The I Avon Trophy was a non-championship Grand Prix which was held at the Castle Combe Circuit on 1 October 1955, three weeks after the end of the season. It was the inaugural running of the Avon Trophy, and the last race run to Formula One regulations to be held at the circuit.
The race was won from pole by American, Harry Schell, ahead of privateer Horace Gould, in second and Bob Gerard in third.
Background The Castle Combe circuit, converted from an airfield just five years earlier, welcomed Formula One racing for the fourth consecutive year, having hosted the Joe Fry Memorial Trophy in previous years.
The inaugural Avon Trophy, although post-season and non-championship, was attended by numerous championship contenders from the 1955 season, as well as some new faces ahead of 1956. Among those who entered the race were American, Harry Schell, privateer Horace Gould and Frenchman, Louis Rosier. Peter Collins and future championship runner-up, Tony Brooks also attended.
Classification
Qualifying PosNo.DriverConstructorTime/GapGrid126 Harry SchellVanwall1m14.4126 Horace GouldMaserati+0.62312 Bob GerardCooper-Bristol+0.63430 Tony BrooksConnaught-Lea-Francis+2.64510 Roy SalvadoriMaserati+2.8564 Louis RosierMaserati+3.26740 Graham WhiteheadConnaught-Lea-Francis+3.2782 Peter WalkerConnaught-Alta+4.48920 Paul EmeryEmeryson-Alta+5.891034 Tom KyffinCooper-Bristol+9.0101128 Alastair BirrellCooper-Bristol+12.4111232 Dick GibsonConnaught-Lea-Francis+12.4121314 Peter CollinsMaseratiunknown131418 Michael YoungConnaught-Altaunknown14DNA8 Les LestonMaserati DNA16 Ron FlockhartBRM DNA22 Mike HawthornFerrari DNA36 Bruce HalfordCooper-Bristol DNA38 John YoungConnaught-Lea-Francis
Race PosNo.DriverConstructorLapsTime/Retired126 Harry SchellVanwall551:10:32.826 Horace GouldMaserati55+20.0 s312 Bob GerardCooper-Bristol55+32.6 s410 Roy SalvadoriMaserati55530 Tony BrooksConnaught-Lea-Francis54640 Graham WhiteheadConnaught-Lea-Francis54732 Dick GibsonConnaught-Lea-Francis5382 Peter WalkerConnaught-Alta Gearbox918 Michael YoungConnaught-Alta 1020 Paul EmeryEmeryson-Alta Ret4 Louis RosierMaserati18Broken shock absorberRet14 Peter CollinsMaserati9De Dion tubeRet28 Alastair BirrellCooper-Bristol Ret34 Tom KyffinCooper-Bristol
References ChicaneF1 article