The 1930 Grand Prix season continued the malaise that had taken over the sport. Although there was little technical advance more privateer teams were forming, getting some factory support. The AIACR continued to mandate its fuel-regulated Formula Libre (open formula) rules. Across the Atlantic, the AAA abandoned the AIACR regulations. Their new regulations were derisively called the “Junk Formula” by purists, opening up to their own version of Formula Libre: with modified stock-standard cars of up to 366 cu in (6-litres) with two seats.
In the dozen major races of the season, the honours were evenly shared by the three major manufacturers. Bugatti won the two national Grands Prix of France and Belgium, as well as at Monaco and Reims. In the Mediterranean theatre, Alfa Romeo had early success at Alessandria and the Targa Florio. Maserati finally claimed victory in their first major races, and had four wins in Italy and the San Sebastián Grand Prix in Spain. Achille Varzi was the pre-eminent driver of the season with the two race-wins for Alfa Romeo and three for Maserati, on his way to winning the Italian Drivers’ Championship.
The Indianapolis 500 produced one of the most dominant driving displays in the race's history with Billy Arnold and his modified 2.5-litre Miller. Arnold claimed pole position then led for all but two of the 200 laps, to win with a four-lap margin. With two further victories, he then went on to claim the 1930 AAA champion.
Grand Épreuves Date Name Circuit RaceRegulations Weather RaceDistance Winner'sTime Winning driver Winningconstructor Fastestlap Report 5 30 May XVIII International 500 Mile Sweepstakes Indianapolis AAA ? 500 miles 4h 59m Billy Arnold Summers FD-Miller not recorded Report 13 Jul German Grand Prix Nürburgring cancelled 7 20 Jul II Grand Prix de BelgiqueVI European Grand Prix Spa-Francorchamps AIACR sunnythen cloudy 600 km 5h 09m Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 35C Louis Chiron Bugatti Report 23 Aug British Grand Prix Brooklands cancelled 7 Sep Italian Grand Prix Monza not held 11 21 Sep XXIV Grand Prix de l’ACF Pau Formula Libre sunny 400 km 2h 43m Philippe Étancelin Bugatti Type 35C William Grover-Williams Bugatti Report 12 5 Oct postponed 25 Jul VIII Gran Premio do San Sebastián (Gran Criterium de los Ases) Lasarte Formula Libre sunny 520 km 3h 43m Achille Varzi Maserati Tipo 26M Achille Varzi Maserati Report A grey background indicates the race was not held this year. Sources:Rendall 1993, p.362
Major Races Multiple classes are mentioned when they were divided and run to different race lengths. Date Name Circuit RaceRegulations Weather RaceDistance Winner'sTime Winning driver Winningconstructor Report 2 Mar Circuit d'Esterel Plage L’Estrel beach,Saint-Raphaël Formula Libre ? 60 km 39m René Dreyfus Bugatti Type 35B Report 18 Mar III Australian Grand Prix Phillip Island Cars up to 2000cc John Blanden, A History of Australian Grand Prix 1928–1939, pp. 43–58 ? 200 miles 3h 06m Bill Thompson Bugatti Type 37A Report 23 Mar VI Gran Premio di Tripoli Tagiura Formula Libre,heats ? 100 km 43m Baconin Borzacchini Maserati Tipo V4 Report 1 6 Apr II Grand Prix de Monaco Monte Carlo Formula Libre sunnythen cloudy 320 km 3h 41m René Dreyfus Bugatti Type 35B Report 2 20 Apr VII Circuito di Alessandria(Gran Premio Bordino) Alessandria Formula Libre rain 260 km 2h 22m Achille Varzi Alfa Romeo P2 Report 27 Apr Grand Prix d’Oranie Arcole Formula Libre sunny 310 km 2h 48m Jean de Maleplane Bugatti Type 35C Report 3 4 May XXI Targa Florio Medio Madonie Targa Florio sunny 540 km 6h 55m Achille Varzi Alfa Romeo P2 Report 11 May III I Grand Prix de Vitesse d’Algèrie Staouéli Formula Librehandicap ? 275 km(winner) ? Philippe Étancelin Bugatti Type 35B Report 18 May V Grand Prix de Picardie Péronne Formula Libre ? 215 km(winner) 2 hours Max Fourny Bugatti Type 37A Report 4 25 May VI Premio Reale di Roma Tre Fontane Formula Libre cloudy 260 km 1h 56m Luigi Arcangeli Maserati Tipo 26M Report 9 Jun V Grand Prix des Frontières Chimay Formula Libre ? 