1948 British Empire Trophy

1948 British Empire Trophy
Race details
Date	25 May 1948
Official name	X British Empire Trophy
Location	Douglas Circuit Douglas, Isle of Man
Course length	6.45 kilometres (4.01 miles)
Distance	36 laps, 224.79 kilometres (139.68 miles)
Pole position
Driver	Bob Gerard	ERA
Time	3:10
Fastest lap
Drivers	Reg Parnell	Maserati
Fastest lap	Leslie Johnson	ERA
Time	3:13
Podium
First	Geoffrey Ansell	ERA
Second	David Hampshire	Delage
Third	Leslie Brooke	ERA

The 10th British Empire Trophy was a Formula One motor race held on 25 May 1948 at the Douglas Circuit, in Douglas, Isle of Man.

Summary

The 36-lap race was won by ERA driver Geoffrey Ansell. David Hampshire finished second in a Delage, and Leslie Brooke was third in an ERA. Bob Gerard started from pole position in his ERA but retired with brake problems. Reg Parnell (Maserati) and Leslie Johnson (ERA) set joint fastest lap.

Reg Parnell led from half-distance, having overtaken Bob Ansell, and was leading into the final lap, but the pump on his auxiliary fuel tank failed, and the Maserati rolled to a halt; attempts to float the fuel included pouring beer into the auxiliary tank, but all was to no avail, and Geoffrey Ansell swept past for the victory.

Results

Pos	No.	Driver	Entrant	Constructor	Time/Retired	Grid
1	10	Geoffrey Ansell	Geoffrey Ansell	ERA B-Type	2:03:45, 108.93kph	6
2	12	David Hampshire	Joe Ashmore	Delage 158L	+43s	11
3	16	Leslie Brooke	Leslie Brooke	ERA B-Type	+1:34	7
4	22	Cuth Harrison	T.C. Harrison	ERA B-Type	+1 lap	15
5	24	Leslie Johnson	Leslie Johnson	ERA E-Type	+2 laps	24
6	4	Gordon Watson	Gordon Watson	Alta	+3 laps	21
7	52	Guy Jason-Henry	Selbourne Mayfair	Delahaye 135S	+4 laps	18
8	6	Michael Chorlton	Michael Chorlton	Bugatti Type 51A	+6 laps	22
9	42	Archie Baring	A.A. Baring	Maserati 6CM	+12 laps	17
Ret	40	Reg Parnell	Reg Parnell	Maserati 4CL	35 laps, out of fuel	2
Ret	38	Bob Ansell	Reg Parnell	Maserati 4CL	28 laps, brakes	4
Ret	14	John Bolster	P.H. Bell	ERA B-Type	25 laps, half-shaft	9
Ret	26	Raymond Mays	Raymond Mays	ERA B-Type	21 laps, supercharger	5
Ret	50	Tony Rolt	A.P.R. Rolt	Alfa Romeo Tipo B	12 laps, rear axle	3
Ret	54	Paul Emery	Emeryson Cars	Emeryson-Duesenberg	12 laps, transmission	8
Ret	48	Roy Salvadori	Roy Salvadori	Maserati 4CM	10 laps, valve	20
Ret	20	Bob Gerard	Bob Gerard	ERA B-Type	9 laps, accident	1
Ret	30	Wilkie Wilkinson	Reg Parnell	ERA E-Type	5 laps, connecting rod	13
Ret	32	Peter Walker	Peter Walker	ERA B-Type	4 laps, engine	19
Ret	36	Duncan Hamilton	George Abecassis	Maserati 6CM	4 laps, accident	10
Ret	2	George Abecassis	George Abecassis	Alta GP	2 laps, gearbox	12
DNS	18	Sheila Darbishire	Sheila Darbishire	ERA B-Type		23
DNS	40	Fred Ashmore	Reg Parnell	Maserati 4CL	car driven by Parnell	14
DNS	44	John Gordon	John Gordon	Maserati 6CM		16