Birabongse Bhanutej Bhanubandh (b. 15 July 1914, Bangkok, Thailand - d. 23 December 1985, Barons Court Station, London) best known as Prince Bira of Siam (now Thailand) was a Formula One and Grand Prix motor racing driver who raced for the Maserati, Gordini and Connaught teams, among others. The FIA Super Licence is a qualification allowing the licence holder to take part in Formula One events as a driver. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Thailand. ... Tai ethnic groups include: the Lao of Laos and Isan of Northeast Thailand the Northern Thai (Lanna or Thai Yuan) of Thailand the Thai of Thailand the Shan (Thai Yai) of Burma the Thai Lue of Laos and China (also called Dai) the Nung of China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam the... F1 redirects here. ... Twenty-two Formula One races were held during the 1950 Formula One season. ... The 1954 Formula One season was the 5th FIA Formula One World Championship season. ... Enrico Platé (b. ... Gordini was a Formula One constructor and engine manufacturer from 1950 until 1956. ... Connaught Engineering, often referred to simply as Connaught, was a Formula One and sports car constructor from Britain. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... The Formula One World Drivers Championship (WDC) is awarded by the Fédération Internationale de lAutomobile (FIA) to the most successful Formula One race car driver over a season, as determined by a points system based on Grand Prix results. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... In motorsport the quickest lap during the whole race is called the Fatest Lap. ... The 1950 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 13, 1950 at Silverstone Circuit. ... The 1954 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 24, 1954 at Pedralbes. ... The 24 Hours of Le Mans (24 Heures du Mans) is the worlds most famous sports car endurance race, held annually at Circuit de la Sarthe near Le Mans, France, in the French Sarthe département. ... The 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 16th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 17 and 18, 1939. ... The 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 22nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 12 and 13, 1954. ... Raymond Sommer (born August 31, 1906, Mouzon, in the Ardennes département of France - died September 10, 1950) was a Grand Prix motor racing driver. ... Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury performance cars, whose headquarters are at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England. ... The 1939 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 16th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 17 and 18, 1939. ... The 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 22nd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 12 and 13, 1954. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Location within Thailand Coordinates: , Country Settled Ayutthaya Period Founded as capital 21 April 1782 Government  - Type Special administrative area  - Governor Apirak Kosayothin Area  - City 1,568. ... is the 357th day of the year (358th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Barons Court is a station on the Piccadilly and District lines of the London Underground in England. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... For the country formerly called Siam see Thailand SIAM is an acronym for Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. ... F1 redirects here. ... Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... Gordini was a Formula One constructor and engine manufacturer from 1950 until 1956. ... Connaught Engineering, often referred to simply as Connaught, was a Formula One and sports car constructor from Britain. ...

Before the Second World War

A child of Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse, Prince Birabongse came to Europe in 1927 to complete his education in England at Eton and Cambridge University. Bira first raced with his cousin Prince Chula Chakrabongse's team, White Mouse Racing, driving a Riley Imp at Brooklands in 1935. It was in this car that Bira established the national motor racing colours of Siam: pale blue with yellow. He also established residence near Geneva (Switzerland) and later in the south of France. This explains his activity in smaller, more local type events. Field Marshal Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse Banubandh (January 11, 1859 - June 13, 1928) (Thai: ), was a son of King Mongkut of Siam and Queen Debsirindra. ... The Kings College of Our Lady of Eton beside Windsor, commonly known as Eton College or just Eton, is a public school (privately funded and independent) for boys, founded in 1440 by King Henry VI. It is located in Eton, near Windsor in England, north of Windsor Castle, and... The University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world, with one of the most selective sets of entry requirements in the United Kingdom. ... Brooklands was a motor racing circuit built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. ...

Later in the same year, Prince Chula gave him one of the new ERA voiturette racing cars - R2B, which was nicknamed Romulus. Bira finished second in his first ever race in Romulus, despite needing to stop for repairs. The remaining races of the season saw Bira consistently placing amongst the more powerful Grands Prix vehicles, with another second place, and fifth at the Donington Grand Prix. English Racing Automobiles (ERA) was a Formula One constructor from 1950 through 1952. ... Voiturettes are small three-wheeled cars produced in France, most notably in the years following World War II. Categories: Stub | Automobiles ... Donington Park is a site near Castle Donington in North West Leicestershire, United Kingdom, owned by Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd. ...

