«To arrive first, you must first arrive» said Enzo Ferrari: this Maserati 4CL abandoned at the last bend on the last lap of Monaco.

From 1934, the Grand Prix was governed by the Formula 750 (weight 750 kilos and free displacement), then from 1938 by the Formula 3 liters, and was dominated by the German teams Mercedes and Auto-union. Tired of this supremacy, from 1938 onwards the Italians turned to the “voiturette” category, whose displacement was limited to 1500cc with supercharging. Alfa Romeo develops the 158 and Maserati replica with the 4CL.

Maserati designed a new in-line four-cylinder engine, which developed 30 to 50 hp more than the previous in-line six-cylinder, thanks to an increased number of valves (now four per cylinder), the use of a more powerful compressor and a slight increase in the compression ratio. In keeping with Maserati tradition, the engine was mounted on the chassis of an earlier model, the Maserati 6CM. The chassis featured a classic architecture, with two longitudinal members running the full length of the body. 

Although it had a wheelbase almost identical to that of the Maserati 6CM, the 4CL was 5 cm wider and lowered by repositioning the shock absorber spring mountings. This traditional chassis was clad in a low-slung body made of light-alloy panels, also manufactured by Maserati. The Trident brand also produced an aerodynamic version of the 4CL.

Humiliation in Tripoli, but a beautiful post-war period

Driven by Luigi Villoresi, the aerodynamic version of the 4CL took pole position on its first appearance at the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix, on the Melhalla circuit built by the Italians in their colony. And yes, the Germans had had time to react to the Italians' decision to restrict the Tripoli Grand Prix to small cars, a roundabout way of ousting the German machines. In just 7 months, Mercedes developed the W165, which was a kind of scaled-down version of the formidable W125.

During the race, two of the three Maseratis entered had to retire due to engine problems, giving victory to the Mercedes-Benz. Victory came two Grands Prix later, at the Naples Grand Prix, with privateer John Peter Wakefield at the wheel. Luigi Villoresi led the 4CL to victory at the 1940 Targa Florio. For this edition, however, only vehicles from the Axis powers were admitted.

After the war, the 1938-40 machines were used again for grand prix racing. The 4CL was one of the best cars of the late '40s, and Luigi Villoresi again won the 1946 Grand Prix de Nice. The 4CL then evolved into the 4CLT with the adoption of a tubular chassis, and took part in the first seasons of the Formula 1 championship, but Alfa Romeo and Ferrari were ahead of it in terms of performance.

Just one turn away!

The 4CL is always there in historic racing. The A1 Series, a sanctuary for pre-war pioneers, offered a cruel ending for Richard Bradley. The Briton was imperial at the wheel of his Maserati 4CL n°30, which was driven in 1939-40 by Giovanni Rocco and then by Frenchman Robert Mazaud in 1946, at the Marseille Grand Prix among others. Bradley dominated the race from start to finish.

On the last lap, coming out of the Rascasse, with only the Anthony Noguès bend to negotiate, he was just about to receive the honors when a mechanical problem suddenly brought his mount to a screeching halt! A terrible disappointment, which benefited his pursuer Patrick Blakeney-Edwards. With his Frazer-Nash Monoplace n°42, he pulled off the heist of the year. The moment reminded us of a fundamental truth of historic racing formulated by Enzo Ferrari: “to arrive first, you must first arrive”.”.