In 1939 Maserati introduced a new model aimed at extending its dominance of European Voiturette racing.

The new model was the Maserati 4CL, which consisted of a 4 cylinder single-stage supercharged 1500cc engine, with 4 valves per cylinder fitted in a lightweight chassis (hence “L”) which was an updated version of the existing 6CM angular chassis.

Although the 4CLs pre-war career was curtailed after the 1940 Targa Florio.

When motor racing returned to Europe in 1946, the Maserati 4CL resumed its numerical dominance in races, although generally it was relegated to also-ran when the works Alfettas appeared.

During 1947 Maserati began a programme of updates to the 4CL including the fitting of twin-stage supercharging and the trial of a new tubular chassis frame in place of the existing angular chassis. These experimental modifications showed some promise and lead to the decision to develop a new model, the 4CLT/48. The “T” in the 4CLT model designation referred to the adoption as standard of a tubular (tubulare) chassis frame, with new, more streamlined bodywork. Completely new rear suspension was fitted and the previously-experimental twin stage supercharging was made standard on the engine.

The new model was probably originally planned to be debuted at the first major races of the 1948 season; these being the Jersey International Road Race and the Grand Prix des Nations at Geneva, which were held within a few days of each other, and the first post-war Grand Prix de Monaco held two weeks later in mid-May. No doubt due mainly to production delays the debut of the new model was held over until the 25th June 1948 when two examples of the 4CLT/48 pulled out onto the street circuit at Ospedaletti to practice for the 1948 Gran Premio di San Remo which was due to be held on 27th June 1948.

It was this accident of circumstance that lead to the cars being referred to henceforth as San Remo Maseratis.

The two cars which appeared at Ospedaletti were entered by Scuderia Ambrosiana, run by Conte Giovanni (Johnny) Lurani, which had been Maserati’s favoured private team since 1947, and was the closest thing Maserati had to a works team.

Driving the two Ambrosiana cars were Luigi (Gigi) Villoresi and Alberto Ascari. The cars were chassis numbers 1593 for Ascari (race number 34) and 1594 for Villoresi (race number 30). During practice the two 4CLT/48s were fastest, with Villoresi taking pole position on the grid more than two seconds ahead of his team-mate. During the race Villoresi lead from the start, but had to make two short pit stops, handing Ascari the lead and his first major race victory. For the new Maserati 4CLT/48 its race debut had resulted in a 1-2 result – an impressive start for the new car.

Unfortunately during the rest of the 1948 season the new 4CLT/48 continued to play “bridesmaid” to the works Alfettas, as had its predecessors, but it still managed to achieve six major race victories, at Comminges, Albi, Silverstone and Barcelona for Villoresi, at Zandvoort for “Bira” and at Goodwood for Parnell. By the end of the season six examples of the new model had appeared.

The 1949 Gran Premio di San Remo was held as the first race of the European racing season on 3rd April 1949.

Of the 27 entries for the race, five were Maserati 4CLT/48s, all of which arrived at the circuit.

The British Amateur driver, Fred Ashmore was driving chassis number 4CLT/48 1593, the car with which Ascari had won the previous year’s race. He was joined by Siamese Prince “B. Bira” in his chassis 1598, Swiss Baron Emanuel de Graffenried in his brand new chassis 1601 and two cars entered by the Automobile Club of Argentina for their countrymen Juan-Manuel Fangio and Benedicto Campos (chassis 1599 and 1600 respectively), However by now the new Ferraris were showing signs of being a serious competitor. Once again the 4CLT/48 performed well on its “home” circuit, with “Bira”, Fangio, de Graffenried and Campos filling four of the first five places on the starting grid. As Fangio was a newcomer to Europe his performance in practice was the first sign of the performances to come. The race was run in two 45 lap heats, and Fangio lead throughout them both, thereby achieving the first of many significant race victories. The overall result was dominance for the Maserati 4CLTs, with Fangio, “Bira”, de Graffenried and Campos filling the first four places.

