The 1950 Formula One season was the fourth season of the FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the inaugural FIA World Championship of Drivers, which was contested over seven races between 13 May and 3 September 1950. The only one outside of Europe was the Indianapolis 500, which was run to AAA National Championship regulations. No Formula One drivers competed in the Indy 500 or vice versa. Finally, the season also included several non-championship races for Formula One cars.
Alfa Romeo entered a supercharged 158, a well-developed pre-war design that debuted in 1938, and managed to win all six races they competed in. Italian Giuseppe "Nino" Farina and Argentine teammate Juan Manuel Fangio both won three races and set three fastest laps each. But Fangio did not score points in the other three races, while Farina finished fourth in Belgium, handing him the championship.
Teams and drivers The following teams and drivers competed in the 1950 FIA World Championship of Drivers. The cars were entered by 30 teams; 4 works teams (Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati, and Talbot-Lago) and 26 privateer teams. The list does not include those that only contested the Indianapolis 500.
Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre Driver Rounds Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo 158159 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8 s Juan Manuel Fangio 1–2, 4–7 Giuseppe Farina 1–2, 4–7 Luigi Fagioli 1–2, 4–7 Reg Parnell 1 1 Consalvo Sanesi 7 Piero Taruffi 7 Scuderia Ambrosiana Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s David Murray 1, 6-7 David Hampshire 1, 6 Reg Parnell 4, 6-7 T.A.S.O. Mathieson ERA E ERA 1.5 L6 s Leslie Johnson 1 Peter Walker ERA E ERA 1.5 L6 s Peter Walker 1 Tony Rolt 1 Raymond MaysERADERA 1.5 L6 s Raymond Mays1 Joe Fry Maserati 4CL Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4 s Joe Fry 1 Brian Shawe-Taylor Duncan HamiltonMaserati4CLMaserati 4CL 1.5 L4 s Duncan Hamilton1 Cuth Harrison ERA B ERA 1.5 L6 s Cuth Harrison 1–2, 7 Bob Gerard ERA BA ERA 1.5 L6 s Bob Gerard 1–2 Automobiles Talbot-Darracq Talbot-Lago T26C-DAT26CT26C-GS Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Yves Giraud-Cabantous 1-2, 4–6 Louis Rosier 1, 4–6 Philippe Étancelin 1, 5 Eugène Martin 1, 4 Raymond Sommer 6 Ecurie Belge Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Johnny Claes 1–2, 4–7 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s Louis Chiron 1–2, 4, 6–7 Franco Rol 2, 4, 6–7 Scuderia MilanoMaserati-Speluzzi4CLT/50Speluzzi 1.5 L4 s Felice Bonetto1, 4, 6 Clemente Biondetti2 Franco Comotti7Milano-Speluzzi1 Felice Bonetto7 Enrico Platé Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s Toulo de Graffenried 1–2, 4, 7 Birabongse Bhanudej 1–2, 4, 7Talbot-LagoTalbot-Lago 700Talbot 700 1.5 L8s Luigi Platé7 Franco Bordoni7 Joe Kelly Alta GP Alta 1.5 L4 s Joe Kelly 1 Geoffrey Crossley Alta GP Alta 1.5 L4 s Geoffrey Crossley 1, 5 Scuderia Achille Varzi Maserati 4CLT/484CL Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 sMaserati 4CL 1.5 L4 s José Froilán González 2, 6 Alfredo Pián 2 Nello Pagani 4 Toni Branca 4 Franco Comotti 6 Horschell Racing Corporation Cooper-JAP T12 JAP 1.1 V2 Harry Schell 2 Equipe Gordini Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s Robert Manzon 2, 6–7 Maurice Trintignant 2, 7 André Simon2 Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago T26CT26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Philippe Étancelin 2, 4, 6-7 Eugène Chaboud6 Ecurie Rosier Talbot-Lago T26CT26C-GS Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Louis Rosier 2, 7 Charles Pozzi2 Henri Louveau 7 Pierre Levegh Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Pierre Levegh 2, 5–7 Peter Whitehead Ferrari 125 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12 s Peter Whitehead 2, 4, 6–7 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 125166F2-50275375 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12 sFerrari 166 F2 2.0 V12Ferrari 275 F1 3.3 V12Ferrari 375 F1 4.5 V12 Luigi Villoresi 2, 4–6 Alberto Ascari 2, 4–7 Raymond Sommer 2, 4 Giovanni Bracco7 Dorino Serafini 7 Ecurie Bleue Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Harry Schell 4 Ecurie EspadonSVA-FiatSVA 1500Fiat L4s Rudi Fischer4 Raymond Sommer Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Raymond Sommer 5, 7 Ecurie Lutetia Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Eugène Chaboud 5–6 Antonio Branca Maserati 4CL Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4 s Toni Branca 5 Charles Pozzi Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Charles Pozzi 6 Louis Rosier 6 Clemente Biondetti Ferrari-Jaguar Biondetti/166 SC Jaguar XK 3.4 L6 Clemente Biondetti 7 Paul Pietsch Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s Paul Pietsch 7 Luigi de FilippisMaserati4CLT/48Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s Luigi de Filippis7 Guy Mairesse Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Guy Mairesse 7
– Entry cancelled prior to the event. – Did not attend on British Grand Prix – Did not attend on Monaco Grand Prix – Entry withdrawn prior to event. – Did not attend on Swiss Grand Prix – Did not attend on French Grand Prix – Chaboud originally entered his own Talbot for the French Grand Prix but did not start the race, and instead co-drove with Philippe Étancelin. – Did not attend on Italian Grand Prix – Substitute driver wasn't used at the Grand Prix.
Calendar
Round Grand Prix Circuit Date 1 British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone 13 May 2 Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo 21 May 3 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway 30 May 4 Swiss Grand Prix Circuit Bremgarten, Bern 4 June 5 Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot 18 June 6 French Grand Prix Reims-Gueux, Gueux 2 July 7 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza 3 September
Championship summary
Round 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.
Round 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, 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.
Round 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 Diedt-Offenhausers of Bill Holland and Mauri Rose. The race was stopped after 138 of the scheduled 200 laps due to rain.
Round 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 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 Farina passed him 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 due to 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).
Round 5: Belgium
Alfa Romeo took their third front row lockout of the season at the Belgian Grand Prix at the speedy 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. 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.
Round 6: France
Alfa Romeo was largely unchallenged at the French Grand Prix, held at the high-speed 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 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.
Round 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 where his teammates finished. 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, Fangio also retired due to problems with his gearbox. 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 clinched the same position in the Drivers' Championship standings.
Results and standings Grands Prix