The 1927 Grand Prix season was the third (and final) AIACR World Manufacturers' Championship season and the second run to a 1.5-litre engine limit. In a dominant display, the championship was won by Delage, with team driver Robert Benoist winning four of the five Grand Prix.
The championship opened with the Indianapolis 500 – once again a contest between Duesenberg and Miller engines. Previous year's winner Frank Lockhart started on pole position and led for over half the race until his car suffered a broken con-rod. Rookie George Souders, driving Peter DePaolo’s 1925 race-winning Duesenberg, came through and took a comfortable victory with an eight lap margin. DePaolo went on to secure the season's AAA Championship with three wins and four second places.
After major re-working over the close season to sort out the chronic exhaust and heating issues, the Delages proved unbeatable. They were the only manufacturer to enter the requisite three races to qualify for the championship. Bugatti and Talbot challenged them at the next Grand Prix, in France, but then the Talbot team was shut down. Three Americans, including Indy-winner George Souders, came over for the mandatory Italian round but their oval-track car-designs were unsuitable for European circuit-racing. The final round, the British Grand Prix attracted a bigger field, but once again Delage was able to romp to a dominating 1-2-3 victory.
It was already readily apparent that the 1.5-litre formula was not attracting consistent manufacturer interest. The AIACR had stated, before the season started, that from 1928 it would not continue this racing format but instead run its Grands Prix to an open Formula Libre, as most other European races were already being done.
The season had opened with the advent of a new road-race across northern Italy – the Mille Miglia was a race for touring cars from Brescia to Rome and back. Ferdinando Minoia led home a triumphant 1-2-3 for OM. In a rain-affected Targa Florio, Emilio Materassi kept control to win for Bugatti. His success continued and he went on to be the winner of Italy's inaugural Driver's Championship. The other significant event of the racing year was the opening of a major new racetrack in Germany. The Nürburgring was over 30 km of winding road with 172 corners, situated near the Ardennes Forest just across the border from the Belgian Spa-Francorchamps circuit. The opening race in June was won by Rudolf Caracciola in a 6.8-litre Mercedes sports-car.
Manufacturers' World Championship Sources: Rendall 1993, p.360
Rnd Date Name Circuit RaceRegulations Weather RaceDistance Winner'sTime Winning driver Winningconstructor Fastestlap Report 1 30 May XV International 500 Mile Sweepstakes Indianapolis AAA ? 500 miles 5h 08m George Souders Duesenberg 91 Report 2 3 Jul XXI Grand Prix de l’ACF Montlhéry AIACR cloudy 600 km 4h 46m Robert Benoist Delage 15 S8 Robert BenoistDelage Report 3 31 Jul III Spanish Grand Prix Lasarte AIACR sunny 690 km 5h 21m Robert Benoist Delage 15 S8 Robert BenoistDelage Report 4 4 Sep VII Italian Grand Prix /V European Grand Prix Monza AIACR rain 500 km 3h 27m Robert Benoist Delage 15 S8 Robert BenoistDelage Report 5 1 Oct II RAC Grand Prix BrooklandsOuter circuit AIACR cold, showers 530 km 3h 49m Robert Benoist Delage 15 S8 not recorded Report The Indianapolis 500 also counted towards the 1927 AAA Championship Car season held in the United States
Other Races Major non-championship races are in bold Sources:
