Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh (; ; 15 July 191423 December 1985), commonly known as Prince Bira of Siam or simply Prince Bira, was a member of the Thai royal family. Bira was also a racing driver, sailor and pilot, who competed in Formula One from to and at four editions of the Summer Olympics between 1956 and 1972.
A member of the Chakri dynasty, Bira studied at Eton College before he began competing in Grand Prix motor racing in 1935, later advancing to Formula One for its inaugural season. He competed for several teams including Platé, Gordini, Connaught, Milano and Maserati, amongst other privateer entries in Maserati machinery. Across five seasons and 19 Grands Prix, Bira scored several points finishes, including fourth-placed finishes at the 1950 Swiss Grand Prix and the 1954 French Grand Prix, amongst two non-championship race victories. He remained the only Southeast Asian to compete in Formula One until Malaysian driver Alex Yoong in , and the only Thai driver until Alexander Albon in . Outside of Formula One, Bira won the New Zealand Grand Prix in 1955, driving the Maserati 250F.
Bira also competed in sailing events at four Summer Olympic Games and was an amateur pilot, undertaking several long-distance flights in light aircraft and gliders; in 1952 he flew from London to Bangkok in his own twin-engine Miles Gemini. During the Second World War, when motor racing was suspended, he applied his aviation skills to the training of Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilots, later serving as chief instructor at the St Merryn Royal Naval Air Station with a specialisation in glider-pilot instruction.
Bira is credited with establishing the racing colours of Thailand: pale blue and yellow. Upon his death in December 1985, the Bira Circuit was built in his honour, becoming the first motor racing circuit in Thailand to meet FIA standards.
Early life
Bira's parents were Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse and his second wife. Bira's paternal grandfather was King Mongkut, loosely portrayed in the Hollywood movies The King and I and Anna and the King. His mother died when Bira was only four years old. Bira was sent to Europe in 1927 to complete his education in England at Eton College, where he joined one of his nephews, a grandchild of his father through his first marriage. In 1951 he raced in an old Maserati 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 a newer car, 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; he retired at the end of that season.
Bira returned to racing for the one-off Macau Grand Prix Race of Giants in 1978, finishing 13th.
Training RAF pilots during World War II
F1 drivers are sometimes referred to as "pilots," a description that also applied to Bira, who had a strong interest in aviation, he undertook several long-distance journeys in light aircraft and gliders, and in 1952 flew from London to Bangkok in his own twin-engine Miles Gemini. During World War II, when motor racing was suspended, Bira applied his skills to training fighter pilots for Britain's Royal Air Force. He eventually became chief instructor at the St Merryn Royal Naval Air Station, specialising in glider-pilot instruction.
Sailing
Bira competed in sailing events at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics in the Star, 1960 Rome Olympics in the Star, 1964 Tokyo Olympics in the Dragon and the 1972 Munich Olympics in the Tempest. In the 1960 Games he competed against another former Formula One driver, Roberto Mieres, who finished seventeenth, ahead of the prince at nineteenth.
Death
Bira died at Barons Court tube station in London on 23 December 1985. He collapsed and died having suffered a major heart attack, but as he carried no identification with him, his body could not initially be identified. A handwritten note was found in his pocket by the Metropolitan Police and was sent for analysis at the University of London, where it was shown as being written in Thai and addressed to Bira. The Thai Embassy was notified, and realised his significance. A Thai funeral service was held at the Wat Buddhapadipa in Wimbledon, and he was later cremated according to Thai and Buddhist tradition and customs.
Other honors
Bira Circuit, based just outside Pattaya, Thailand, is named after Bira.
In 2016, in an academic paper that reported a mathematical modeling study that assessed the relative influence of driver and machine, Bira was ranked the forty-third best Formula One driver of all time.
Development of the Thai racing colours
Bira was instrumental in developing and setting the national racing colours of Thailand. The base colour for the scheme, a mid to pale powder blue, was adopted by Bira in 1934, and was derived from the evening dress of a young woman that Bira met during his early years in London. Initially the cars were painted solely in blue, but gradually Bira added in some yellow to offset the base colour. He started painting the cars' chassis rails yellow in 1939.
