Monoposto

The Maserati 4CM had served the company well, but as competition continued to grow - especially from the English ERAs, Maserati needed to counter their assault. Their answer was the 6CM, which earned many victories during the 1936 through 1938 season.

The Maserati 6CM remains as one of the most successful pre-War designs created by the Maserati brothers. In total, nearly 30 examples were built over a three year period, a testament to the vehicle's high demand and competitiveness. Powering the 6CM was a six-cylinder engine delivering 175 horsepower and fitted to a lightweight chassis, giving it a top speed of around 140 miles-per-hour.

This Maserati 6CM/4CM is the very first 6CM. It was driven in the Prince Rainier Cup of 1936 by Gino Rovere and Goffredo Zehender I before it was forced to retire due to a problem with a piston. Two successive victories followed with Count Trossi behind the wheel.

by Dan Vaughan

Scuderia Achille Varzi

If success lay in a name then Scuderia Achille Varzi had more than enough opportunity to become one of the powerhouse teams in Formula One, at least in the series' early years. If success truly lay in a name then Scuderia Achille Varzi would also have no excuse for failure. However, Scuderia Achille Varzi offers proof that success does not lay in a name but in the talent and hard work of talented individuals within a team.

Achille Varzi started out racing motorcycles when he was rather young and became quite successful. At the age of 19 Varzi won the 350 Italian Championship. In 1926, Achille made his four-wheel debut racing a Bugatti. In that race the Bugatti would fail Varzi and forced him to retire. This provided Varzi with just a taste of what would eventually become an illustrious four-wheel racing career despite the non-illustrious beginning.

From 1927 through 1930 Varzi would continue to race motorcycles. He would continue to win races throughout this period. However, in 1928 Achille joined the Bianchi race team, which featured Nuvolari as one of its drivers. Soon Nuvolari started his own team. Varzi went and joined Nuvolari's team. Nuvolari and Varzi started out by racing Bugattis. Interestingly, Varzi hired Guido Bignami as his mechanic. Bignami would later become even more famous when he would go on to be Juan Manuel Fangio's mechanic. Wanting to gain an edge, Varzi would buy and race Alfa Romeos. He also started his own race team. But he wouldn't stop there. Varzi would end up buying a Maserati too and would race both the Alfa and the Maserati. With these machines, Achille was able to win the Italian Championship in 1930.

Varzi's first major victory would come just a little while later in 1930 in the Targa Florio. Starting well back, Varzi was able to make up the difference and take the lead. Varzi would end up holding onto the lead despite fighting a fire throughout the last couple of laps.

One of Achille's other high points was a victory at the 1933 Monaco Grand Prix in a Type 51 Bugatti after a hard fought battle with Nuvolari that lasted almost the entire race distance. That same year, Varzi would also win the Tripoli Grand Prix amidst allegations the race had been fixed.

In 1934 Achille switched back to Alfa Romeo and would end up winning 9 races in the P3. This all helped him to be able to win the Italian Championship for the second time. From 1935 to 1937 Varzi raced for the Auto Union team. However, victories were much harder to come by. Although Achille would end up winning the Tripoli Grand Prix for the third time he was rather overshadowed by his teammate Bernd Rosemeyer. After these couple of dismal seasons Varzi seemed to drop out of sight, and then, World War II broke out.

Despite his struggles just prior to the outbreak of the war, Achille returned to grand form afterward. For two seasons, driving an Alfa Romeo 158, Varzi experienced some impressive results.Achille would travel to South America to race and became very popular in Argentina. Varzi planned to retire there. While in Argentina, Varzi formed Scuderia Achille Varzi. Juan Manuel Fangio ended up starting out his grand prix career with the team.

Varzi was always known for his smooth driving style and car control. However, while practicing for the Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten, Achille lost control on the damp track. He ended up spinning several times. It appeared the car would harmlessly come to a rest after the spins. However, the car rolled over and crushed Achille. This incident was only the second or third accident Varzi suffered throughout his racing career. However, this incident cost Varzi his life. Achille entered less than 150 races throughout his career and won over 30 of them. This data proved a testament to the talent and ability Achille was blessed with.

Despite Achille's death, the team continued on and would compete in Formula One's inaugural season in 1950. Coming into the season, Scuderia Achille Varzi would have a number of drivers at the controls of their cars. However, technically Jose Froilan Gonzalez would end up being considered the team's number one driver. Besides Gonzalez, others like Toni Branca, Nello Pagani, Alfredo Pian, and Gianfranco Comotti would all drive for the team throughout the season. With the exception of Toni Branca, who would only drive for the team during the first part of the season in a Maserati 4CLT, the Scuderia Achille Varzi team would use Maserati 4CLT/48s (see article Maserati 4CLT for details) throughout the inaugural season.

Scuderia Achille Varzi would not take part in Formula One's first race at Silverstone, the British Grand Prix. However, at the next race in Monaco the team would bring two cars and would demonstrate they were strong competition for the front runners. Despite Alfredo Pian's crash in practice, and subsequent failure to start, Achille Varzi did have one of its drivers, Jose Froilan Gonzalez, qualify 3rd overall for the race. Things were looking good for the team going into the race. However, an accident on the first lap of the race took out Gonzalez, while he was running second, along with a good majority of the field. Gonzalez tried to carry on in his damaged car, but it would eventually catch on fire and would consume Gonzalez in the flames. He would miss the next couple of races due to having suffered burns.

