Grand Prix motor racing in Europe was affected by the outbreak of World War II in late 1939, leaving the 1939 Grand Prix season without an official champion. Italy remained neutral until June 1940 and staged two GPs in May 1940, as well as the 1940 Mille Miglia sports car race.
The USA held several races until September 1941. After that only a few events in South America took place, the latest in July 1942. There was no organised championship in these years. The majority of Grand Prix races during this period were run in the Americas.
The first post-war races were run in Paris on 9 September 1945, one week after the end of the war in the Pacific. They were not regular international Grand Prix, but mainly French, commemorating war-related events or persons, like the 1945 Coupe des Prisonniers.
Wartime Grands Prix
1940–1942
Date Name Circuit Winning drivers Winningconstructor Report 1 January 1940 South Australian Hundred Lobethal Jack Phillips Ford V8 Report 12 May 1940 São Paulo Grand Prix Interlagos Arthur Nascimento Jr Alfa Romeo Report 12 May 1940 Tripoli Grand Prix Mellaha Giuseppe Farina Alfa Romeo Report 23 May 1940 Targa Florio Favorita Park Luigi Villoresi Maserati Report 30 May 1940 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Wilbur Shaw Maserati Report 24 August 1940 Springfield 100 Illinois Rex Mays Winfield Report 2 September 1940 Syracuse 100 New York Rex Mays Report 30 May 1941 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Floyd Davis Mauri Rose Wetteroth Report 24 August 1941 Milwaukee 100 Milwaukee Rex Mays Winfield Report 2 September 1941 Syracuse 100 New York Rex Mays Report 28 September 1941 Rio de Janeiro Grand Prix Gávea Chico Landi Alfa Romeo Report 23 November 1941 Buenos Aires Grand Prix Costanera José Canziani Report January 1942 Report 5 April 1942 Grand Prix Vendimia Mendoza Province Adriano Malusardi Report 3 May 1942 Santa Fe Grand Prix Santa Fe Oldemar Ramos Report 18 July 1942 Autódromo Nacional Barra De Santa Lucia Juan Carlos Passato Report
1943–1944 No Grand Prix races held
1945
Date Name Circuit Winning drivers Winningconstructor Report 9 September 1945 Coupe Robert Benoist Bois de Boulogne Aldo Gordini Simca Report 9 September 1945 Coupe de la Liberation Bois de Boulogne Henri Louveau Maserati Report 9 September 1945 Coupe des Prisonniers Bois de Boulogne Jean-Pierre Wimille Bugatti Report
References