GRAND PRIX OF MOROCCO 1957

Drivers :

This Grand Prix did not count for driver’s championship. Knowing that an official Grand Prix would be organized the following year, pilots had any interest to go there as a training.

All well known pilots were present: Juan-manuel Fangio, Tony Brooks, Maurice Trintignant, Stuart Lewis-Evans, Jean Behra, etc…

Before the race

A nice race was announced. The driver championship was already finished; Juan Manuel Fangio won the pilots title with his Maserati 250F . Its career however seemed finished, he also came in Casablanca .

Fangio :                                                                                                The poster of the grand prix :
         

This race was nevertheless important for all Casablanca inhabitants; it was the first time that Formula 1 came to Casablanca .
On all walls of the city one could see the poster which announced the Grand Prix (right above).

Qualifying session :

Ferrari especially engaged new cars for preparing the 1958 championship. Best than the Ferrari-Lancia D50, Ferrari 226 Dino - based on formulas 2 of the same mark - took part in the race. Ferrari also tested the new fuels which will be used the following season: AvGas, instead of alcohol. The FIA, pretended this use because it was necessary “to use the commercial fuels to be able to promote Formula 1 communication in the world of individual cars”. Else, other marks kept their basic cars; Maserati with its “invincible” 250F and Vanwall with VW, symbol of the mark.

During the first qualifying session, Moss, on Vanwall, signed best times. But the following day, he felt sick, especially because of the Moroccan atmosphere. Only his two companions could mark the presence of Vanwall team: Tony Brooks and Stuart Lewis-Evans. It will be done with two best times in first raw with Jean Behra on his Maserati.
A surprising Collins and Fangio were qualified on the second raw.
Behind, one can see some official Maserati and other Cooper and private Maserati.

Jean Behra in the pits, whose will start in second position :

Organization

The race was organized by the Royal Moroccan Car Club, this club was chaired by Mohammed Elzizi, and also by Raymond Roche (known as “Toto” Roche), which had already a long “prize list”, because he was a key interlocutor in French Grand Prix. “Toto” Roche will give the start of the 1957 Grand Prix, a historical moment, because it’s the first time in the history of Morocco .
The king, Mohammed V, with his son; Hassan II inaugurated the circuit! It’s a national event.
The Grand Prix will have 55 laps, in fact 261 miles .

The inauguration of the circuit by the Mohammed V king :


Maserati was a major element for this race; on the 16 engaged cars, 7 were Maserati cars!

The start of the cars of Italie, at Maserati's factory in Bologne :

The Maserati team, it will take part in the grand prix of Morocco :

Le départ :

The start occurred on October 27, 1957, with 50.000 local spectators.

The drivers with their cars on the start grid :

 The start was given by the race organizer, in fact Raymond Roche.

The start with "Toto" Roche :

Le start in first line :

The race

And the race started ! In a thunder crash, 14 cars are “flat out” in the straight line of the Corniche of Casablanca before diving in the first turn; which joins the boulevard Panoramique. A steep turn, which had trapped more than one during qualifying.
And, exiting this turn, it’s the favorite: French Jean Behra on Maserati which leads the race.
7 laps later, one sees official in the stands leaving the black flag with a panel where a figure appears! That is to say the car will be displayed on the panel is disqualified! And one sees number 6, Fangio! But...He does not have any problem on its car and he was not dangerous on the track! What’s happening? Fangio, as an honest man, is parked in the stands and one sees Raymond Roche, who left his timing chair, discussing with the official who had misled the figures! It’s Jack Brabham which should have been eliminated! It has an oil leakage on its car! And it is number 18, and not 8!

The race continues and many cars are out: on 8^th lap Mike Hawthorn stops, followed by Tony Brooks on Vanwall on 12^th lap, Roy Salvadori on T43 Cooper-Climax on 14^th lap and Peter Collins on the second Ferrari on 16^th lap.
Later, one will see the British Ron Flockart on BRM was out on 25^th lap and finally, Jean Lucas on a private Maserati on 50^th lap.

Harry Schell on Maserati 250F :

The results :

1. Jean Behra in 2h18'23''0 ( 180,28km/h of average speed)....Maserati 250F

2. Stuart Lewis-Evans to 0'30''1.......................................................Vanwall VW

3. Maurice Trintignant to 1'26''4............................................................BRM 25

4. Juan Manuel Fangio to 2'00''8..................................................Maserati 250F

5. Harry Schell to 1 tour.........................................................................BRM P25

6. Francisco Godia-Sales to 1 tour.................................................Maserati 250F

7. Giorgio Scarlatti to 3 tours..........................................................Maserati 250F

abandonings :

Jean Lucas (50th turn) ---------------- Maserati 250F
Ron Flockhart (25th turn) ------------ BRM 25
Peter Collins (16th turn) -------------- Ferrari Dino 226
Roy Salvadori (14th turn) ------------ Cooper-Climax T43
Tony Brooks (12th turn) -------------- Vanwall VW10
Mike Hawthorn (8th turn) ------------ Ferrari Dino 226

disqualifi :

Jack Brabham (8th turn, oil) ----------- Cooper-Climax T43

Did not start :

Stirling Moss --------------- Vanwall VW5
Luigi Piotti ------------------- Maserati 250F

Jean Behra accompagny of miss Maroc 1957 at the finish :

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