third. The new track proved itself exceptionally fast for one comprising ” road ” characteristics, and permitted of lap speed in excess of 100 m.p.h.

In spite of the counter attraction of the Grand Prix of Geneva, which was run on the same day, the race attracted quite a good field. The contest consisted of a series of eliminating races for cars up to 1,100 c.c., 2 litres, 3 litres and over that limit, and a final to decide the ultimate winner. The fastest cars entered included Ernesto Maserati’s 4-litre 16-cylinder racer, the two official 2i-litre Maseratis, driven by Fagioli and Dreyfus, and the new 1,750 c.c. racer of the same make handled by Biondetti, which had as their chief rival the great Achille Varzi on one of the new 2,300 c.c. Bugattis. In addition the 1,100 c.c. class had attracted Jean Scaron on his Amilcar, Camotte and de Caroli on Salmsons, and Ardizzone on a car more or less of his own construction ; Sair was driving one of the older 2-litre Maseratis, and Cerami one of the later 2i-litre models from the same factory ; Castelbarco and Minozzi had 2-litre Bugattis, and Tazio Nuvolari himself drove a 2,300 c.c. Bug. “en amateur” ; Ruggeri and Balestrero had their 1927 Grand Prix 1,500 c.c. Talbot racer ; and finally, di Vecchio was brave enough to appear with the old 1925 Targa Florio Itala, powered with one half of a HispanoSuiza aero engine which was built by the late Emilio Materassi. The eliminating races were run over 25 laps of the circuit, making a total distance of 100 kilometres, or about 62/ miles. The first heat for 1,100 c.c. cars resulted in an easy win for Scaron, who covered the fastest lap on his Amilcar at 96.6 m.p.h. Then came the turn of the 2-litre cars, and Minozzi on the Bugatti rapidly got the lead and covered a lap at 96.7 m.p.h. Thereafter, however, he found trouble, and victory went to Biondetti on the new Maserati, which had been going well in second place. The 3litre class provided the thrill of the opening races in the form of a Bugatti-Maserati duel, not to mention the fact that it provided a meeting between the great rivals, Achille Varzi and Tazio Nuvolari, both on Bugattis. The latter’s car, however, was of the older single camshaft type, and Varzi, after covering a lap at 101.6 m.p.h., just managed to get home in front of Fagioli’s Maserati by the narrow margin of 5 seconds. Finally, Ernesto Maserati set off against a single adversary in the form of the Itala-Hispano, and after showing what he could do by covering a lap at exactly the same speed as Varzi, toured home to win comfortably by more than 6 minutes. The results of the various classes in the eliminating races were as follows :

1,100 C.C. CLASS.

1. J. Scaron (Amilcar), 45m. 53 3/5s. Average, 81.7 m.p.h.

2. de Caroli (Salmson), 49m. 12s.

3. Ardizzone (Ardizzone), 50m. 59s.

4. Camotte (Salmson). 2-LITRE CLASS.

1. Biondetti (Maserati), 41m. 23s. Average, 90.6 m.p.h.

2. Sair (Maserati), 42m. 40s.

3. Castelbarco (Bugatti), 42m. 51s.

4. Minozzi (Bugatti).

5. Balestrero (Talbot).

3-LITRE CLASS.

1. A. Varzi (Bugatti), 37m. 47 1/5s. Average, 99.3 m.p.h.

2. Fagioli (Maserati), 37m. 52s.

3. Dreyfus (Maserati), 38m. 5s.

4. Cerami (Maserati).

5. Nuvolari (Bugatti).

OVER 3-LITRE CLASS.

1. E. Maserati (Maserati), 40m. 14 3/5s. Average, 92.5 m.p.h.

2. di Vecchio (Itala-Hispano-Suiza), 46m. 52s. All those who had qualified in the eliminating races were then drawn up for the final, which was run over 60 laps of the circuit, or rather over 150 miles. Achille Varzi with the Bugatti took the lead at the outset, hotly pursued by the Maserati team in the order, Ernesto Maserati, Dreyfus and Fagioli. Then Varzi burst a tyre and dropped back considerably while he stopped to change the wheel. He got going again, however, and by the 30th lap had regained third place, after covering one round at 101.9 m.p.h. Soon afterwards the Bugatti driver was again in at his pit, and after working on his engine for a few moments, finally retired from the race. Fagioli in the meantime had also had trouble, but got going again, and Sair, the amateur driver of a Maserati, retired on the 53rd lap, to be followed a couple of laps later by Castelbarco’s Bugatti. The official Maseratis, however, now had the race well in hand, and the 16-cylinder machine finally came home the winner by about a minute from its stable companion driven by Dreyfus. The final order was as follows :

1. Maserati (Maserati), lh. 34m.. 32 1/5s. Average, 95.2 m.p.h.

2. Dreyfus (Maserati), lh. 35m. 36s.

3. Biondetti (Maserati), lh. 39m. 26 3/5s.

4. Ruggeri (Talbot), lh. 39m. 49s. 5. Cerami (Maserati), lh. 41m. 10s_

6. Fagioli (Maserati), 1h. 50m. 2s.

ELEKTRON WELDING.

