The 1928 Grand Prix season saw the Monegasque driver Louis Chiron, and his Bugatti, take seven Grand Prix victories.
For 1928, the AIACR abandoned its 1.5-litre formula. Manufacturer interest was low, not helped by the increasing economic downturn. Instead cars would have to be between 550 and 750 kg to an open engine-formula. Originally, the World Manufacturers' Championship was planned on seven national races but as the year went on, five were cancelled and only the Indianapolis 500 and Italian Grand Prix were held. Falling under the mandatory races, the whole championship was cancelled. With the win for Bentley in the 1927 Le Mans and the success of the inaugural Mille Miglia road-race grabbing the public's attention, more races turned to sports- and touring-car racing.
The season is remembered primarily for a deadly accident at the Italian Grand Prix. The Talbot of Emilio Materassi swerved off the road at 200 km/h, rolled a number of times and crashed into the crowd, killing Materassi and 22 other people. The accident was the greatest single loss of life in motor-racing history to that time, and still the second worst to date, after the 1955 Le Mans disaster.
With the open formula, the Bugatti Type 35, and its variants was the dominant car. Talbot, Maserati and Alfa Romeo all had some success, but it was Bugattis that filled the entry-lists across Europe. Albert Divo won the Targa Florio for Bugatti's fourth successive year, after a well-prepared challenge from female Czech driver Eliška Junková. A month earlier, top Italian driver Pietro Bordino was killed in practice for the Alessandria Circuit. The rounds of the Italian Drivers Championship attracted many of the best drivers. A close contest developed between Chiron and Nuvolari (both Bugatti), Materassi (Talbot) and Campari (Alfa Romeo), with Campari taking the title. In the United States, the Indianapolis 500 was won by rookie Louis Meyer in a Miller. He went on to be crowned the season's AAA Champion.
Grandes Épreuves
Date Name Circuit RaceRegulations Weather RaceDistance Winner'sTime Winning driver Winningconstructor Fastestlap Report 3 30 May XVI International 500 Mile Sweepstakes Indianapolis AAA ? 500 miles 5h 02m Louis Meyer Miller 91 not recorded Report 1 Jul XXII Grand Prix de l’ACF IV Grand Prix du Comminges Saint-Gaudens sports,handicap ? 260 km 2h 28m William Grover-Williams(“W. Williams”) Bugatti Type 35C William Grover-WilliamsBugatti Report 15 Jul III Großer Preis von Deutschland Nürburgring sports ? 510 km 4h 54m Rudolf Caracciola Christian Werner Mercedes-Benz SS Rudolf CaracciolaMercedes-Benz Report 29 Jul IV Spanish Grand Prix Lasarte sports,handicap ? 270 km 2h 25m Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 35C not recorded Report 10 9 Sep VIII Italian Grand Prix /VI European Grand Prix Monza Formula Libre cloudy 600 km 3h 45m Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 37A Luigi ArcangeliTalbot Report A pink background indicates the race was run for Sports Cars or Touring Cars this year. Sources:Rendall 1993, p.360
Major Races Date Name Circuit RaceRegulations Weather RaceDistance Winner'sTime Winning driver Winningconstructor Report 11 Mar/31 Mar IV Gran Premio di Tripoli Tagiura Formula Libre sunny 420 km 3h 20m Tazio Nuvolari Bugatti Type 35C Report 25 Mar III Circuito del Pozzo Verona Formula Libre rain 310 km 2h 41m Tazio Nuvolari Bugatti Type 35C Report 26 Mar 100 Miles Road Race Phillip Island Formula Libre2x handicap races sunny 100 miles 1h 47m Capt Arthur Waite Austin 7 Report 9 Apr I Grand Prix d’Antibes-Juan-les-Pins La Garoupe Formula Libre sunny 310 km 4h 11m Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 35B Report 1 22 Apr/24 Apr V Circuito di Alessandria Alessandria Formula Libre cold, showers 260 km 2h 31m Tazio Nuvolari Bugatti Type 35C Report 2 6 May XIX Targa Florio XI Coppa FlorioThe Targa Florio and the Coppa Florio were run simultaneously over the same route. Medio Madonie Targa Florio sunny 540 km 7h 21m Albert Divo Bugatti Type 35B Report I Grand Prix d’Algèrie Staouéli Formula Libre rain 360 km 3h 53m Marcel Lehoux Bugatti Type 35C Report 13 May II Coppa Messina Monti Peloritani Formula Libre sunny 360 km 4h 49m Edwald Probst Bugatti Type 37A Report 16 May I Coupe de Bourgogne Dijon Formula Libre ? 