Sebastian Vettel to Drive Aston Martin's Awful First-Ever Grand Prix Car
Photo: supercars.net
Aston Martin hasn’t had much to celebrate eleven races into this Formula 1 World Championship season. A sixth-place finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last month is the best that the British manufacturer’s F1 team has to show for its 2022 campaign so far. However, the luxury automaker is planning on celebrating its centennial anniversary of the company’s racing debut. During this weekend’s French Grand Prix, Aston Martin driver and four-time World Drivers’ Champion Sebastian Vettel will drive the company’s first Grand Prix car.
Aston Martin made its competitive debut at the 1922 French Grand Prix in Strasbourg. The relatively young company entered two racing cars referred to simply as the GP for Count Louis Zborowski and Clive Gallop. The vehicles were initially named the TT1 and the TT2 because they were scheduled to debut at the Isle of Man TT earlier that year. The GP was honestly outmatched from conception. The car was powered by a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine. The problem was that the regulations offered a maximum engine displacement of two liters. The Aston Martins were the only cars to take the start without a two-liter engine.
The FIAT 802 that won the 1922 French Grand Prix had an inline six-cylinder engine that produced 112 horsepower. The GP’s 1.5-liter engine could only produce 57 horsepower. The Aston Martins didn’t even make it the entire race distance. Both engines failed with Zborowski retiring after the 19th lap and Gallop retiring after the 29th lap of the 60-lap race.
Gallop (#8), Zborowski (#15) and Aston Martin at the 1922 French Grand Prix. Photo: Gallica Digital Library
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Aston Martin claims their cars were running fifth and sixth when they retired from the race, but I can’t find any other source to corroborate that statement. The only time an Aston was that close to the front was at the start. Gallop started the race in fifth because his assigned race number was the fifth-lowest and the starting order was decided by race number. Zborowski started 11th and never advanced any higher.
The car did have a bit of success after it was sold the following year to Marion Agnew. She would be the person to give the TT1 its affectionate moniker, Green Pea. When matched against more appropriate opposition, Green Pea finished third at the 1923 Grand Prix de Boulogne. Despite being a competent racer in her own right, Agnew’s future husband, Robert C. Morgan drove Green Pea that day and secured the podium.
Though, this raises a question. Which Aston Martin is worse, the 2022 AMR22 or the 1922 GP? This year’s Aston Martin has shown glimpses of promise in the right conditions. The 1922 Aston Martin was destined to be outperformed by true Grand Prix machinery but found a place racing against voiturettes with similarly sized engines. I know you’ll always remember your first, but maybe this one is worth forgetting.
