1956 New Zealand Grand Prix

1956 New Zealand Grand Prix
4th New Zealand Grand Prix
Race details
Date 7 January 1956
Location Ardmore Circuit, Auckland, New Zealand
Course Temporary racing facility
Course length 3.2 km (2.0 miles)
Distance 100 laps, 338 km (186 miles)
Weather Sunny
Pole position
Driver Maserati 250F
Time 1:29.0
Fastest lap
Driver United Kingdom Stirling Moss Maserati 250F
Time 1:28.0
Podium
First Maserati 250F
Second Ferrari 500/750S
Third Ferrari 500/750S

The 1956 New Zealand Grand Prix was a motor race held at the Ardmore Circuit on 7 January 1956. This was the fourth running of the marquee event and was run to Formula Libre regulations.

Stirling Moss entered the weekend as the favourite and would deliver with a commanding victory, with the fastest lap to boot. Tony Gaze and Peter Whitehead completed the podium for the second year running.

Race report

Gaze initially lead the race off the starting line, but would be passed soon after by Moss, who thereafter enjoyed a largely trouble-free race to the flag, with the only problems encountered being a broken fuel lead which sprayed fuel back into the cockpit and forced the Brit to make another pitstop toward the end. The lead was such however that the Ferrari's of Gaze and Whitehead could not hope to challenge for a potential victory.

Classification

Pos No. Driver Car Laps Time Grid
1 7 United Kingdom Stirling Moss Maserati 250F / Maserati 2497cc 6cyl 100 2hr 32min 23.1sec 1
2 4 Australia Tony Gaze Ferrari 500/750S / Ferrari 2968cc 4cyl 100 + 43.6 3
3 3 United Kingdom Peter Whitehead Ferrari 500/750S / Ferrari 2968cc 4cyl 99 + 1 lap 2
4 2 United Kingdom Leslie Marr Connaught B Type / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl 99 + 1 lap 20
5 6 United Kingdom Reg Parnell Cooper T38 / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl 98 + 2 laps 6
6 19 New Zealand Ron Roycroft Bugatti Type 35A / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl 5
7 New Zealand Syd Jensen Cooper Mk IX / Norton 530cc 1cyl 7
8 22 New Zealand Tom Clark Maserati 8CM / Maserati 2992cc 8cyl s/c 8
9 10 Australia Frank Kleinig Porsche Spyder 550 / Porsche 1498cc 4cyl 11
10 New Zealand Reg McCutcheon Normac Special / Chevrolet 3870cc 6cyl 14
11 New Zealand Frank Shuter Cadillac Special / Cadillac 5200cc V8 22
12 12 New Zealand Fred Zambucka Maserati 8CLT-50 / Maserati 2984cc 8cyl s/c 9
13 New Zealand Arnold Stafford Cooper Mk IX / Norton 530cc 1cyl 16
14 New Zealand John McMillan Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c 18
15 New Zealand Des McDonagh Thomas-Mercury / Mercury 4100cc V8 19
Ret New Zealand Rob Hugill Cooper Mk VIII / Norton 498cc 1cyl Retired 25
Ret 15 New Zealand Ron Frost Cooper Mk IX / Norton 530cc 1cyl Retired 12
Ret 39 Australia David McKay Aston Martin DB3S / Aston 2996cc 6cyl Retired 10
Ret Australia Tom Sulman Aston Martin DB3S / Aston 2996cc 6cyl Retired 15
Ret New Zealand Morrie Stanton Stanton Special / de Havilland 6124cc 4cyl Retired 13
Ret 20 New Zealand Ross Jensen Austin-Healey 100S / Austin 2660cc 4cyl 15 Crankshaft 17
Ret New Zealand Fred Crowther Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c 7 Retired 24
Ret New Zealand Lionel Bulcraig Northland Special / Mercury 4100cc V8 5 Engine 23
Ret Australia Alec Mildren Cooper T23 / Bristol 1971cc 6cyl 0 Head Gasket 21
DNS Australia Jack Brabham Cooper T40 / Bristol 1971cc 6cyl 0 Gearbox 4
DNQ New Zealand George Smith GeeCeeEss / Mercury 4071cc V8 Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Roly Crowther Maserati 6CM / Maserati 1493cc 6cyl s/c Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Harley Beckett Maserati 8CLT-50 / Maserati 2984cc 8cyl s/c Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Allan Freeman Talbot-Lago T26C / Talbot 4485cc 6cyl Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Len Gilbert Cooper Mk VI / Norton 498cc 1cyl Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Gordon Brown Buckler Mk VI / Ford 1172cc 4cyl s/c Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Ronnie Moore Cooper Mk V / Vincent 998c V2 Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Les Moore Kieft C50 / Vincent 998cc V2 s/c Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Snow Petersen Cooper Mk IV / JAP 497cc 1cyl Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Bruce Wood Staride 52 / JAP 497cc 1cyl Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Terry Nixon Cooper Mk VIII / Norton 498cc 1cyl Did Not Qualify
DNQ 36 New Zealand Ted Bristed Triumph TR2 / Standard 2088cc 4cyl Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Bruce Webster Cooper Mk VII / JAP 497cc 1cyl Did Not Qualify
DNQ New Zealand Ray Drew Cooper Mk IX / Norton 498cc 1cyl Did Not Qualify
DNA New Zealand Dave Caldwell Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c Did Not Arrive
DNA Australia Stan Jones Maybach Special / Maybach 4640cc 6cyl Did Not Arrive
DNA Australia Paul England Ausca / Holden 2350cc 6cyl Did Not Arrive
DNA New Zealand George Palmer Cooper T20 / Bristol 1971cc 6cyl Did Not Arrive
DNA 16 New Zealand John Seabrook Austin-Healey 100M / Austin 2660cc 4cyl Did Not Arrive
DNA 17 New Zealand Phil Neill Austin-Healey 100/4 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl Did Not Arrive
DNA 19 New Zealand Bruce McLaren Austin-Healey 100/4 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl Did Not Arrive
DNA New Zealand Ray Archibald Jaguar XK120 / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl Did Not Arrive
Source:[1][2][3][4]

References

  1. ^ "Third New Zealand International Grand Prix 1956". sergent.com.au. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  2. ^ "1956 New Zealand Grand Prix". Motorsport Magazine. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  3. ^ "4th New Zealand Grand Prix 1956 standings". Driver Database. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  4. ^ "New Zealand Grand Prix – 1956". Flying Lap. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
Sporting positions
Preceded by New Zealand Grand Prix
1956
Succeeded by