490 km ? Jannine Jennky Bugatti Type 35C Report 20 May III Coppa Etna Catania Formula Libre ? 350 km 3h 35m Baconin Borzacchini Maserati 26B Report III Grand Prix des Frontières Chimay Voiturette ? 220 km 2h 01m Yves Giraud-Cabantous Salmson GS Report 3 Jun I Grand Prix de Tunisie Le Bardo Formula Libre hot 320 km 2h 39m Marcel Lehoux Bugatti Type 35C Report VIII Circuito del Mugello (Targa Giulio Masetti) Mugello Formula Libre sunny 370 km 5h 15m Emilio Materassi Talbot 700 Report 410 Jun IV Premio Reale di Roma Tre Fontane Formula Libre hot 390 km 3h 06m Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 35C Report IV Grand Prix de Picardie Péronne Formula Libre ? 190 km 1h 59m Philippe Auber Bugatti Type 37A Report 524 Jun III Circuito di Cremona Cremona Formula Libre hot 320 km 1h 58m Luigi Arcangeli Talbot 700 Report Grand Prix Bugatti Le Mans Formula Libre ? 280 km 2h 13m André Dubonnet Bugatti Type 37 Report 6 8 Jul IV Grand Prix de la Marne Reims-Gueux Formula Libre cloudy 400 km 3h 01m Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 35C Report 21 Jul VIII Junior Car Club 200 Brooklands Voiturette ? 200 miles 2h 35m Capt Malcolm Campbell Delage 135B Report 7 25 Jul VI Gran Premio de San Sebastián (Gran Criterium de los Ases) Lasarte Formula Libre sunny 690 km 5h 21m Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 35C Report 8 4 Aug V Coppa Acerbo Pescara Formula Libre hot 510 km 4h 39m Giuseppe Campari Alfa Romeo P2 Report 9 19 Aug VIII Coppa Montenero Montenero Formula Libre sunny 225 km 2h 39m Emilio Materassi Talbot 700 Report 23 Aug V Grand Prix de la Baule La Baule Formula Libre hot 100 km 48m Aimery Blacque Belair Bugatti Type 35C Report 9 Sep VII Grand Prix de Boulogne Boulogne-sur-Mer Formula Libre ? 450 km 3h 51m Capt Malcolm Campbell Delage 15SB Report
Teams and drivers These tables only intend to cover entries in the major races, as keyed above. Sources: Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre Driver Rounds Usines Bugatti Bugatti Type 37AType 35C Type 35B Bugatti 1.5L S4 s/c Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/c Louis Chiron 2, 4 Conte Gastone Brilli-Peri 2, 4 Ferdinando Minoia 2, 4 Conte Caberto Conelli 2 Albert Divo 2 William Grover-Williams Officine Alfieri Maserati SpA Maserati Tipo 26BTipo 26RTipo 26 Maserati 2.0L S8 s/c Maserati 1.7L S8 s/c Maserati 1.5L S8 s/c Ernesto Maserati 2, 4, , 9, 10 Baconin Borzacchini 2, , , 9, 10 Luigi Fagioli 2, , 8 Marchese Diego de Sterlich 2, , 8 Conte Aymo Maggi 10 Cesare Pastore 10* Alfa Corse Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 MMS Alfa Romeo 1.5L S6 Giuseppe Campari 2 Attilio Marinoni 2 Duesenberg Bros Duesenberg Type 91 Duesenberg 1.5L S8 s/c Benny Shoaff 3 Miller Automobiles Miller Type 91 FD Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Ralph Hepburn 3 Cooper EngineeringMarmon Motor Car Company Cooper-Miller FDType 91 FD Miller 1.5L S8 s/cMiller 1.5L S8 s/c Pete Kreis 3 Johnny Seymour 3 Russ Snowberger 3 Green Engineering Green Green 1.5L V8 s/c Clarence Belt 3 Harry Nichols 3* Société Nouvelle del'Automobile Amilcar Amilcar CO Amilcar 1.1L S6 s/c André Morel 4 Charles Martin 4 Jules Moriceau 4 Scuderia Materassi Talbot Bugatti 700 GPLBType 35C Talbot 1.5L S8 s/c Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Emilio Materassi † 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 Luigi Arcangeli 1, 5, 8, 10 Giuseppe Morandi 4 Carlo Rosti 5 Conte Gastone Brilli-Peri 10 Gianfranco Comotti 10 Scuderia Nuvolari Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Tazio Nuvolari 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 Achille Varzi 1 Pietro Ghersi 1 Giulio Aymini Delage 2LCV Delage 2.0L V12 s/c Conte Giulio Aymini 1, 4, , 10 Federico Valpreda 1 Achille Varzi 4 Bill White Race Cars Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c George Souders 3 Fred Frame 3 Ralph Hepburn 3* Boyle Valve Miller Type 91Type 91 FD Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Cliff Woodbury 3 Fred Comer 3 Billy Arnold 3 Dave Evans 3* Bill Spence 3* Elgin Piston Pin Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Henry Kohlert 3 Shorty Cantlon 3* W. E. Shattuc 3* Flying Cloud /Peter DePaolo Miller Type 91 FD Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Pete DePaolo Wilbur Shaw 3 Ray Keech 3 Stutz Blackhawk Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Tony Gulotta 3
