Caen, July 28th.
Taking place one week after the British Grand Prix and one week before the German Grand Prix the race at Caen did not hope for a very exciting entry, relying mostly on private-owners and the smaller firms. However, Jean Behra was keen to take part and as the Scuderia Maserati were not interested in supplying a car, being too busy preparing for Nurburgring, the Frenchman approached Bourne and persuaded them to lend him a B.R.M. Realising that this was an opportunity to gain invaluable experience with a top-line driver the Owen Racing team sent two cars to Caen, one for practice and one for the race.
There were two entries from the Cooper factory, Salvadori on a rear-engined car and Brahham with a 1,500 Formula II car, while Brooks was driving R. R. C. Walker's 2-litre Cooper-Climax. There were private Maseratis in the hand of Gould, Halford, Piotti and Bonnier, while Schell borrowed the ex-Louis Rosier Maserati from its new owner Bourely and Marc Rosier had the old blue four-cylinder Ferrari. To complete the field of eleven cars was Lucas driving Alan Brown's Formula II Cooper-Climax.
