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1934 Masaryk Grand Prix

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1934 Masaryk Grand Prix
Race details
Date 30 September 1934
Official name V Velká Cena Masarykova
Location Masaryk Circuit, Brno
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 29.140 km (18.107 miles)
Distance 17 laps, 495.4 km (307.8 miles)
Pole position
Driver Bugatti
Grid positions set by ballot
Fastest lap
Driver Italy Luigi Fagioli Mercedes-Benz
Time 13:17.2
Podium
First Auto Union
Second Mercedes-Benz
Third Maserati

The V Velká Cena Masarykova (1934 Masaryk Grand Prix, V Masarykův okruh) was a 750 kg Formula race held on 30 September 1934 at the Masaryk Circuit.[1]

Josef Brázdil

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The event is known for the controversial entry and death of 29-year old Czechoslovak driver Josef Brázdil, named one of the most "bizarre" and "fantastic" stories in Grand Prix and motorsport history by specialised sources.[2][3] Little is known of Brázdil's life until the month of the race. He was a Bratislava resident with no racing experience, and no known involvement in motorsport prior to the event. Brázdil and a Bratislavan friend named Štefan Marciš managed to convince Marciš' very wealthy American fiancée to buy a brand new Maserati 6C-34, one of the fastest and most expensive Grand Prix cars at the time, in cash. It had the same specifications as the ones driven by works Maserati drivers, such as Tazio Nuvolari. Marciš' fiancée financed an entry for Brázdil for the Masaryk Grand Prix, despite his complete lack of experience.

Brázdil took part in the opening practice session on Wednesday as planned, although several competitors complained about his erratic driving style. That night he was arrested for financial irregularities, of which the details are still unclear. He was released on bail shortly afterwards, on the condition that he would turn himself back to the police after the Grand Prix. He arrived to the track early in the morning the day after, and left the pits at around 8am, before the start of official practice. In his first flying lap, he had a fatal accident at the high speed U Krize kink. Due to the lack of braking marks, the lack of apparent mechanical issues on his car, and the fact that the accident occurred at a relatively easy part of the track, it has been speculated that his accident may have been a suicide due to his sudden legal troubles. However, it is also likely that his accident was just a simple error by a very inexperienced competitor driving an extremely challenging car.[2][3]

All layouts of the Masaryk Circuit (Brno Circuit) between 1930 and today combined

Classification

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Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 10 Germany Hans Stuck Auto Union Auto Union A 17 3:53:27.9 5
2 18 Italy Luigi Fagioli Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz W25 17 + 2:56.6 9
3 26 Italy Tazio Nuvolari Maserati Maserati 6C-34 17 + 3:46.2 12
4 32 Germany Hermann zu Leiningen Auto Union Auto Union A 17 + 8:37.3 6
5 4 Italy Achille Varzi Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3 17 + 10:41.0 2
6 20 Germany Ernst Henne
Germany Hanns Geier
Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz W25 16 + 1 Lap 10
7 12 Germany Wilhelm Sebastian Auto Union Auto Union A 17 + 1 Lap 15
8 2 Hungary László Hartmann L. Hartmann Bugatti T51 15 + 2 Laps 1
DNF 16 Germany Rudolf Caracciola Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz W25 11 Broken wheel 8
DNF 6 Monaco Louis Chiron Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3 9 Oil pipe 3
DNF 8 Italy Gianfranco Comotti Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo Tipo B/P3 9 Fuel tank/gearbox? 4
DNF 14 Czechoslovakia Zdeněk Pohl Valdemar Gut Bugatti T51 8 7
DNF 22 Norway Eugen Bjørnstad E. Bjørnstad Alfa Romeo Monza 8 11
DNF 28 France Robert Benoist Bugatti Bugatti T59 8 13
DNF 30 France Jean-Pierre Wimille Bugatti Bugatti T59 6 14
DSF 36 Czechoslovakia Frantisek Holešák F. Holešák Bugatti T35B 6 DSQ - too slow 17
DNF 34 Czechoslovakia Jan Pavlíček Pavlíček Bugatti T35C 1 16
DNS Germany August Momberger Auto Union Auto Union A Reserve driver
DNS Germany Hanns Geier Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz W25 Reserve driver
DNS 24 Czechoslovakia Josef Brázdil J. Brázdil Maserati 6C-34 Fatal crash in practice

References

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  1. ^ "Reference at www.kolumbus.fi". Archived from the original on 2010-09-27. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
  2. ^ a b "Motorsport Memorial -". motorsportmemorial.org. Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  3. ^ a b "1934 GRAND PRIX SEASON - 1934 Czech Masaryk Grand Prix (Masarykuv Okruh), 1934 Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix, 1934 Donington Park Trophy, 1934 Mountain championship, 1934 Modena Circuit (Circuito di Modena), 1934 Napels Grand Prix (Circuito di Napoli, Coppa Principessa di Piemonte), 1934 Alger Grand prix". www.goldenera.fi. Retrieved 2023-12-15.


Grand Prix Race
1934 Grand Prix season
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