1950 Formula One season

Italian Giuseppe "Nino" Farina won the World Championship of Drivers, driving for the dominant Alfa Romeo team

The 1950 Formula One season included the inaugural FIA World Championship of Drivers which was contested over a seven race series^[1] which commenced on 13 May and ended on 3 September. The championship consisted of six Grand Prix races, held in Europe and open to Formula One cars, plus the Indianapolis 500, which was run to AAA National Championship regulations. Giuseppe Farina won the championship from Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli.^[1]

Numerous other Formula One races, which did not count towards the World Championship of Drivers, were also held during the year.

Championship summary

The inaugural World Championship of Drivers saw Alfa Romeo dominate with their supercharged 158, a well-developed pre-war design which debuted in 1938; this car won all six championship Grands Prix in 1950. All of the Formula One regulated races in this year were run in Europe- the Indianapolis 500 (which unlike all the other road courses, was run on an oval) was run to American AAA regulations, not to FIA Grand Prix regulations and none of the regular drivers who competed in Europe competed in the 500, and vice versa. Alfa Romeo drivers consequently dominated the championship with Italian Giuseppe "Nino" Farina edging out Argentine teammate Juan Manuel Fangio by virtue of his fourth place in Belgium. Although the Indianapolis 500, which ran to different regulations, was included in the World Championship each year from 1950 to 1960, it attracted very little European participation and, conversely, very few American Indianapolis drivers entered any Grands Prix.

Championship points were awarded to the top five finishers in each race on an 8, 6, 4, 3, 2 basis. 1 point was awarded for the fastest lap of each race. Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of how many laps each driver completed during the race. Only the best four results from the seven races could be retained by each driver for World Championship classification.

Race 1: Britain

The Alfa Romeo team dominated the British Grand Prix at the fast Silverstone circuit in England, locking out the four-car front row of the grid. With King George VI in attendance, Giuseppe Farina won the race from pole position, also setting the fastest lap. The podium was completed by his teammates Luigi Fagioli and Reg Parnell, while the remaining Alfa driver, Juan Manuel Fangio, was forced to retire after experiencing problems with his engine. The final points scorers were the works Talbot-Lagos of Yves Giraud-Cabantous and Louis Rosier, both two laps behind the leaders.^[2]

Race 2: Monaco

Scuderia Ferrari made their World Championship debut around the streets of Monaco. Their leading drivers, Luigi Villoresi and Alberto Ascari had to settle for the third row of the grid, however, while the Alfa Romeos of Fangio and Farina again started from the front row, alongside the privateer Maserati of José Froilán González. Polesitter Fangio took a comfortable victory, also setting the race's fastest lap, a whole lap ahead of Ascari, with the third-placed Louis Chiron a further lap back in the works Maserati. A first-lap accident, caused by the damp track, had eliminated nine of the nineteen starters—including Farina and Fagioli—while González, who had incurred damage in the pile-up, retired on the following lap. Villoresi, although delayed by the accident, had made his way through the field to second place, but was forced to retire with an axle problem. Fangio's win brought him level with Farina in the points standings.^[3]

Race 3: Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500, the third round of the inaugural World Championship of Drivers held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana in the United States was won by the Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser of Johnnie Parsons, ahead of the Deidt-Offenhausers of Bill Holland and Mauri Rose. The race was stopped after 138 of the scheduled 200 laps due to rain.^[4]

Race 4: Switzerland

Alfa Romeo's dominance continued when the World Championship returned to Europe for the Swiss Grand Prix at the tree-lined Bremgarten circuit just outside Bern. Fangio, Farina and Fagioli locked out the front row of the grid for Alfa, while the Ferraris of Villoresi and Ascari started from the second row. Fangio was the initial leader, starting from pole position, but he was passed by Farina on lap seven. Ascari and Villoresi were both able to compete with the third Alfa of Fagioli in the early stages, although both had retired by the ten-lap mark. Farina took the win and the fastest lap, finishing just ahead of Fagioli, while Rosier, in third place as a result of Fangio's retirement, took Talbot-Lago's first podium. Farina's second win of the season put him six points clear of the consistent Fagioli, while Fangio was a further three points behind, having only scored points in one race (in Monaco, where he won).^[5]