Rnd Date Name Circuit RaceRegulations Weather RaceDistance Winner'sTime Winning driver Winningconstructor Report 6 Mar III Gran Premio di Tripoli Tagiura Formula LibreVoiturette sunny 420 km 3h 10m Emilio Materassi Bugatti Type 35C Report 13 Mar III Grand Prix de l’Ouverture Montlhéry Formula Librecyclecar rain 250 km 2h 02m Robert Benoist Delage 15S8 Report 20 Mar/29 Mar II Circuito del Pozzo Verona Formula Libre sunny 250 km 1h 57m Gaspare Bona Bugatti Type 35T Report 27 Mar III Grand Prix de Provence Miramas Formula Libre rain thendry 250 km /25 km* (12m) Louis Chiron Bugatti Type 35B Report 17 Apr II Grand Prix des Voiturettes Montlhéry Voiturette ? 250 km 2h 19m Arthur Duray Amilcar 6C Report A 24 Apr XVIII Targa Florio Medio Madonie Targa Florio cloudy thenrain 540 km 7h 36m Emilio Materassi Bugatti Type 35C Report 8 May IV Circuito di Alessandria Alessandria Formula Libre rain 260 km 2h 47m Gaspare Bona Bugatti Type 35B Report I Coppa Messina Monti Peloritani Formula Libre sunny 310 km 4h 14m Antonio Caliri Bugatti Type 37 Report 15 May V Circuito del Savio Ravenna Formula LibreCyclecar sunny 290 km 2h 12m Gaspare Bona Bugatti Type 35C Report 29 May IV Coppa della Perugina Perugia Formula LibreCyclecar sunny 330 km 2h 57m Emilio Materassi Itala Special 5.8L Report B 12 Jun III Premio Reale di Roma Parioli Formula Libre hot 420 km 3h 47m Tazio Nuvolari Bugatti Type 35 Report III Grand Prix de Picardie Péronne Formula Libre ? 190 km 2h 02m Philippe Auber Bugatti Type 37 Report 19 Jun Premio di Bologna Bologna Formula Libre sunny 120 km 1h 28m Emilio Materassi Bugatti Type 35C Report 2 Jul Course de Formula Libre de l’ACF Montlhéry Formula Libre rain 125 km 1h 02m Albert Divo Talbot 700 Report Coupe de la Commission Sportive 400 km 3h 53m André Boillot Peugeot 176 Report 10 Jul III Grand Prix de la Marne Reims-Gueux Formula Libre cloudy 400 km 3h 26m Philippe Étancelin Bugatti Type 35B Report C 25 Jul V Gran Premio de San Sebastián Lasarte Formula Libre sunny 690 km 5h 28m Emilio Materassi Bugatti Type 35C Report D 6 Aug IV Coppa Acerbo Pescara Formula LibreVoiturette hot 510 km 4h 54m Giuseppe Campari Alfa Romeo P2 Report 7 Aug III Grand Prix du Comminges Saint-Gaudens Formula Librehandicap ? 410 km 3h 49m François Eysermann Bugatti Type 37 Report 14 Aug VII Coppa Montenero Montenero Formula Libre sunny 225 km 2h 47m Emilio Materassi Bugatti Type 35C Report 25 Aug IV Grand Prix de la Baule La Baule Formula Libre sunny 100 km 50m George Eyston Bugatti Type 35B Report E 4 Sep II Gran Premio di Milano Monza Formula Libre rain heats +50 km final 20m Pietro Bordino Fiat 806 Report 10 Sep VII Grand Prix de Boulogne Boulogne-sur-Mer Formula Libre rain 450 km 4h 09m Capt Malcolm Campbell Bugatti Type 39A Report 18 Sep III Solituderennen Solitude Formula Libre rain 21 km 12m August Momberger Bugatti Type 35B Report 9 Oct V Circuito del Garda Salò Formula Libre sunny 300 km 3h 30m Tazio Nuvolari Bugatti Type 35 Report F 15 Oct VII Junior Car Club 200 BrooklandsOuter circuit AIACRVoiturette cloudy 200 miles 2h 38m Capt Malcolm Campbell Bugatti Type 39A Report 16 Oct II Grand Prix du Salon Montlhéry AIACR ? 50 km 24m Michel Doré Corre-La Licorne Report 28 Oct Apuano Circuit Carrara Formula Libre ? ? ? "Niccoli" Bugatti Report Note: *Race stopped because of crowd-invasion of track
Teams and drivers These tables only intend to cover entries in the Championship Grands Prix and the major non-Championship races, as keyed above. Sources: Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre Driver Rounds Usines Bugatti Bugatti Type 39AType 37AType 35C Bugatti 1.5L S8 s/c Bugatti 1.5L S4 s/c Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Emilio Materassi , 3, , 5; A, C, E Conte Caberto Conelli , 3, , 5; A, C André Dubonnet , 3; A, C Jules Goux Louis Chiron 3, , 5; C Meo Constantini [2*]; C* “Sabipa” (Louis Charavel) 3* Ferdinando Minoia A Automobiles Delage Delage 15 S82LCV Delage 1.5L S8 s/c Delage 2.0L V12 s/c Robert Benoist 2, 3, 4, 5; [E] Edmond Bourlier 2, 3, 5 André Morel 2, 3, 5* Albert Divo 5 Robert Sénéchal 2*, 3*, 5* Guy Bouriat 3* Duesenberg Bros Duesenberg Type 91 Duesenberg 1.5L S8 s/c Wade Morton 1 Benny Shoaff 1 Babe Stapp 1 Ralph Holmes 1* Fred Winnai 1* George Souders 4; E Miller Automobiles Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Dutch Baumann 1 Cooper Engineering CooperMiller FDType 91 FD Miller 1.5L S8 s/cMiller 1.5L S8 s/c Earl Cooper 4; E Pete Kreis 1, 4; E Bennett Hill 1 Bob McDonogh 1 Jules Ellingboe 1 Locomobile Junior 8 Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Frank Elliott 1 Boyle Valve Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Cliff