Racing record
Career highlights
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%"
|-
! Season
! Series
! Position
! Team
! Car
|-
!rowspan=3| 1936
| I Prince Rainier Cup
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
| rowspan=3|B. Bira
| rowspan=3|ERA R2B
|-
| XII Picardy Grand Prix
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|-
|-
| IV Albi Grand Prix
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|-
!rowspan=2|1937
| I Campbell Trophy
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
| rowspan=2|B. Bira
| Maserati 8CM
|-
|London Grand Prix
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
| ERA R2B
|-
!rowspan=2|1938
|II Campbell Trophy
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|
| ERA R2B
|-
|Cork Grand Prix
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|Prince Chula of Siam
|Maserati 8CM
|-
!1939
|III Campbell Trophy
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|
|ERA R2B
|-
!1946
|I Ulster Trophy
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|
|Maserati 4CL
|-
!1947
|XVII Grand Prix des Frontières
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|
|Maserati 4CL
|-
!rowspan=2|1948
|Stockholm Grand Prix
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|Equipe Gordini
|Simca-Gordini T15
|-
|I Zandvoort Grand Prix
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|
|Maserati 4CLT-48
|-
!rowspan=6|1949
|IV Roussillon Grand Prix
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|Prince Bira
|rowspan=6|Maserati 4CLT-48
|-
|IV San Remo Grand Prix
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|Scuderia Ambrosiana
|-
|II Mar del Plata Grand Prix
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|White Motorsports
|-
|VI French Grand Prix
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|rowspan=3|Enrico Platé
|-
|XI Albi Grand Prix
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|-
|XIX Italian Grand Prix
!style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3rd
|-
!rowspan=3|1950
|III Goodwood Trophy
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|rowspan=3|Enrico Platé
|rowspan=3|Maserati 4CLT-48
|-
|RAC Woodcote Trophy
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|-
|FIA Formula One World Championship
|style="text-align:center;"|8th
|-
!1951
|III Richmond Trophy
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|Ecurie Siam
|Maserati 4CLT-48
|-
!1952
|XII Marseille Grand Prix
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|Equipe Gordini
|Simca-Gordini T15
|-
!rowspan=4|1954
|XXIV Grand Prix des Frontières
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|rowspan=4|Prince Bira
|Maserati A6GCM
|-
|Rouen Grand Prix
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|rowspan=3|Maserati 250F
|-
|XXIII Pescara Grand Prix
!style="background:#DFDFDF"| 2nd
|-
|FIA Formula One World Championship
|style="text-align:center;"|17th
|-
!rowspan=2|1955
|III New Zealand Grand Prix
! style="background:#FFFFBF"| 1st
|rowspan=2|Prince Bira
|rowspan=2|Maserati 250F
|-
|VII BRDC International Trophy
!style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3rd
|-
|}
Complete European Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
!
! Pts
|-
| 1938
! Squadra Sabauda
! Maserati 8CM
! Maserati 3.0 L8
| FRA
| GER
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SUI<br /><small>14</small>
| ITA
!colspan=2| —
|-
!colspan=10|
|}
Post-World War II Grandes Épreuves results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
|-
|rowspan=3| 1947
! Enrico Platé
! Maserati 4CL
! Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4 s
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SUI<br/>
|
|
|
|
|-
! Ecurie Souris Blanche
! ERA B
! ERA 1.5 L6 s
|
| style="background:#FFFFFF;"| BEL<br/>
|
|
|
|-
! Scuderia Milano
! Maserati 4CL
! Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4 s
|
|
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ITA<br/>
| FRA
|
|-
|rowspan=4| 1948
! Equipe Gordini
! Simca Gordini T15
! Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MON<br/>
|
|
|
|
|-
! Enrico Platé
! Maserati 4CL
! Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4 s
|
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SUI<br/>
|
|
|
|-
! Prince Chula
! ERA B
! ERA 1.5 L6 s
|
|
| style="background:#FFFFFF;"| FRA<br/>
|
|
|-
! Scuderia Ferrari
! Ferrari 125
! Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12 s
|
|
|
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ITA<br/>
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1949
! Prince Chula
!rowspan=2| Maserati 4CLT/48
!rowspan=2| Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| GBR<br/>
| BEL
|
|
|
|-
! Enrico Platé
|
|
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SUI<br/>
| style="background:#DFDFDF;"| FRA<br/>
| style="background:#FFDF9F;"| ITA<br/>
|-
!colspan=9|
|}
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
!
! Pts
|-
| 1950
! Enrico Platé
! Maserati 4CLT/48
! Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | GBR<br />
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" | MON<br />
| 500
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" | SUI<br />
| BEL
| FRA
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | ITA<br />
|
|
! 8th
! 5
|-
|rowspan=2| 1951
!rowspan=2| Ecurie Siam
!rowspan=2| Maserati 4CLT/48
! Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s
| SUI
| 500
| BEL
| FRA<br /><small>DNA</small>
| GBR
| GER<br /><small>DNA</small>
| ITA
|
|
!rowspan=2| NC
!rowspan=2| 0
|-
! OSCA 4500 4.5 V12
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | ESP<br />
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1952
!rowspan=2| Equipe Gordini
! Gordini T15
! Gordini 1500 1.5 L4
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | SUI<br />
| 500
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | BEL<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
!rowspan=2| NC
!rowspan=2| 0
|-
! Gordini T16
! Gordini 20 2.0 L6
|
|
|
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | FRA<br />
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | GBR<br />
| GER
| NED
| ITA
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1953
! Connaught Engineering
! Connaught Type A
! Lea-Francis 2.0 L4
| ARG
| 500
| NED
| BEL