Al.1.AIINIUM alloys were first introduced into commercial use about 25 years ago and since the War they have been employed to an ever increasing extent for many motor vehicle parts such as, crankcases, gearboxes, chain cases, axle casings, and differential casings, and also for motor cycle engine parts. But it seems probable that in the same way as aluminium took the place to a large extent, of cast iron, because of the great reduction in weight, the time is not far distant when aluminium alloys will themselves be superseded because magnesium alloys have now been developed which are much lighter in weight than any aluminium alloy and much stronger than

most aluminium alloys. Elektron is a magnesium alloy 40% lighter than the average aluminium alloy, that is now being used by a number of leading manufacturers of motor vehicles, in this country and on the continent, in place of aluminium alloys for crankcases, etc., and also, instead of mild steel, for road wheels. It is, however, important to know whether an alloy like Elektron can readily be repaired, because for one reason or another every part of a motor vehicle is vulnerable to fracture. Cast iron and aluminium alloys can be perfectly repaired by skilled welders, and it is reassuring to hear that Elektron also can be welded with complete success, pro

vided the right methods are employed. Messrs. Barimar Ltd., of 18, Lamb’s Conduit Street, London, W.C.1. (and branches) have just sent us a specimen of Elektron welded by them by special methods and fluxes which have been devised after careful experimentation.

In sending this specimen Messrs. Barimar point out that the mere fact that Elektron contains 90% magnesium-which is highly inflammable under certain conditions-shows that success in welding the material was not easily achieved. They state, however, that the methods have now been so perfected, that any component made of this material can be successfully welded by them. For the next three hours there was no change in the order of the leaders, and then, soon after one o’clock the Alfa-Romeo, which at the time was being driven by Eyston., suddenly started misfiring badly and stopped. The driver at once commenced to search for the trouble by the roadside with the aid of a pocket torch, but he was unable to diagnose it until he had spent more than an hour, which is the maximum time allowed for a single lap in the Spa race. The Alfa-Romeo was thus out of it and the first Mercedes at once took the lead. At about 9.30 on the Sunday morning, however, Ivanowski, who was driving it failed to appear to time and it was finally learnt that the car was hors de combat with a broken selector mechanism. This withdrawal in turn let the second Mercedes up into first place which it held to the end, although threatened at times’ by the 1,750 c.c. Alfa-Romeo driven by Pesato and Felix. The final result was as follows : GENERAL, CLASSIFICATION :

11. Djordjadze and Zehender (Mercedes), 2,543 km. 500. Average speed 65.8 m.p.h.

2. Pesato and Felix (Alfa-Romeo), 2,489 km. 500.

3. Sommer and Delmer (Chrysler), 2,413 km. 600.

4. Helaers and Varselle (Hotchkiss), 2,354 km. 200.

5. Rouleau brothers (Alfa-Romeo), 2,322 km. 500.

6. Thirion and Deljaert (Bugatti), 2,301 km. 200.

CLASSIFICATION BY CLASSES :Sports cars-over 2-litres.

1. Djordjadze and Zehender (Mercedes).

2. Rouleau Brothers (Alfa-Romeo).

3. Zigraud and Klepper (Bugatti), 2,101 km.

4. Reinartz and Andre (Bugatti), 1,922 km.

Under 2-litres.

1. Pesato and Felix (Alfa-Romeo).

Under 1100 c.c.

1. Charrier and Duray (B.N.C.), 1,847 km. 500.

“Dominant Type” cars. Over 3-litres.

1. Sommer and Delmer (Chrysler).

2. Thirion and Delzaert (Bugatti).

3. Narishkine and Ledure (Graham-Paige), 2,095 km. 900.

Under 3-litres.

1. Helaers and Varselle (Hotchkiss).

Under 2-litres.

1. Naden and de Turage (Rally), 2,120 km. 200.

2. Evrard and Durand (Bugatti), 1,979 km. 900.

3. Thelussort and Fanconnier (Imperia), 1,920 km.

Under 1,100 c.c.

1. Goemans and Blin d’Orimont (Morris Minor), 1,667 km. 900.

2. Thimmermann and Roberfrow (D.K.W.), 1,510 km. 900.

3. Burie and Vandernussen (D.K.W.), 1,496 km. 4. Minsart and Orban (D.K.W.), 1,496 km. Out of 33 starters, 17 finished. The Regularity prize was won by the D.K.W. team of 2-cylinder 2-stroke cars