110 km 59m Georges de Marotte Salmson GP Report 15 Jun II Grand Prix de Lyon Quincieux Formula Libre sunny 300 km 2h 33m Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 35C Report 6 29 Jun VI Grand Prix de la Marne Reims-Gueux Formula Libre hot 400 km 2h 49m René Dreyfus Bugatti Type 35B Report 20 Jul /6 Jul IV Eifelrennen Südschleife,Nürburgring Formula Libre sunny 230 km 2h 09m Heinrich-Joachim von Morgen Bugatti Type 35B Report II Grand Prix de Dieppe Dieppe Formula Libre ? 290 km 2h 26m Marcel Lehoux Bugatti Type 35B Report 8 3 Aug /21 Jul IV Coppa Ciano Montenero Formula Libre hot 225 km 2h 34m Luigi Fagioli Maserati Tipo 26M Report 10 Aug Circuit du Dauphiné Grenoble Formula LibreVoiturette sunny 240 km 2h 01m Philippe Étancelin Bugatti Type 35C Report 917 Aug VI Coppa Acerbo Pescara Formula Libre hot 250 km 2h 06m Achille Varzi Maserati Tipo 26M Report VI Grand Prix du Comminges Saint-Gaudens Formula LibreVoiturette hot 390 km 3h 13m François Miquel Bugatti Type 35C Report 107 Sep III Gran Premio di Monza Monza Formula Libre,heats hot 240 km 1h 36m Achille Varzi Maserati Tipo 26M Report VI Gran Premio delle Vetturette Monza Voiturette hot 100 km 44m Luigi Premoli Salmson Report 8 Sep Grand Prix Miasta Lwowa(Großer Preis von Lemberg) Lviv Formula Libre sunny 50 km 38m Henryk Liefeldt Austro Daimler ADR Report 21 Sep /28 Sep Masaryk Circuit Masaryk-Ring,Brno Formula Libre cloudy 500 km 4h 54m Prinz Hermann zu Leiningen Heinrich-Joachim von Morgen Bugatti Type 35B 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 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Louis Chiron 1, 3, 4, 6♠, 7, 11 William Grover-Williams 1, 3, 11 Guy Bouriat 1, 4, 7, 11 Albert Divo 3, 7, Conte Caberto Conelli 3 Officine Alfieri Maserati SpA Maserati Tipo V4Tipo 26MTipo 26B Tipo 26C Maserati 4.0L 2x8 twin s/c Maserati 2.5L S8 s/c Maserati 2.0L S8 s/c Maserati 2.1L S8 s/c Maserati 1.1L S8 s/c Ernesto Maserati 3, 9, 10 Baconin Borzacchini 1, 3, 5 Luigi Arcangeli 1, 3, 4, 9, 10 Luigi Fagioli , 4, 8, 9, 10 Achille Varzi 9, 10, 12 Alfieri Maserati 10 Conte Aymo Maggi 12 Alfa Corse Alfa Romeo 6C-1750 GSP2 Alfa Romeo 1.75L S6 s/c Alfa Romeo 2.0L S8 s/c Achille Varzi 2, 3, 4, 8 Tazio Nuvolari 2, 3, 4 Giuseppe Campari 3, 8 Conte Aymo Maggi 3 Pietro Ghersi Officine Meccaniche O.M. 665 S O.M. 2.2L S 6 Giuseppe Morandi 3 Ferdinando Minoia 3 Archimede Rosa Société des Automobiles Ariès ArièsAriès 3.0L S4 Arthur Duray 7 Robert Laly SA des AutomobilesImpéria-Excelsior Impéria 1800C SportKnight 1.8L S6 sleeve-valve Conte Goffredo Zehender 7 Michel Doré 7 "Elgy" 7 Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz SSK Mercedes-Benz 7.1L S6 s/c Rudolf Caracciola 10 SA des Autos et Cycles Peugeot Peugeot 174 S Peugeot 4.0L S 4 Henri Stoffel 7♠, 11, 12 René Ferrand 11, 12 Louis Rigal Duesenberg Bros Duesenberg A Duesenberg 4.2L S8 Babe Stapp 5 Scuderia Materassi Talbot 700 GPLB Talbot 1.5L S8 s/c Conte Gastone Brilli-Peri † Clemente Biondetti 1, , 3, 9, 10 Edmond Bourlier Marchese Antonio Brivio 9, 10 Écurie Friderich Bugatti Type 35BType 35C Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/c Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c René Dreyfus 1, 6♠, [11♠] Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo P26C-1750 SS Alfa Romeo 2.0L S8 s/c Alfa Romeo 1.75L S6 s/c Enzo Ferrari , 2, 9 Giuseppe Campari , 4, , 10 Alfredo Caniato 2, Mario Tadini 4 Tazio Nuvolari 8, 9, 10, Baconin Borzacchini 8, 9, 10, Luigi Arcangeli 8 German Bugatti Team Bugatti Type 35B Type 35C Type 37A Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/c Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Bugatti 1496cc S4 s/c Ernst-Günther Burggaller 2, 10 Heinrich-Joachim von Morgen 4, 10 Bill White Race CarsStevens-Miller Miller Shorty Cantlon 5 / Herman Schurch Coleman Axle Coleman-Miller FD Miller Lou Moore 5 Phil Shafer 5 Harry Hartz Summers-Miller 152 FD Miller 2.5L S8 Billy Arnold 5 Peter DePaolo Stevens-Duesenberg Duesenberg Pete DePaolo 5 Fred Roberts Bill Cummings 5 Freddie Winnai
