1932 Australian Grand Prix
# 1932 Australian Grand Prix

The 1932 Australian Grand Prix was a motor race held at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia on 14 March 1932. It was the fifth Australian Grand Prix and the fifth to be held at Phillip Island.

The race was organized by the Light Car Club of Australia, formerly known as the Victorian Light Car Club, and was limited to cars having an engine with a piston displacement of 2000cc or less. It was the first Australian Grand Prix to be decided on a straight handicap basis, with the winner being the first car to complete the 31 laps. The two "scratch" competitors had to concede starts ranging up to 29 minutes, equating to an advantage of four laps. The previous practice of cars contesting four classes was discontinued. Weather conditions were reported to be "ideal".

The race, in which there were 18 starters, was won by Bill Thompson driving a Bugatti. Thompson was also awarded the Herald Trophy for recording the fastest time of the race.

## Classification

| Pos | No. | Driver | Entrant | Car | Handicap | Laps | Handicap time | Actual time |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Bill Thompson | Woolworth Tyre Co | Bugatti Type 37A s/c | Scratch | 31 | 3h 15m 11s | 2h 40m 11s |
| 2 | 12 | Geoff Disher | G Disher | Salmson | 16 min | 31 | 3h 19m 11s | 3h 00m 07s |
| 3 | 5 | Cyril Dickason | Austin Distributors P/L | Austin 7 Ulster | 8 min | 31 | 3h 24m 28s | 2h 57m 28s |
| 4 | 9 | Mert Wreford | M Wreford | Bugatti Brescia | 15 min | 31 | 3h 28m 51s | 3h 08m 51s |
| 5 | 3 | Carl Junker | C Junker | Bugatti Type 39 | 4 min | 31 | 3h 34m 27s | 3h 03m 27s |
| 6 | 22 | Bill Northam | J Wall | Austin 7 s/c | 29 min | 31 | 3h 36m 24s | 3h 30m 24s |
| 7 | 20 | Les Jennings | L Jennings | Morris Cowley | 26 min | 31 | 3h 39m 31s | 3h 30m 31s |
| 8 | 18 | Clarrie May | Austin Distributors P/L | Austin 7 s/c | 26 min | 31 | 3h 40m 36s | 3h 31m 36s |
| 9 | 14 | Bill Williamson | W Johnson | Riley | 18 min | 31 | 3h 58m 07s | 3h 41m 07s |
| 10 | 4 | Barney Dentry | G Dentry | Riley Brooklands | 6 min | 31 | 4h 11m 55s | 3h 41m 55s |
| Ret | 16 | Graham Tucker | Rhodes Motor Co. P/L | Triumph s/c | 20 min | 16 | | |
| Ret | 7 | Harold Drake Richmond | H Drake Richmond | Bugatti Type 37 | 10 min | ? | | |
| Ret | 2 | Arthur Terdich | AJ Terdich | Bugatti Type 37A s/c | Scratch | 8 | | |
| Ret | 15 | Alan Chamberlain | A Chamberlain | Chamberlain Special | 19 min | 4 | | |
| Ret | 11 | Ken Hopkins | K Hopkins | Bugatti Brescia | 15 min | 3+ | | |
| Ret | 6 | Bill Lowe | WH Lowe | Lombard AL3 | 10 min | 3+ | | |
| Ret | 19 | Ken McKinney | K McKinney | Austin 7 | 26 min | 2 | | |
| Ret | 8 | Albert Edwards | A Edwards | Alvis FWD s/c | 10 min | 1 | | |
| DNS (#) | 21 | Jack Sidebottom | J Sidebottom | Singer | 28 min | – | | |
| DNS (##) | 17 | Compton Jones | HC Jones | Austin 12 | 23 min | – | | |

(#) Sidebottom's Singer was excluded at scrutineering.

(##) The Austin 12 of Compton Jones was withdrawn after its engine suffered a piston failure during practice.

