1950 Italian Grand Prix
# 1950 Italian Grand Prix

The 1950 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 3 September 1950 at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. It was race 7 of 7 in the 1950 World Championship of Drivers. In this race, Nino Farina became the first World Drivers' Champion, and the only driver to win the title in his home country.

## Background

After Juan Manuel Fangio's win at the French Grand Prix, Fangio had obtained 26 points, two ahead of teammate Luigi Fagioli and four ahead of another teammate, Giuseppe Farina. Having already finished four times in the points (all second places), Fagioli would only be able to drop six points or not gain at all, while Fangio and Farina had only finished three times. All three of Fangio's finishes were wins.

To win the championship,

* For Fangio:
   * Win or come 2nd to guarantee the title.
   * Come 3rd, 4th or 5th with Farina 2nd or lower.
   * With the fastest lap only, Farina 3rd or lower.
   * Scoring no points, Farina would have to finish 3rd or lower without the fastest lap, 4th with; and Fagioli not to win with the fastest lap.
* For Fagioli:
   * Win the race with the fastest lap, with Farina 3rd or lower, and Fangio not to score any points.
* For Farina:
   * Win with the fastest lap, and Fangio 3rd or lower.
   * Win without the fastest lap, and Fangio 4th or lower.
   * 2nd with fastest lap, and Fangio 5th or lower without fastest lap.
   * 3rd with fastest lap, and Fangio not to score.

## Entries

| No | Driver | Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | Johnny Claes | Ecurie Belge | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 4 | Franco Rol | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 6 | Louis Chiron | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 8 | Peter Whitehead | Peter Whitehead | Ferrari | Ferrari 125 | Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s | D |
| 10 | Nino Farina | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo 159 | Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s | P |
| 12 | Raymond Sommer | Raymond Sommer | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 14 | Giovanni Bracco | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 125 | Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s | P |
| 16 | Alberto Ascari | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 375 | Ferrari 375 F1 4.5 V12 | P |
| 18 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo 159 | Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s | P |
| 20 | Luigi de Filippis | De Filippis | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 22 | Clemente Biondetti | Clemente Biondetti | Ferrari-Jaguar | Biondetti/166 SC | Jaguar XK 3.4 L6 | P |
| 24 | Philippe Étancelin | Philippe Étancelin | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 26 | Reg Parnell | Scuderia Ambrosiana | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | D |
| 28 | Paul Pietsch | Paul Pietsch | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 30 | Prince Bira | Enrico Platé | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 32 | Cuth Harrison | Cuth Harrison | ERA | ERA B | ERA 1.5 L6s | D |
| 34 | Luigi Platé | Enrico Platé | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago 700 | Talbot 700 1.5 L8s | D |
| 36 | Luigi Fagioli | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo 158 | Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s | P |
| 38 | Toulo de Graffenried | Enrico Platé | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 40 | Guy Mairesse | Guy Mairesse | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 42 | Maurice Trintignant | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini | Simca-Gordini T15 | Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4s | E |
| 44 | Robert Manzon | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini | Simca-Gordini T15 | Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4s | E |
| 46 | Consalvo Sanesi | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo 158 | Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s | P |
| 48 | Dorino Serafini | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 375 | Ferrari 375 F1 4.5 V12 | P |
| 50 | David Murray | Scuderia Ambrosiana | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | D |
| 52 | Felice Bonetto | Scuderia Milano | Milano-Speluzzi | Milano 1 | Speluzzi 1.5 L4s | P |
| 56 | Pierre Levegh | Pierre Levegh | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 58 | Louis Rosier | Ecurie Rosier | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 60 | Piero Taruffi | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo 158 | Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s | P |
| 62 | Franco Comotti | Scuderia Milano | Maserati-Milano | Maserati 4CLT/50 | Milano 1.5 L4s | P |
| 64 | Henri Louveau | Ecurie Rosier | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C-GS | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 66 | Franco Bordoni | Enrico Platé | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago 700 | Talbot 700 1.5 L8s | D |
| Sources: |||||||

    ^1 — Giovanni Bracco, Luigi de Filippis, Reg Parnell, Luigi Platé and Franco Bordoni all withdrew from the event prior to practice.
    ^2 — Dorino Serafini qualified and drove 47 laps of the race in the #48 Ferrari. Alberto Ascari, whose own vehicle had already retired, took over Serafini's car for the remaining 33 laps of the race.
    ^3 — Piero Taruffi qualified and drove 25 laps of the race in the #60 Alfa Romeo. Juan Manuel Fangio, whose own Alfa had already retired, took over Taruffi's car for a further 9 laps before again being forced to retire.

## Race report

Ferrari pulled out all the stops to impress at their home circuit, producing a new unsupercharged 4½ litre engine to try to end the Alfa Romeo monopoly. Alberto Ascari used it to achieve second place on the grid to Juan Manuel Fangio's Alfa Romeo 158 and then in the race behind the fast starting Nino Farina (Alfa Romeo 158) before briefly leading. The pace was too punishing for the new car and a porous block broke on lap 20 and the battle returned as usual to the Alfas. Fangio retired twice; once in his own Alfa Romeo 158 and a second time after taking over Piero Taruffi's. Farina led to the finish from Ascari who was now in teammate Dorino Serafini's Ferrari 375 with Luigi Fagioli finishing third in his Alfa Romeo 158. Louis Rosier finish fourth in his Talbot-Lago T26C with Philippe Étancelin fifth in his Lago-Talbot. Étancelin would become the oldest driver to ever score a world championship point with that finish. Only seven cars finished out of the 27 starters and with Farina's win and Fangio's failure to score and Fagioli's third place points removed as his worst scoring finish, Farina became the first recipient of the World Driver's Championship crown.