During the rest of the 1949 season the 4CLT/48 achieved a further seven victories, at Pau, Perpignan and Albi for Fangio, at Goodwood (twice) for Parnell, at Lausanne for Farina and at Silverstone for de Graffenried. However despite the absence of the Alfettas the writing was on the wall with Ferraris, mostly driven by 4CLT/48 pioneers Villoresi and Ascari, taking most major race victories in the second half of the season. During the 1949 European season a further eight chassis were delivered, making a total production to date of fourteen chassis.

As the winter of 1949 approached, Maserati planned a substantial campaign in the Argentine Temporada series, held during December 1949 and January 1950. A further five new 4CLT chassis were completed by November 1949, and no fewer than thirteen chassis were shipped to Argentina. Three of these cars were fitted with larger capacity 1720cc engines, and these cars were designated “4CLT/50” due to their larger engines. Despite their presence in numbers the Temporada exhibition was not a success, as all four races in the series were won by Ferraris driven by Villoresi and Ascari.

As the 1950 season began, the 1950 Gran Premio di San Remo, held on 16th April 1950, was the second major race of the season. As in the recent Argentine Temporada series, the Maserati 4CLT/48 was dominant in numbers with no fewer than eleven chassis being present for practice.

The Automobile Club or Argentina brought two cars, 1594 for Alfredo Pian and 1600 for Froilan Gonzalez, Enrico Plate had chassis 1601 for de Graffenried and 1607 for “Bira”, Clemente Biondetti was in Luigi de Filippis’ 1603, Franco Rol in 1604, Louis Chiron in 1606, Felice Bonetto in Scuderia Milan’s modified 4CLT 1611, Reg Parnell in 1610 and Les Brooke in 1595. The eleventh chassis is something of a mystery car. Piero Carini appeared in a 4CLT/48 (race number 40) but which car. He had bought a 4CLT in late 1949, but he had sold it in Argentina after using it in the Temporada series so which car did he have at Ospedaletti in April 1950? The most likely candidate is chassis 1598, Bira’s own car, now redundant as he was driving for Plate, but that is just a guess on my part. A clear photograph is needed to solve this mystery,

During practice the best placing on the grid was fifth place by Gonzalez, with one Alfetta and three Ferraris filling the first four places. The race was a similar story, with only Gonzalez and Pian’s Argentina cars managing to get into the higher placings during the race. Gonzalez retired late in the race, but Pian finished in fourth place.

During the 1950 season the 4CLT/48 was overshadowed by the Alfettas and Ferraris. Only three victories were achieved, by Alfetta refugee Fangio at Pau, and two victories by Parnell at Goodwood.

By the time that the cars returned to Ospedaletti in April 1951 the Maserati San Remo had become somewhat outclassed.

Nevertheless six 4CLT/48s arrived for practice. Scotsman David Murray was driving chassis 1593, Ascari’s winning chassis from three years earlier, Reg Parnell had chassis 1596, Swiss Toni Branca had the ex-Chiron 1606, whilst Enrico Plate had 1601 for de Graffenried and 1598 for Harry Schell. The sixth 4CLT/48 was chassis 1607 which had been converted to take the new O.S.C.A. V12 of the Maserati brothers, for “B.Bira”’s Ecurie Siam.

During practice de Graffenried managed to get his ageing car onto the front row of the grid in third position. Unfortunately he retired in the race, but his team mate Harry Schell finished in fourth position. Down in 12th place, 30 laps behind Ascari’s winning Ferrari, was David Murray’s 4CLT/48 1593, soon to be destroyed in an accident at the Nurburgring – a sad end for the car whose victory back in 1948 gave the name to the San Remo Maserati

Of the twenty 4CLT/48 chassis built by Maserati between 1948 and 1950, no fewer than fourteen of them raced in one of the editions of the Gran Premio di San Remo.

Adam Ferrington.  http://www.forgham.com

Grazie Adam! (vedi note ¹ )

Summary of appearances at Gran Premio di San Remo