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | FRA<br />
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | GBR<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | GER<br />
| SUI
|
!rowspan=2| NC
!rowspan=2| 0
|-
! Scuderia Milano
! Maserati A6GCM
! Maserati A6 2.0 L6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | ITA<br />
|-
|rowspan=2| 1954
! Officine Alfieri Maserati
! Maserati A6GCM
! Maserati A6 2.0 L6
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | ARG<br />
| 500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!rowspan=2| 17th
!rowspan=2| 3
|-
! Prince Bira
! Maserati 250F
! Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6
|
|
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | BEL<br />
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" | FRA<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | GBR<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | GER<br />
| SUI
| ITA
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | ESP<br />
|-
| 1955
! Prince Bira
! Maserati 250F
! Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6
| ARG
| MON
| 500
| BEL<br /><small>DNA</small>
| NED
| GBR
| ITA
|
|
! NC
! 0
|}
Complete non-championship Formula One results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! 18
! 19
! 20
! 21
! 22
! 23
! 24
! 25
! 26
! 27
! 28
! 29
! 30
! 31
! 32
! 33
! 34
! 35
! 36
|-
| 1950
! Enrico Platé
! Maserati 4CLT/48
! Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s
| PAU
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | RIC<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | SRM<br />
| PAR
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | EMP<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | BAR<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | JER<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | ALB<br />
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" | NED<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | NAT<br />
| NOT
| ULS
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PES<br />
| STT
| INT
| style="background:#dfdfdf;" | GOO<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PEN<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1951
! Enrico Platé
!rowspan=2| Maserati 4CLT/48
! Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | SYR<br />
| PAU
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! Ecurie Siam
! OSCA 4500 4.5 V12
|
|
| style="background:#ffffbf;" | RIC<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | SRM<br />
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" | BOR<br />
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | INT<br />
| PAR
| ULS
| SCO
| NED
| ALB
| PES
| BAR
| GOO
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3| 1952
! Equipe Gordini
! Gordini T15
! Gordini 1500 1.5 L4
| RIO
| SYR
| VAL
| AUS
| RIC
| LAV
| PAU
| IBS
| style="background:#dfdfdf;" | MAR<br />
| AST
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | INT<br />
| ELA
| NAP
| EIF
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PAR<br />
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | AGP<br />
| FRO
|
|
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" | LAC<br />
| WEC
|
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" | SAB<br />
| CEA
| DMT
| COM
| NAT
| BAU
| MOD
| CAD
| SKA
| MAD
| AVU
| JOE
| NEW
| RIO
|-
! B Bira
! Maserati 4CLT/48
! OSCA 4500 4.5 V12
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | ULS<br />
| MNZ
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! Equipe Gordini
! Gordini T16
! Gordini 20 2.0 L6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" | MAR<br />
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1953
! Ecurie Siam
! Maserati A6GCM
! Maserati A6 2.0 L6
| SYR
| PAU
| LAV
| AST
| style="background:#DFFFDF;" | INT<br />
| ELA
| NAP
| ULS
| WIN
| COR
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | FRO<br />
| SNE
| style="background:#CFCFFF;" | EIF<br />
| AGP
| COU
| WEC
| MID
| ROU
| CRY
| style="background:#EFCFFF;" | AVU<br />
| USA
| LAC
| BRI
| MCM
| SAB
| NEW
| CAD
| RED
| SKA
| LON
| MOD
| MAD
| JOE
| CUR
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2| 1954
! Officine Alfieri Maserati
! Maserati A6GCM
! Maserati Straight-6
| RIO
| NZM
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BUE<br />
| SYR
| PAU
| LAV
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! Prince Bira
! Maserati 250F
! Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6
|
|
|
|
|
|
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BOR<br />
| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INT<br />
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BAR<br />
| CUR
| ROM
| style="background:#ffffbf;"| FRO<br />
| COM
| BAF
| CRY
| style="background:#dfdfdf;"| ROU<br />
| style="background:#DFFFDF;"| CAE<br />
| AUG
| COM
| OUL
| RED
| style="background:#dfdfdf;"| PES<br />
| JOE
| CAD
| GBE
| GOO
| DAI
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
| 1955
! Prince Bira
! Maserati 250F
! Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| VAL<br />
| PAU
| GLO
| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| BOR<br />
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| INT<br />
| NAP
| ALB
| CUR
| COR
| LON
| DAR
| RED
| DAT
| OUT
| AVO
| SYR
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!colspan="40"|
|}
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! Team
! Co-Drivers
! Car
! Class
! Laps
!
!
|-
! 1939
|align="left"| Raymond Sommer
|align="left"| Raymond Sommer
|align="left"| Alfa Romeo 6C 2500SS
| 3.0
| 173
| DNF
| DNF
|-
! 1954
|align="left"| Aston Martin Lagonda
|align="left"| Peter Collins
|align="left"| Aston Martin DB3S Coupé
| S 3.0
| 138
| DNF
| DNF
|-
!colspan="8"|
|}
Ancestry
Notes
See also
- Chakri dynasty
- Formula One drivers from Thailand
- List of royal Olympians
References
External links
- text: Autocourse site
- Malcolm Campbell and Prince Bira photo: The Brooklands Society site
- pre-war pictures many photos: The Brooklands Society site
- His personal life text.
- A brief biography grandprix.com
- Snellman, L. 2000. The Prince and I, 8W.
- Prince Bira at The Crittenden Automotive Library , full F1 race-by-race statistics
- "Blue Wings to Bangkok" written by Bira 1953