After the Indianapolis 500, which was a race in the championship, the Formula One season next stopped in Switzerland for the Swiss Grand Prix and the 4.5 mile course at Bremgarten. After racing a couple of times for the team earlier on Toni Branca came to Switzerland with his own team, driving a Maserati 4CLT. This undoubtedly led to Scuderia Achille Varzi entering only one car with Nello Pagani at the controls. Despite not qualifying all that well in 15th, Nello had a better race. Pagani stayed out of trouble and drove a steady race all the way up to the 7th spot, only two places out of the points.

At the next race, the Belgian Grand Prix at the Spa circuit, only 14 cars arrived to compete; the pace of the season was beginning to take a toll. Achille Varzi was experiencing the toll that was being exacted and thus did not make the trip. However, the team did arrive for the French Grand Prix, held at Reims-Gueux. Achille Varzi was to come with two drivers for this race. Gonzalez was back after nursing his burns and Gianfranco Comotti was to take the reins of the second car. Comotti, however, did not arrive. So, Achille Varzi was down to a one man team again. Gonzalez appeared to be suffering not at all from his burns as he qualified well in 8th. Things again did not go well for Jose during the race however. After only three laps, he was forced to retire with engine problems. This frustrating result appeared to be the final straw for the team competing in Formula One's first season. When the season drew to a conclusion in Monza, the Achille Varzi team did not make an appearance. The team would end up settling for no points and a best finish of 7th.

Scuderia Achille Varzi suffered throughout Formula One's inaugural season. The team was unable to compete at each grand prix, but compounding that fact was a series of other unfortunate events that hindered the team from showing its true ability. Gonzalez missed time behind the wheel due to suffering burns. Pian missed a start due to an accident during practice. Comotti failed to show for one race. When combining these events with car failures, the number of opportunities for good finishes rapidly diminishes. Despite all these disappointing results, the pace Gonzalez was able to achieve in the Maserati 4CLT/48 was indicative of what the team could do and, as a result, did the team's namesake proud.

'1950 Formula One season.' Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 10 Feb 2009, 16:38 UTC. 16 Feb 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1950_Formula_One_season&oldid=269794778.

'Achille Varzi.' Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 10 Feb 2009, 15:01 UTC. 16 Feb 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Achille_Varzi&oldid=269777426.

' Achille Varzi.' Historic Racing. 16 Feb 2009

http://www.historicracing.com/top100.cfm?driverID=1338&today=on&fromrow=1

by Jeremy McMullen

Monoposto
Chassis number: 1532

The Maserati 6CM was a development of the four-cylinder 4CM ('4' for four-cylinder and 'CM' for corsa monoposto). The 6CM used a 1,493 cubic-centimeter inline six-cylinder engine with twin overhead camshafts, a Weber 55ASL carburetor, and a Roots-Type supercharger. Along with an improvement in power, the engine was placed lower in the chassis, resulting in an improved center of gravity, an independent front torsion-bar suspension, a live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs, and hydraulic brakes. By the time production ceased in 1939, Maserati built more 6CM examples than any of its other prewar models, totaling 27 cars.

This particular example was used as a factory works racecar and is believed to be the second example built. It was one of two cars initially campaigned by the Maserati factory during 1936 and is believed to have been piloted by Hungarian privateer László Hartmann, who drove alongside fellow works driver Count Carlo Felice Trossi. Hartmann competed with the 6CM at four races on behalf of the Officine Alfieri Maserati in 1936, initially finishing 6th at the ADAC Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring in mid-June and 7th at Budapest a week later. He placed 7th in mid-July at the Grand Prix d'Albi (first heat) and fourth at the Coppa Ciano at Livorno in early August.

Edoardo 'Dino' Teagno purchased the Maserati in early 1937 and would compete in no less than 21 events through May 1940. During his racing career with the Maserati, he placed 2nd overall and 3rd overall once apiece, 2nd in class three times, and won the Coppa Ciano junior in July 1939. At the 1939 Targa Florio, he finished a respectable 7th overall.

After World War II, the Maserati was acquired by an individual from Brazil, and during the late 1970s, it was discovered by British enthusiast Colin Crabbe and imported to the United Kingdom, where it was purchased by David Shute. A restoration commenced, but Mr. Shute eventually parted with the still-unfinished car in 1983, at which point it was acquired by the Chelsea Workshop. Sean Danaher was commissioned to complete the restoration, and the voiturette passed through three British-based ownerships before being acquired in 1996 by Lord Irvine Laidlaw.

The car's current owner purchased it in 2018 and treated it to a full engine rebuild overseen by Ewen Sergison's Avit! Motorsport. Upon completion, it continued its vintage racing career, which has included included numerous appearances at Goodwood, Donington, Silverstone, and the Monaco Historics. In 2022, it had a podium finish at Monaco.