Woodbury 1 Ralph Hepburn 1 Jack Petticord 1 Fred Clemons / Jynx Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Wilbur Shaw 1 Louis Meyer 1* F. P. Cramer Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Earl Devore 1 Zeke Meyer 1* Harry Hartz Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Harry Hartz 1 Eddie Hearne 1 Ira Vail 1* Bill White Race Cars Duesenberg Type 91 Duesenberg 1.5L S8 s/c George Souders 1 STD Motors Ltd Talbot 700 GPLB Talbot 1.5L S8 s/c Albert Divo 2, ; [C] Louis Wagner 2, ; [C] William Grover-Williams 2, ; [C] Jules Moriceau 2* SA des Automobiles Jean Graf Jean Graf Spéciale Dorman 1.5L S6 Jean Graf Fiat SpA Fiat 806 Fiat 1.5L L12 s/c Pietro Bordino , ; E Carlo Salamano , Felice Nazzaro Officine Meccaniche O.M. Tipo 8C GP O.M. 1.5L S 8s/c Ferdinando Minoia 4; E Giuseppe Morandi 4; E Alvis Car & Engineering Co Alvis GP Alvis 1.5L S8 s/c Maurice Harvey ; F George Duller F Officine Alfieri Maserati SpA Maserati Tipo 26Tipo 26B Maserati 1.5L S8 s/c Maserati 2.0L S8 Alfieri Maserati A Ernesto Maserati A Conte Aymo Maggi A Baconin Borzacchini [D] SA des Autoset Cycles Peugeot Peugeot Type 174 Sport Peugeot 3.9L S4 André Boillot A Louis Rigal A Société Nouvelle del'Automobile Amilcar Amilcar C6 Amilcar 1.1L S6 André Morel C, F Charles Martin C, F Vernon Balls F Bucciali Frères Bucciali Buc AB6 Bucciali 1.5L S6 Jean de Maleplane C Frazer Nash Ltd Frazer Nash Slug Frazer Nash 1.5L S4 Archie Frazer Nash F Brian LewisBaron Essendon F Société des Moteurs Salmson Salmson VAL Salmson 1.1L S4 Georges Casse F Pierre Goutte F Lionel de Marmier F George Newman F
Significant Privateer drivers Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Driver Rounds Private Entrant Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Pete DePaolo 1 Private Entrant Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c “Leon Duray” 1 Private Entrant Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Tony Gulotta 1 Private Entrant Miller Type 91 Miller 1.5L S8 s/c Frank Lockhart 1 Private Entrant HalfordBugatti SpecialType 39A Halford 1.5L S6 s/cBugatti 1.5L S8 s/c Capt George Eyston 2, , 5; F Private Entrant MaseratiBugatti Tipo 26 Type 35C Maserati 1.5L S8 s/cBugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Joaquin Palacio 3; A, [C] Private Entrant Bugatti Type 39A Bugatti 1.5L S8 s/c Capt Malcolm Campbell 5; [F] Private Entrant Thomas Special ... 1.5L S6 Harold Purdy 5; [F] Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Renato Balestrero A, B Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c “Sabipa” (Louis Charavel) A, C Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35B Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Gaspare Bona B, D, E Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35B Bugatti 2.3L S8 s/c Conte Aymo Maggi B, E Private Entrant Bugatti Type 35C Bugatti 2.0L S8 s/c Tazio Nuvolari B, E Private Entrant Alfa Romeo P2 Alfa Romeo 2.0L S8 s/c Giuseppe Campari D, E Note: * raced in event as a relief driver. Those in brackets show, although entered, the driver did not race
Regulations and Technical The AIACR (forerunner of the FIA) kept with its 1.5-litre formula, despite the low manufacturer interest. The only modification to the regulations was that the minimum dry weight of the car was increased from 600 to 700kg. Although two seats were the usual, a single-seat was now also accepted if the seat was a minimum 80cm wide and 25cm high. This year, the European Grand Prix was awarded back to the Italian Automobile Club. Once again, each team had to compete in at least three of the races, including the mandatory Italian Grand Prix to qualify for the championship. All races were supposed to be at least 600km long, however the Italian and British Grand Prix did not meet this, and there is no apparent explanation why. At its October 1926 meeting, the AIACR had faced its reality that the 1.5-litre formula had not worked. The committee therefore agreed that the current format would only extend for one more year, to be replaced in 1928 by an open engine regulation.