1939 Belgian Grand Prix
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| 1939 Belgian Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 4 in the 1939 European Championship | |||
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| Race details | |||
| Date | 25 June 1939 | ||
| Official name | VIII Grand Prix de Belgique | ||
| Location |
Spa-Francorchamps Spa, Belgium | ||
| Course | Road course | ||
| Course length | 14.58 km (9.06[1] miles) | ||
| Distance | 35 laps, 510.30 km (317.08 miles) | ||
| Weather | Heavy rain, intermittent | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Auto Union | ||
| Grid positions set by ballot | |||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Hermann Lang | Mercedes-Benz | |
| Time | 5:19.9 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Mercedes-Benz | ||
| Second | Auto Union | ||
| Third | Mercedes-Benz | ||
The 1939 Belgian Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held on 25 June 1939 at Spa-Francorchamps.
Richard Seaman crashed into a tree between Clubhouse and La Source hairpin, 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.
Classification
[edit]| 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 |