Race 5: Belgian Grand Prix

Alfa Romeo took their third front row lockout of the season at the Belgian Grand Prix at the very fast 8.7 mile (14.1 km) Spa-Francorchamps circuit, while the Ferrari of Villoresi shared the second row with the privateer Talbot-Lago of Raymond Sommer. The Alfas were once again untouchable at the start of the race, but when they stopped for fuel, Sommer emerged as an unlikely race leader. His lead, however, was short-lived and he was forced to retire when his engine blew up. Fangio ultimately took the victory, ahead of Fagioli, who again finished second. Rosier again made the podium in his Talbot-Lago. He had been able to pass the polesitter Farina when the Italian picked up transmission problems towards the end of the race. It was not all bad for Farina, however, as he picked up the point for fastest lap. Both Fagioli and Fangio closed the gap to Farina in the points standings—Fagioli was just four points adrift, while Fangio was a further point behind.^[6]

Race 6: France

At Reims-Gueux, Alfa Romeo were largely unchallenged at the French Grand Prix at the very fast Reims-Gueux circuit, due to the withdrawal of the works Ferraris of Ascari and Villoresi. The Alfas produced yet another lockout of the front row of the grid, with Fangio taking pole for the third time in six races. The power of the Alfas suited this public road circuit- made up entirely of long straights, and Farina, starting from second, led for the first quarter of the race before fuel problems put him to the back of the field. He fought his way back to third before he was forced to retire (he was ultimately classified seventh). Fangio picked up the fastest lap on his way to his second consecutive victory. Fagioli finished second for the fourth time out of five starts, while Peter Whitehead, in a privateer Ferrari, took a maiden podium in his first start of the season. Fangio took the championship lead as a result of his victory. Fagioli remained in second, while Farina dropped to third, four points behind his Argentinian teammate.^[7]

Race 7: Italy

The final championship round of the season was the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza Autodrome near Milan, and all three of the regular Alfa Romeo drivers were in contention for the title. If Fangio finished first or second, he would win the title, regardless of what his teammates achieved. If Farina failed to score at least five points, he would be unable to take the title. Fagioli's only chance of becoming World Champion was if he won the race and set the fastest lap; even then he would need Farina to finish no higher than third, and Fangio would have to score no points at all.

Fangio again took pole position, but Alfa Romeo could not make it a fifth front row lockout of the season, as Ascari qualified second for Ferrari. Farina started from third, while Consalvo Sanesi completed the front row in an additional Alfa Romeo. Fagioli could only manage fifth on the grid, alongside the fifth Alfa of Piero Taruffi, the second Ferrari of Dorino Serafini, and Sommer in a Talbot-Lago. Farina took the lead early on, with Ascari and Fangio not far behind. Ascari briefly held the lead, but was forced to retire when his engine overheated. Two laps later, problems with his gearbox meant that Fangio also retired. Taruffi's car, which was now running in second, was taken over by Fangio, although the Argentinian was forced to retire for the second time in the race, this time with engine problems. Ascari took over Serafini's car and ultimately finished second behind Farina, whose victory clinched the title by taking him three points clear of Fangio. Fagioli finished third in the race, and ended up in the same position in the Drivers' Championship standings.^[8]

Championship review

In this first World Championship of Drivers, 14 teams (4 works and 10 independent) participated, along with a number of privately entered cars, in the six European Grands Prix. Only US teams, constructors and drivers participated in the Indianapolis 500. The chassis, engine and car numbers varied from race to race.

Grands Prix

Rnd	Race	Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Constructor	Tyre	Report
1	British Grand Prix	Silverstone	13 May	Giuseppe Farina	Giuseppe Farina	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	P	Report
2	Monaco Grand Prix	Monaco	21 May	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	P	Report
3	Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis	30 May	Walt Faulkner	Johnnie Parsons	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	F	Report
4	Swiss Grand Prix	Bremgarten	4 June	Juan Manuel Fangio	Giuseppe Farina	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	P	Report
5	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps	18 June	Giuseppe Farina	Giuseppe Farina	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	P	Report
6	French Grand Prix	Reims-Gueux	2 July	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	P	Report
7	Italian Grand Prix	Monza	3 September	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	P	Report

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1950 FIA World Championship of Drivers.

Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	Driver	Rounds
Alfa Romeo SpA	Alfa Romeo	158 159	Alfa Romeo 159 LBC 1.5 L8s	P	Juan Manuel Fangio	1–2, 4–7
					Giuseppe Farina	1–2, 4–7
					Luigi Fagioli	1–2, 4–7
					Reg Parnell	1
					Consalvo Sanesi	7
					Piero Taruffi	7
Scuderia Ambrosiana	Maserati	4CLT-48 4CL	Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s	D	David Murray	1, 7
					David Hampshire	1, 6
					Reg Parnell	6
T.A.S.O. Mathieson	ERA	E	ERA 1.5 L6s	D	Leslie Johnson	1
Peter Walker	ERA	E	ERA 1.5 L6s	D	Peter Walker	1
					Tony Rolt	1
Joe Fry	Maserati	4CL	Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s	D	Joe Fry	1
					Brian Shawe-Taylor	1
Cuth Harrison	ERA	B	ERA 1.5 L6s	D	Cuth Harrison	1–2, 7
Bob Gerard	ERA	B A	ERA 1.5 L6s	D	Bob Gerard	1–2
Automobiles Talbot-Darracq	Talbot-Lago	T26C-DA T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Yves Giraud-Cabantous	1, 4–6
					Louis Rosier	1, 4–6
					Philippe Étancelin	1, 5
					Eugène Martin	1, 4
					Pierre Levegh	5–6
Ecurie Belge	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Johnny Claes	1–2, 4–7
Officine Alfieri Maserati	Maserati	4CLT-48	Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s	P	Louis Chiron	1–2, 4, 6–7
					Franco Rol	2, 6–7
Enrico Platé	Maserati	4CLT-48 4CLT-50	Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s	P	Toulo de Graffenried	1–2, 4, 7
					B. Bira	1–2, 4, 7
Joe Kelly	Alta	GP	Alta 1.5 L4s	D	Joe Kelly	1
Geoffrey Crossley	Alta	GP	Alta 1.5 L4s	D	Geoffrey Crossley	1, 5
Scuderia Achille Varzi	Maserati	4CLT-48 4CLT-50 4CL	Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s	P	José Froilán González	2, 6
					Alfredo Pián	2
					Nello Pagani	4
					Toni Branca	4
Horschell Racing Corporation	Cooper-JAP	T12	JAP 1.1 V2	D	Harry Schell	2
Equipe Gordini	Simca-Gordini	T15	Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4s	E	Robert Manzon	2, 6–7
					Maurice Trintignant	2, 7
Philippe Étancelin	Talbot-Lago	T26C T26C-DA	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Philippe Étancelin	2, 4, 6–7
					Eugène Chaboud	6
Ecurie Rosier	Talbot-Lago	T26C T26C-GS	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Louis Rosier	2, 7
					Henri Louveau	7
Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	125	Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s	D P	Peter Whitehead	2, 6–7
Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari	125 166F2-50 275 375	Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s Ferrari 166 F2 2.0 V12 Ferrari 3.3 V12 Ferrari 375 F1 4.5 V12	P	Luigi Villoresi	2, 4–5
					Alberto Ascari	2, 4–5, 7
					Raymond Sommer	2, 4
					Dorino Serafini	7
Scuderia Milano	Maserati	4CLT-50	Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s	P	Felice Bonetto	4
	Milano-Speluzzi[9]	1[9]	Speluzzi 1.5 L4s[9]			7
	Maserati-Milano	4CLT-50	Milano 1.5 L4s			6
					Franco Comotti	7
Ecurie Bleue	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Harry Schell	4
Raymond Sommer	Talbot-Lago	T26C T26C-GS	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Raymond Sommer	5–7
Ecurie Lutetia	Talbot-Lago	T26C-DA	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Eugène Chaboud	5
Antonio Branca	Maserati	4CL	Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s	P	Toni Branca	5
Charles Pozzi	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Charles Pozzi	6
					Louis Rosier	6
Clemente Biondetti	Ferrari-Jaguar	166T	Jaguar XK 3.4 L6	?	Clemente Biondetti	7
Paul Pietsch	Maserati	4CLT-48	Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s	P	Paul Pietsch	7
Guy Mairesse	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Guy Mairesse	7
Pierre Levegh	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Pierre Levegh	7

1950 World Championship of Drivers – final standings

Pos. Driver GBR MON 500 SUI BEL FRA ITA Pts. 1 Giuseppe Farina 1 Ret 1 4 7 1 30 2 Juan Manuel Fangio Ret 1 Ret 1 1 Ret / Ret 27 3 Luigi Fagioli 2 Ret 2 2 2 (3) 24 (28) 4 Louis Rosier 5 Ret 3 3 6† 4 13 5 Alberto Ascari 2 Ret 5 DNS 2† 11 6 Johnnie Parsons 1 9 7 Bill Holland 2 6 8 Prince Bira Ret 5 4 Ret 5 9 Peter Whitehead DNS 3 7 4 = Louis Chiron Ret 3 9 Ret Ret 4 = Reg Parnell 3 Ret 4 = Mauri Rose 3 4 13 Dorino Serafini 2† 3 = Yves Giraud-Cabantous 4 Ret Ret 8 3 = Raymond Sommer 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret 3 = Robert Manzon Ret 4 Ret 3 = Cecil Green 4 3 = Philippe Étancelin 8 Ret Ret Ret 5† 5 3 19 Felice Bonetto 5 Ret DNS 2 20 Eugène Chaboud Ret 5† 1 = Joie Chitwood 5† 1 = Tony Bettenhausen 5† 1 — Toulo de Graffenried Ret Ret 6 6 0 — Bob Gerard 6 6 0 — Luigi Villoresi Ret Ret 6 DNS 0 — Lee Wallard 6 0 — Charles Pozzi 6† 0 — Johnny Claes 11 7 10 8 Ret Ret 0 — Cuth Harrison 7 Ret Ret 0 — Pierre Levegh 7 Ret Ret 0 — Walt Faulkner 7 0 — Nello Pagani 7 0 — Harry Schell Ret 8 0 — George Connor 8 0 — Geoffrey Crossley Ret 9 0 — David Hampshire 9 Ret 0 — Paul Russo 9 0 — Toni Branca 11 10 0 — Pat Flaherty 10 0 — Brian Shawe-Taylor 10† 0 — Joe Fry 10† 0 — Myron Fohr 11 0 — Duane Carter 12 0 — Mack Hellings 13 0 — Jack McGrath 14 0 — Troy Ruttman 15 0 — Gene Hartley 16 0 — Jimmy Davies 17 0 — Johnny McDowell 18 0 — Walt Brown 19 0 — Spider Webb 20 0 — Jerry Hoyt 21 0 — Walt Ader 22 0 — Jackie Holmes 23 0 — Jim Rathmann 24 0 — Joe Kelly NC 0 — Franco Rol Ret Ret Ret 0 — Eugène Martin Ret Ret 0 — José Froilán González Ret Ret 0 — David Murray Ret Ret 0 — Maurice Trintignant Ret Ret 0 — Leslie Johnson Ret 0 — Peter Walker Ret† 0 — Tony Rolt Ret† 0 — Henry Banks Ret 0 — Bill Schindler Ret 0 — Fred Agabashian Ret 0 — Jimmy Jackson Ret 0 — Sam Hanks Ret 0 — Dick Rathmann Ret 0 — Duke Dinsmore Ret 0 — Bayliss Levrett Ret† 0 — Bill Cantrell Ret† 0 — Guy Mairesse Ret 0 — Paul Pietsch Ret 0 — Clemente Biondetti Ret 0 — Henri Louveau Ret 0 — Franco Comotti Ret 0 — Consalvo Sanesi Ret 0 — Piero Taruffi Ret† 0 — Alfredo Pián DNS 0 Pos. Driver GBR MON 500 SUI BEL FRA ITA Pts.

Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Excluded (EX) Did not arrive (DNA) Withdrawn (WD)

• Italics indicate fastest lap (1 point awarded)
• Bold indicates pole position
• † Position shared between more drivers of the same car
• Only the best four results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.

Non-Championship race results

The following Formula One races, which did not count towards the World Championship of Drivers, were also held in 1950.

Race Name	Circuit	Date	Winning driver	Constructor	Report
XI Pau Grand Prix	Pau	10 April	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	Report
II Richmond Trophy	Goodwood	10 April	Reg Parnell	Maserati	Report
V San Remo Grand Prix	Ospedaletti	16 April	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	Report
IV Grand Prix de Paris	Montlhéry	30 April	Georges Grignard	Talbot-Lago	Report
XII British Empire Trophy	Douglas	15 June	Bob Gerard	ERA	Report
IV Gran Premio di Bari	Lungomare	9 July	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	Report
IV J.C.C. Jersey Road Race	Saint Helier	13 July	Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	Report
XII Circuit de l'Albigeois	Albi	16 July	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	Report
I Grote Prijs van Nederland	Zandvoort	23 July	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	Report
III Grand Prix des Nations	Geneve	30 July	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	Report
I Nottingham Trophy	Gamston	7 August	David Hampshire	Maserati	Report
IV Ulster Trophy	Dundrod	12 August	Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	Report
XIX Coppa Acerbo	Pescara	15 August	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	Report
I Sheffield Telegraph Trophy	Gamston	19 August	Cuth Harrison	ERA	Report
II BRDC International Trophy	Silverstone	26 August	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	Report
III Goodwood Trophy	Goodwood	30 September	Reg Parnell	BRM	Report
X Gran Premio de Penya Rhin	Pedralbes	29 October	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	Report
Chilean Grand Prix	Pedro de Valdivia Norte Circuit	17 December	Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari	Report

References

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