Maserati 4CLT

A note in the programme for the 1998 event says:

'The sensational highlight of this year's Coys International Historic Festival Presented by Chrysler is undoubtedly the re-creation of the 1948 British Grand Prix grid. This was by far the most important race held in Britain since the War but also the first ever Formula 1 race at Silverstone. History was being made and, this weekend, thanks to a great deal of hard work and research, it will be re-created with perhaps as many as 17 of the original 26 cars that were present that October day.

Where the actual car no longer exists, or is not available, an admirable substitute of the same model has been sourced, with the exception of the sole Alfa Romeo. Each car will carry the same number it was given for the 1948 race, and perhaps the most emotive of all will be the number 27 Maserati. Not only is this the car that raced in 1948, but it will have in its cockpit the same driver who drove it 50 years ago: Roy Salvadori.'

The cars were on display in the paddock at times during the meeting (several of them were competing in races at the event) and here's one of the photographs I took of two of the cars.

They are both Maserati 4CLTs, numbered 18 and 19 in the 1948 race. The programme says this about them:

18 Maserati 4CLT

Although this is a Scuderia Ambrosiana 4CLT, it is not actually the car driven to victory here in 1948 by Luigi Villoresi. But it was at Silverstone that day, a sister car to the winner, entered as No. 28 for Leslie Brooke. Raced more recently by Peter Hannan it is now owned by great Maserati enthusiast and, of course 1995 Global GT Champion, Thomas Bscher, who has retired it from racing but will drive it this weekend.

19 Maserati 4CLT

Again a substitute car, this time to the one entered for "B.Bira", believed to be the sister Squadra Achille Varzi car raced by Fangio. Owned by Jean Louis Duret from France.