Significant Privateer drivers Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Driver Rounds Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35B Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/c Georges Bouriano 1, 2, , Private Entrant Bugatti Type 37A Bugatti 1.5L S4 s/c Michel Doré 1, 6 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Philippe Étancelin 1, 6, 10, 11, 12 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35BType 35C Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/c Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Marcel Lehoux 1, 6, 10, 11, 12 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35BType 35C Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/cBugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Juan Zanelli 1, 2, 6, , 11, 12 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35B Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/c Conte Goffredo Zehender 1 Private Entrant Alfa Romeo 6C-1500 Alfa Romeo 1.5L S6 s/c Marchese Antonio Brivio 2, 8 Private Entrant Maserati Tipo 26B Maserati 2.0L S8 s/c Cleto Nenzioni 2, , 4, Private Entrant Mercedes-Benz SSK Mercedes-Benz 7.1L S6 s/c / Fritz Caflisch 4, 9, 10 Private Entrant Stutz Stutz Lora L. Corum 5 Private Entrant Stevens-Miller Miller Louis Meyer 5 Private Entrant Stevens-Miller Miller Louis Schneider 5 Private Entrant Snowberger-Miller Miller Russ Snowberger 5 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 37AType 35C Bugatti 1.5L S4 s/c Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Count Stanisław Czaykowski , 11 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 37AType 35C Bugatti 1.5L S4 s/c Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Max Fourny 6, 10, 11, 12 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 37A Bugatti 1.5L S4 s/c Jean Gaupillat 6, 11 Private Entrant Amilcar MCOC6 Amilcar 1.1L S6 s/c / José Scaron 6, 10, Private Entrant Montier Spéciale Ford 3.3L S4 Charles Montier 7, 11 Ferdinand Montier 7, 11 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Conte Aymo Maggi 8, 9 Private Entrant Bentley 4½ Litre Bentley 4.4L S4 Capt Henry “Tim” Birkin 11 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Jean de Maleplane 11 Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c “Sabipa” (Louis Charavel) 11 Private Entrant Delage Type 15S8 Delage 1.5L S8 s/c Robert Sénéchal 11, Private Entrant Bugatti Type 37A Bugatti 1.5L S4 s/c Jean-Pierre Wimille 11 Note: * raced in event as a relief driver, ♠ Works driver raced as a privateer. Those in brackets show, although entered, the driver did not race Note: † driver killed during this racing season
Regulations and Technical The AIACR persisted with its fuel economy formula introduced the year before. The Grands Prix still had to be at least 600 km long (although the official European GP event did not meet that requirement). The fuel limitation remained at 14 kg per 100 km (14.5 mpgVenables 2009, p.56), however the fuel mixture could now include up to 30% benzole. The fuel still had to be carried in an incongruous external fuel-tank with a visible fuel gauge. The minimum engine size remained 1100cc.
Once again, most race organisers chose to ignore the official regulations and ran their races to Formula Libre instead, including having racing cars and sports cars together in the entry lists. Only the French and Belgian Grands Prix (nominally) met the AIACR requirements. But by June, the French organisers had received not a single entry and were forced to postpone the Grand Prix and then open it up to Formula Libre. With other national races either cancelled or run as alternatives, the 1930 Championship was abandoned.
Meanwhile, in America, the AAA abandoned the AIACR regulations. Eddie Rickenbacker, owner of the Indianapolis Speedway, wanted to encourage a bigger diversity of manufacturers on the track. The board ovals were closing, limiting the single-seater racing and the Wall Street crash had slashed sponsorship. Derisively called the “Junk Formula” by purists, the new regulations opened races up to modified stock-standard cars of up to 366 cu in (6-litres) with two seats. Minimum weight was equivalent to 207 kg per litre and the only supercharged cars would be those with 2-stroke engines.Cimarosti 1997, p.87Rendall 1993, p.125Georgano 1971, p.99
Technical Innovation