For 1936 the princes decided that the previous season's results merited a second ERA. They purchased Remus to use in British events and retained Romulus for international races. Chula also purchased a Maserati 8CM to complete the White Mouse roster. Bira's expertise behind the wheel earned him the Coupe de Prince Rainier at Monte Carlo. Bira won a further four races in the ERAs that season, and took the Grand Prix Maserati to 5th at Donington and 3rd at Brooklands. This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... Rainier III, Prince of Monaco (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005), styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost fifty-six years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century. ... Monte Carlo is a very wealthy section of the city-state of Monaco known for its casino, gambling, beaches, glamour, and sightings of famous people. ...

Unfortunately, this proved to be the career high-point for both Bira and the White Mouse team. Following Dick Seaman's move to Mercedes for 1937, the Thais purchased his Grand Prix Delage and all of its spare parts, along with a second Delage. Despite several upgrades, and hiring experienced race engineer and future Jaguar team manager Lofty England, the cars underperformed, and on many occasions Bira was forced to race in the older and by now substantially inferior ERAs. In addition, the money spent on the Delage upgrades had sapped the resources of the team and corners were being cut in the ERA's race preparations. While Bira maintained a respectable results tally in British events, the more costly international races were largely a disaster. Stirling Moss in the 300 SLR on his way to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia Throughout its long history, Mercedes-Benz has been involved in a range of motorsport activities, including sportscar racing and rallying, and is currently active in Formula Three, DTM and Formula One. ... The Delage emblem The Delage Automobile company was established in 1905 in Levallois, a northwesterly suburb of Paris, France. ... Frank Raymond Wilton Lofty England (b. ...

Post war

After the war, Bira returned to racing with several teams. In 1951 he raced in an old 4CLT fitted with a newer V12 Osca engine. No results were obtained this year as a result of the poor performance of the car combined with a severe accident. By 1954, with some newer gear, a Maserati 250F, he won the Grand Prix des Frontières on the Chimay road circuit and then finished fourth in the 1954 French Grand Prix with his own Maserati. In January 1955, he won the New Zealand Grand Prix at Ardmore, but then retired at the end of the season. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... OSCA, or the Oberlin Student Cooperative Association, is a 1. ... Maserati 250F (first raced January 1954 - last raced November 1960) were twentysix racing cars made by Maserati of Italy, used in Formula One racing (thus, the «F»). It used the Maserati A6 SSG straight-six 2. ... The Grand Prix des Frontières was a motor race held at Chimay in Belgium. ... Chimay is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. ... Results from the 1954 Formula One French Grand Prix held at Reims on July 4, 1954 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Hans Herrmann 232. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ...

Prince Bira died unexpectedly at a London tube station in 1985 at the age of 71.

Complete World Championship Formula One results

(key)