This Maserati has an FIA Historic Technical Passport that remains valid through 2029.

by Dan Vaughan

The Maserati 6CM was introduced in 1936 and produced through 1939 with twenty-eight examples produced. It followed on the heals of the 4CM; the CM representing Corsa Monotipo and the 4 symbolizing the number of cylinders in the engine. The 6CM had six-cylinders and displaced 1500cc. It was mounted on a tubular chassis and with the addition of a Roots-Type supercharger the DOHC engine produced 155 bhp. Within a few years, that number was increased to 175 horsepower. Power was sent to the rear wheels with the help of a four-speed manual gearbox. The vehicle weighed about 650 kgs and had a top speed of about 140 mph. The suspension was comprised of an independent front setup with torsion bars and semi-ecliptics at the rear. The rear was later updated to quarter-ecliptics.

The vehicle was created to race in the Voiturette class, with Voiturette meaning 'small car' in French. Rules stated that the engine was to be a maximum of 1.5 liters and Maserati felt that they could produce a vehicle that was competitive and popular with privateers. They were right. Though it was raced part-way through the 1936, the official debut was at the Milan Motor Show. This was the first Maserati to ever be displayed at a motorshow.

During the following season both the factory and privateers entered the Maserati 6CM's in motorsport competition. With so many examples produced it was one of Maserati's most popular pre-war racers created. The decision to stay in the Voiturette class turned out to be prosperous for the company, since Grand Prix racing was dominated by many German Companies. The Maserati 4CM had done well but with time, the Alfa Romeo's and ERA vehicles were too much for the racer.

Eleven of the Maserati 6CM models were retained by the company. One car went to American and one to Australia. Englishmen Lord Howe, Johnny Wakefield and Reggie Tongue each bought one. Englishman Austin Dobson bought three. These are but a few of the customers.

In 1939 a Maserati 6CM made an appearance at the Indianapolis 500 mile race though it was the smallest vehicle entered. Its performance was impressive and generated another sale for the company; Wilbur Shaw purchased a Maserati 8CTF.

by Dan Vaughan

Alfieri and Ettore Maserati began constructing their cars in 1926 with the sole intent being racing and competition. The first vehicle was the Tipo 26 and was powered by a supercharged 1.5-liter straight eight engine with dual overhead camshafts. The result was a very dominant vehicle. Driven by Alfieri with Guerrino Bertocchi in the mechanic's seat it capture many victories including a class win at the Targa Florio in its inaugural racing debut.

On the front of the vehicle was the trident, the symbol of Maserati's home city of Bologna. Many of the early cars were in monoposto and two-seater configuration. The company had its own factory racing program but also sent a few vehicles into the capable hands of many competent privateers.

The first purpose-designed Grand Prix Maserati was the 8C-2500 which appeared in 1930. During its first racing season, it was victorious with wins at both monza and Spain where it was driven by Achille Varzi. In 1933, it was succeeded by the 8CM.

The 8CM was powered by a 2992cc supercharged dual-overhead camshaft straight eight engine. During its first season it proved its potential. With Tazio Nuvolari at the wheel, it won the Belgian Grand Prix.

For the 1935 season, Maserati devoted much of its resources to the development of the V8Ri. It was built to high standards and employed engineering ingenuity and powered by the Maserati experience and talents. It was equipped with a large, 4.8-liter supercharged V8 engine and intended to do battle with the fierce German Competition. The small Maserati company soon found it was unable to compete against the state-owned companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union and decided to focus on voiturette competition.

There was much opportunity in the other markets and Maserati targeted the voiurette class. Though they had built only one six-cylinder engine prior to the creation of the 6CM, it was enough to field a suitable contender. The 6CM was powered by a six-cylinder dual overhead camshaft engine which provided the groundwork for the post-war Maserati cars. It had a 65mm bore and 75mm stroke giving it a 1493-cc displacement size. There were five main bearings and a lightweight Elecktron crankcase casting. The Roots supercharger was located at the front of the engine. On the other side of the blower is a Memini carburetor which creates 1.2 x atmospheric pressure and about 15.6 psi of boost. This creates tremendous amounts of air and fuel to the engine. The six-cylinder engine would lead to the A6 series of sports and formula cars and later to the 250F which would go on to become the World Champion. The engine was further developed and provided the power for the 300S and the 3500GT.

The 155-185 horsepower engine was capable of carrying the racers to speeds of over 140 mph. Finned drum brakes kept the car in the drivers control. The vehicle was suspended in place by a conventional live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs. Maserati-built friction shocks and torsion bars were in the front. The car weighed about 1430-pounds and had a four-speed manual gearbox.

The body was designed by Medardo Fantuzzi which featured a long and low tapered nose which was met by a Maserati grille. The back of the vehicle comes to a point which a long exhaust pipe runs the entire length of the vehicle.

The Maserati 6CM were shown at the 1936 Milan Motor Show. This was the first major auto show event that Maserati was a participant.

The cars were driven with much success by Rene Dreyfus, Count Trossi, Achille Varzi, Piero Dusio, Franco Cortese, Luigi Villoresi and Alberto Ascari.

by Dan Vaughan