Significant Privateer drivers Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Driver Rounds Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35B Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/c Pietro Bordino † Private Entrant Bugatti Type 37A Bugatti 1.5L S4 s/c Cleto Nenzioni 1, 2, 4, 5, 10 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Giulio Foresti 2, 4, 10 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35B Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/c Eliška Junková 2 Private Entrant Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c “Leon Duray” 3 Private Entrant Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Louis Meyer 3 Private Entrant MaseratiBugatti Tipo 26Type 37A Maserati 1.5L S8 s/c Bugatti 1.5L S4 s/c Carlo Tonini 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 Private Entrant Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo P21700 MMS Alfa Romeo 2.0L S8 s/c Alfa Romeo 1.7L S6 s/c Giuseppe Campari 5, 8, 9, 10* Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Achille Varzi 5, 8, 10 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Robert Benoist 7 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Guy Bouriat 10 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Louis Chiron 10 Private Entrant Talbot 700 GPLB Talbot 1.5L S8 s/c Marchese Antonio Brivio 10 Note: * raced in event as a relief driver. Those in brackets show, although entered, the driver did not race Note: † driver killed during this racing season
Regulations and Technical With poor fields and declining interest in Grand Prix racing, the AIACR had declared at the start of the 1927 season that it would be the last for the 1.5-litre formula. Manufacturer participation was negligible, and not helped by the increasing economic downturn. Its new formula was based on weight and fuel consumption: cars had to be a minimum 500 kg to a maximum of 750 kg, while Grands Prix were stipulated to be at least 600 km long. Once again, a minimum of three races had to be competed in to qualify for the championship, including the compulsory European Grand Prix, this year awarded to Great Britain. It was also declared that the European Grand Prix would be open to manufacturer-approved private entries and not just works teams. This apparently did not extend to the other races, although this is unclear.Rendall 1993, p.122
At the end of 1927, a full seven national Grands Prix were scheduled, starting with the Indianapolis 500. Yet, as early as December 1927, the French organising body said it would not run a Grand prix and instead hold a sports-car race. The German federation announced a similar plan in February, while the British were looking at holding their race on the Isle of Man or Ireland. In March, it too was cancelled, and the Italian federation was instead awarded the European GP. After the race at Indianapolis was held, both the Spanish and Belgian authorities cancelled their races, so with just the two rounds left the AIACR was forced to concede and declare the 1928 championship null and void.
However, with no formal international championship, virtually all organisers completely ignored the new regulations and chose to run to a Formula Libre, or open formula with no engine, weight, fuel or distance limitations.Cimarosti 1997, p.82 This lack of formal regulations opened the door to privateer drivers to bring their older vehicles back to race. This also left the Targa Florio as the blue riband event for the European racers.