Twenty-two Formula One races were held during the 1950 Formula One season. ... Enrico Platé (b. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... A supercharger (also known as a blower) is an air compressor used to force more air (and hence more oxygen) into the combustion chamber(s) of an internal combustion engine than can be achieved at ambient atmospheric pressure (natural aspiration). ... The 1950 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 13, 1950 at Silverstone Circuit. ... The 1950 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 21, 1950 at Monaco. ... The 1950 Indianapolis 500 was a Formula One race held on Tuesday, May 30, 1950 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ... The 1950 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on June 4, 1950 at Bremgarten Circuit. ... The 1950 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on June 18, 1950 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. ... The 1950 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 2, 1950 at Reims-Gueux. ... The 1950 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 3, 1950 at Monza. ... Season Summary Points were given to top 5 finishers (8, 6, 4, 3, 2). ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... Officine Specializzate Costruzioni Automobili - Fratelli Maserati SpA, is usually abbreviated to O.S.C.A. and sometimes spelled OSCA or Osca, was an Italian brand of sports car automobiles. ... A V12 is an internal combustion engine with 12 cylinders in V configuration. ... Results from the 1951 Formula One Swiss Grand Prix held at Bern on May 27, 1951 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Juan Manuel Fangio 251. ... Results from the 1951 Formula One Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on May 30, 1951 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Lee Wallard 17. ... Results from the 1951 Formula One Belgian Grand Prix held at Spa-Francorchamps on June 17, 1951 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Juan Manuel Fangio 422. ... Results from the 1951 Formula One French Grand Prix held at Reims on July 1, 1951 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Juan Manuel Fangio 227. ... The 1951 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 14, 1951 at Silverstone Circuit. ... The 1951 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 29, 1951 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. ... The 1951 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 16, 1951 at Monza. ... The 1951 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 28, 1951 at Pedralbes Circuit. ... The 1952 Formula One season was the 3rd FIA Formula One World Championship season. ... Gordini was a Formula One constructor and engine manufacturer from 1950 until 1956. ... Gordini was a Formula One constructor and engine manufacturer from 1950 until 1956. ... Gordini was a Formula One constructor and engine manufacturer from 1950 until 1956. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... A supercharger (also known as a blower) is an air compressor used to force more air (and hence more oxygen) into the combustion chamber(s) of an internal combustion engine than can be achieved at ambient atmospheric pressure (natural aspiration). ... The 1952 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 18, 1952 at Bremgarten Circuit. ... The 1952 Indianapolis 500 was a Formula One race held on May 30, 1952 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ... The 1952 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on June 22, 1952 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. ... Gordini was a Formula One constructor and engine manufacturer from 1950 until 1956. ... Gordini was a Formula One constructor and engine manufacturer from 1950 until 1956. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... The 1952 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 6, 1952 at Rouen-Les-Essarts. ... The 1952 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 19, 1952 at Silverstone Circuit. ... The 1952 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on August 3, 1952 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. ... The 1952 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on August 17, 1952 at the Circuit Zandvoort. ... The 1952 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 7, 1952 at Monza. ... Season Summary Points were given to top 5 finishers (8, 6, 4, 3, 2). ... Connaught Engineering, often referred to simply as Connaught, was a Formula One and sports car constructor from Britain. ... Connaught Engineering, often referred to simply as Connaught, was a Formula One and sports car constructor from Britain. ... Lea-Francis was a motor manufacturing company that began life building bicycles. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... The 1953 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on January 18, 1953 at the Autodromo Oscar Alfredo Galvez, Buenos Aires. ... The 1950 Indianapolis 500 was a Formula One race held on May 30, 1953 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ... The 1953 Dutch Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on June 7, 1953 at the Circuit Zandvoort. ... The 1953 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on June 21, 1953 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. ... The 1953 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 5, 1953 at Reims-Gueux. ... The 1953 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 18, 1953 at Silverstone Circuit. ... Results from the 1953 Formula One German Grand Prix held at Nürburgring on August 2, 1953 Classification Notes Pole position: Alberto Ascari - 959. ... The 1953 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on August 23, 1953 at Bremgarten Circuit. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... Results from the 1953 Formula One Italian Grand Prix held at Monza on September 13, 1953 Classification Notes Pole position: Alberto Ascari - 202. ... The 1954 Formula One season was the 5th FIA Formula One World Championship season. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... Results from the 1954 Formula One Argentine Grand Prix held at Argentina on January 17, 1954 Classification Notes Pole position: Nino Farina - 144. ... Results from the 1954 Formula One Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on May 31, 1954 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jack McGrath 14. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... Maserati 250F (first raced January 1954 - last raced November 1960) were twentysix racing cars made by Maserati of Italy, used in Formula One racing (thus, the «F»). It used the Maserati A6 SSG straight-six 2. ... This article is about the automobile manufacturer. ... The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ... Results from the 1954 Formula One Belgian Grand Prix held at Spa-Francorchamps on June 20, 1954 Classification Notes Pole position: Juan Manuel Fangio - 422. ... Results from the 1954 Formula One French Grand Prix held at Reims on July 4, 1954 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Hans Herrmann 232. ... Results from the 1954 Formula One British Grand Prix held at Silverstone on July 17, 1954 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Stirling Moss 150. ... Results from the 1954 Formula One German Grand Prix held at Nürburgring on August 1, 1954 Classification Notes Pole position: Juan Manuel Fangio - 9 50. ... Results from the 1954 Formula One Swiss Grand Prix held at Bern on August 22, 1954 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Juan Manuel Fangio 239. ... Results from the 1954 Formula One Italian Grand Prix held at Monza on September 5, 1954 Classification Notes Fastest Lap: Jose Froilan Gonzalez 20. ... The 1954 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 24, 1954 at Pedralbes. ...

Trivia

King Mongkut, portrayed in the Hollywood movies "The King and I" and "Anna and the King", was Prince Bira's grandfather. King Mongkut (Rama IV), (October 18, 1804 – October 1, 1868) was king of Siam from 1851 to 1868. ... The King and I is a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Its script is based on the book Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon. ... For other uses, see Anna and the King (TV series). ...

External links

• Bira, the Grand Prix driver text: Autocourse site
• Malcolm Campbell and Prince Bira photo: The Brooklands Society site
• Bira at Brooklands text: The Brooklands Society site
• pre-war pictures many photos: The Brooklands Society site
• His personal life text.
• A brief biography
• Snellman, L. 2000. The Prince and I, 8W.
• Prince Bira at The Crittenden Automotive Library, full F1 race-by-race statistics