## Classification

### Qualifying

| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 18 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alfa Romeo | 1:58.6 | – |
| 2 | 16 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | 1:58.8 | + 0.2 |
| 3 | 10 | Nino Farina | Alfa Romeo | 2:00.2 | + 1.6 |
| 4 | 46 | Consalvo Sanesi | Alfa Romeo | 2:00.4 | + 1.8 |
| 5 | 36 | Luigi Fagioli | Alfa Romeo | 2:04.0 | + 5.4 |
| 6 | 48 | Dorino Serafini | Ferrari | 2:05.6 | + 7.0 |
| 7 | 60 | Piero Taruffi | Alfa Romeo | 2:05.8 | + 7.2 |
| 8 | 12 | Raymond Sommer | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:08.6 | + 10.0 |
| 9 | 4 | Franco Rol | Maserati | 2:10.0 | + 11.4 |
| 10 | 44 | Robert Manzon | Simca-Gordini | 2:12.4 | + 13.8 |
| 11 | 40 | Guy Mairesse | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:13.2 | + 14.6 |
| 12 | 42 | Maurice Trintignant | Simca-Gordini | 2:13.4 | + 14.8 |
| 13 | 58 | Louis Rosier | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:13.4 | + 14.8 |
| 14 | 64 | Henri Louveau | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:13.8 | + 15.2 |
| 15 | 30 | Prince Bira | Maserati | 2:14.0 | + 15.4 |
| 16 | 24 | Philippe Étancelin | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:14.4 | + 15.8 |
| 17 | 38 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati | 2:14.4 | + 15.8 |
| 18 | 8 | Peter Whitehead | Ferrari | 2:16.2 | + 17.6 |
| 19 | 6 | Louis Chiron | Maserati | 2:17.2 | + 18.6 |
| 20 | 56 | Pierre Levegh | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:17.2 | + 18.6 |
| 21 | 32 | Cuth Harrison | ERA | 2:18.4 | + 19.8 |
| 22 | 2 | Johnny Claes | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:18.6 | + 20.0 |
| 23 | 52 | Felice Bonetto | Milano-Speluzzi | 2:19.8 | + 21.2 |
| 24 | 50 | David Murray | Maserati | 2:22.0 | + 23.4 |
| 25 | 22 | Clemente Biondetti | Ferrari-Jaguar | 2:30.6 | + 32.0 |
| 26 | 62 | Franco Comotti | Maserati-Milano | 2:33.6 | + 35.0 |
| 27 | 28 | Paul Pietsch | Maserati | 3:00.2 | + 61.9 |
| DNA | 14 | Giovanni Bracco | Ferrari | – | – |
| DNA | 26 | Reg Parnell | Maserati | – | – |
| DNA | 34 | Luigi Platé | Talbot | – | – |
| Source: ||||||

### Race

| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 10 | Nino Farina | Alfa Romeo | 80 | 2:51:17.4 | 3 | 8 |
| 2 | 48 | Dorino Serafini Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | 80 | + 1:18.6 | 6 | 3 3 |
| 3 | 36 | Luigi Fagioli | Alfa Romeo | 80 | + 1:35.6 | 5 | 4 |
| 4 | 58 | Louis Rosier | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 75 | + 5 Laps | 13 | 3 |
| 5 | 24 | Philippe Étancelin | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 75 | + 5 Laps | 16 | 2 |
| 6 | 38 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati | 72 | + 8 Laps | 17 | |
| 7 | 8 | Peter Whitehead | Ferrari | 72 | + 8 Laps | 18 | |
| Ret | 50 | David Murray | Maserati | 56 | Gearbox | 24 | |
| Ret | 32 | Cuth Harrison | ERA | 51 | Radiator | 21 | |
| Ret | 12 | Raymond Sommer | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 48 | Gearbox | 8 | |
| Ret | 40 | Guy Mairesse | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 42 | Oil Pipe | 11 | |
| Ret | 4 | Franco Rol | Maserati | 39 | Retirement | 9 | |
| Ret | 60 | Piero Taruffi Juan Manuel Fangio | Alfa Romeo | 34 | Engine | 7 | |
| Ret | 56 | Pierre Levegh | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 29 | Gearbox | 20 | |
| Ret | 18 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alfa Romeo | 23 | Gearbox | 1 | 1 |
| Ret | 2 | Johnny Claes | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 22 | Overheating | 22 | |
| Ret | 16 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | 21 | Engine | 2 | |
| Ret | 22 | Clemente Biondetti | Ferrari-Jaguar | 17 | Engine | 25 | |
| Ret | 64 | Henri Louveau | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 16 | Brakes | 14 | |
| Ret | 62 | Franco Comotti | Maserati-Milano | 15 | Retirement | 26 | |
| Ret | 42 | Maurice Trintignant | Simca-Gordini | 13 | Water Pipe | 12 | |
| Ret | 6 | Louis Chiron | Maserati | 13 | Oil Pressure | 19 | |
| