Swedish Winter Grand Prix

The Swedish Winter Grand Prix was a race held on the ice of frozen lakes, similar to races held in Estonia, Finland and Norway. The 1930s also saw the Swedish Summer Grand Prix, which can be seen as a predecessor of the Swedish Grand Prix, which was a round of the Formula One World Championship from 1973 to 1978.

Swedish Winter Grand Prix
Race information
Number of times held5
First held1931
Last held1947
Most wins (drivers)no repeat winners
Most wins (constructors)Alfa Romeo (2)
Circuit length5.2 km (3.2 mi)
Race length103.5 km (64.1 mi)
Laps20 laps
Last race (1947)
Pole position
  • no qualifying
Podium
Fastest lap
  • Leslie Brooke
  • ERA
  • 2:51.8

History

Pre-war

While racing in Sweden had a long history it was not until 1931 that a race was first titled Grand Prix. The first Swedish Winter Grand Prix was held on a mammoth 46 kilometre circuit near Lake Rämen, with a lap time of approximately 35 minutes. In an entry that included Rudolf Caracciola, the race was claimed by Finnish Mercedes racer Karl Ebb in the first Grand Prix victory of his ice racing career. Sven Olaf Bennström won the second race the following year with Per-Viktor Widengren winning the third race in an Alfa Romeo monoposto.[1][2]

Later the same year the first Swedish Summer Grand Prix was held on a 30 kilometre circuit at Norra Vram. The Winter Grand Prix was held again in 1936 with Eugen Bjørnstad claiming another monoposto Alfa Romeo victory but the huge crowds of the earlier years did not return and the Winter Grand Prix was not held again until after the war in 1947.[1]

Post-war

The 1947 race was held on a circuit surrounding a Swedish Air Force site at Rommehed. It is highly probable that this race was run to Formula 1 rules and was thus the first Formula 1 race. Only four cars started and three finished, all visiting British ERAs,[3] after the ship carrying the bulk of the grid was not able to make its destination.

Winners of the Swedish Winter Grand Prix
Year Driver Constructor Location Report
1947 Reg Parnell ERA Rommehed Report
1946
-
1937		 Not held
1936 Eugen Bjørnstad Alfa Romeo Lake Rämen Report
1935 Not held
1934 Not held
1933 Per-Viktor Widengren Alfa Romeo Lake Rämen Report
1932 Sven Olaf Bennström Ford Special Lake Rämen Report
1931 Karl Ebb Mercedes-Benz SSK Lake Rämen Report
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References
  1. "Tracks - Nordic Countries". www.kolumbus.fi. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
  2. Superventilen (15 January 2013), Grand Prix Rämenloppet 1933 ! ( Grand Prix Motor Racing Sweden Winter 1933 ), retrieved 23 November 2016
  3. "1947 Swedish Winter Grand Prix>> Results Sun 9 Feb". Motor Sport magazine database. Retrieved 23 November 2016.
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