Alfa Romeo P2 1924 P2 Category Grand Prix Constructor Alfa Romeo Team/s Alfa Corse Designer Vittorio Jano Predecessor Alfa Romeo P1 Successor Alfa Romeo Tipo A Drivers 1924 + Antonio Ascari, Giuseppe Campari, Louis Wagner, Ferdinando Minoia, Gastone Brilli-Peri Chassis Suspension (front) Rigid Axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, friction shocks Suspension (rear) Live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, friction shocks Engine Front mounted, Alfa Romeo,Straight-8 Twin Roots Superchargers 2 Memini carburettors, 1,987 cc, (61 x 85 mm) @ 5500 rpm (1924) @ 5500 rpm (1925) Gearbox Alfa Romeo 4 speed manual Wheelbase Track Front , Rear Dry weight Fuel Tyres Debut 1924 Cremona Circuit, Antonio Ascari, 1st Races competed Constructors' Championships 1925 Automobile World Championship Drivers' Championships Not applicable before 1950 Race victories 15 Last season 1930
The Alfa Romeo P2 won the inaugural Automobile World Championship in 1925, taking victory in two of the four championship rounds when Antonio Ascari drove it in the European Grand Prix at Spa and Gastone Brilli-Peri won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza after Ascari died while leading the intervening race at Montlhery.
Although 1925 brought drastic changes of regulations, from 1924 to 1930 the P2 was victorious in 14 Grands Prix and major events including the Targa Florio. It was one of the iconic Grand Prix cars of the 1920s, along with the Bugatti Type 35, and enabled Alfa Romeo, as world champions, to incorporate the laurel wreath into their logo.
The P2 was introduced by Alfa Romeo for the Circuit of Cremona in northern Italy in 1924, where Antonio Ascari won at over , and then went on to win the speed trial at . The car was the first creation of Alfa's new designer Vittorio Jano who had been recruited from Fiat by Enzo Ferrari when Nicola Romeo scrapped the P1 after its poor performance in the 1923 Monza Grand Prix against Fiat. The P2 was powered by Alfa's first straight-8 cylinder supercharged engine with 2 carburettors placed after the compressor.
Only 2 of the 6 original models survive, and they can be seen in the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese and the Turin Automobile Museum. The P2 had two body styles using either a cut off or long rear.
One of the P2s was featured on the main sculpture at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed.AUSmotive.com 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed Retrieved 2010-07-01.
Technical data
Technical data P2 Engine: Front mounted 8-cylinder in-line engine displacement: 1987 cm3 Bore x stroke: 61 x 85mm Max power: 140 hp (1924) - 175 hp (1930) Valve control: 2 overhead camshafts, 2 valves per cylinder Upload: Roots compressor Gearbox: 4-speed manual suspension front: Stiff front axle, longitudinal leaf springs, friction shock absorbers suspension rear: Stiff rear axle, longitudinal leaf springs, friction shock absorbers Brakes: Mechanical drum brakes Wheelbase: 262 cm Dry weight: About 600 kg Top speed: About 225 km/h
Major victories Year Race Driver Report1924 Cremona Grand Prix Antonio Ascari Report French Grand Prix Giuseppe Campari Report Italian Grand Prix Antonio Ascari Report1925 Belgian Grand Prix Antonio Ascari Report Italian Grand Prix Gastone Brilli-Peri Report 1927 Coppa Acerbo Giuseppe Campari Report 1928 Coppa Acerbo Giuseppe Campari Report1929 Alessandria Grand Prix Achille Varzi Report Rome Grand Prix Achille Varzi Report Coppa Montenero Achille Varzi Report Monza Grand Prix Achille Varzi Report Cremona Grand Prix Gastone Brilli-Peri Report Tunis Grand Prix Gastone Brilli-Peri Report1930 Alessandria Grand Prix Achille Varzi Report Targa Florio Achille Varzi Report
References
External links The Golden Age by Leif Snellman