1939 Belgian Grand Prix
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| Race details | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 4 in the 1939 European Championship | ||
| Date | June 25, 1939 | |
| Official name | VIII Grand Prix de Belgique | |
| Location | Spa-Francorchamps Spa, Belgium |
|
| Course | Road course 9.01 mi / 14.50 km |
|
| Distance | 35 laps, 315.35 mi / 507.50 km | |
| Weather | Heavy rain, intermittent | |
| Pole | ||
| Driver |  Hermann Paul Müller |
Auto Union |
| Grid positions set by ballot | ||
| Fastest Lap | ||
| Driver | Hermann Lang |
Mercedes-Benz |
| Time | 5:19.9 | |
| Podium | ||
| First | Hermann Lang |
Mercedes-Benz |
| Second | Rudolf Hasse |
Auto Union |
| Third | Manfred von Brauchitsch |
Mercedes-Benz |
The 1939 Belgian Grand Prix was a race held on June 25, 1939 at Spa-Francorchamps. Richard Seaman suffered severe burns on sixty percent of his body after crashing into a tree. He died later that night in the hospital, at 26 years of age.
[edit] Classification
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Hermann Lang |
Daimler-Benz AG | Mercedes-Benz W154 | 35 | 3:20:21.0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | 8 | Rudolf Hasse |
Auto Union | Auto Union D | 35 | +16.9 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | 24 | Manfred von Brauchitsch |
Daimler-Benz AG | Mercedes-Benz W154 | 35 | +1:53.0 | 9 | 3 |
| 4 | 12 |  Raymond Sommer |
Private entry | Alfa Romeo Tipo 308 | 33 | +2 Laps | 10 | 4 |
| 5 | 14 | Robert Mazaud |
Private entry | Delahaye T135CS | 31 | +4 Laps | 11 | 4 |
| 6 | 18 | Louis Gérard |
Private entry | Delahaye T135CS | 30 | +5 Laps | 12 | 4 |
| Ret | 2 |  Tazio Nuvolari |
Auto Union | Auto Union D | 28 | Accident damage | 4 | 4 |
| Ret | 6 | Hermann Paul Müller |
Auto Union | Auto Union D | 26 | Valve | 1 | 5 |
| Ret | 26 |  Richard Seaman |
Daimler-Benz AG | Mercedes-Benz W154 | 21 | Fatal accident | 5 | 5 |
| Ret | 10 | Giuseppe Farina |
Private entry | Alfa Romeo Tipo 316 | 20 | Supercharger | 3 | 5 |
| Ret | 28 |  Adolfo Mandirola |
Private entry | Maserati 6CM | 19 | Front Suspension | 13 | 5 |
| Ret | 8 | Georg Meier |
Auto Union | Auto Union D | 13 | Accident | 6 | 6 |
| Ret | 20 | Rudolf Caracciola |
Daimler-Benz AG | Mercedes-Benz W154 | 7 | Accident | 7 | 7 |
[edit] Notes
- Richard Seaman crashed at the La Source hairpin into a tree, causing the fuel line to break. Fuel rushed over the car and the car caught fire. Seaman couldn't move because his right hand was broken and he was also trapped by his steering wheel. After a minute of futile rescue attempts, a Belgian soldier walked into the blaze and freed Seaman. However, he had suffered burns on sixty percent of the body and Britain's most successful pre-war driver died before midnight.
| Previous race: 1938 Italian Grand Prix |
1939 Grand Prix season Grandes Épreuves |
Next race: 1939 French Grand Prix |
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| Previous race: 1937 Belgian Grand Prix |
Belgian Grand Prix | Next race: 1946 Belgian Grand Prix |
