In any optic, the year 1939 was an interesting year. The year all madness would merge after Nazi Germany would invade Poland after a false flag operation. The first signs were clear in 1939 also in the motorsport. While there was a Grand Prix Season going on there were only Auto Union and Mercedes who appeared at the tracks. It is on the only time in the history of Formula One and Grand Prix Racing that no driver won the championship. Only from one car is known an attempt was made to debut in Grand Prix Racing that season.
The Dutch Auto Union – De Vos Monoposto
This is an interesting design and attempt from Dutchman A.J. de Vos from Strijensas. Inspired by the Auto Unions in the mid-1930s he started somewhere early in 1937 with the design and construction of the “De Vos Monoposto”. That same year he asked a company in Rotterdam if they were able to construct his voiturette. The car was in late 1937 finished. Eventually A.J. fitted a Ford V8 engine in the back of the car. The car was to debut during the 1939 Dutch Grand Prix on the streets of Zandvoort. However, the car was seen too heavy and he withdrew the monoposto. What exactly happened after the war is unknown. The car did survive the war, and eventually ended up at some exhibition in the 1960s. Only be lost since. Read the story in English here and in Dutch here.
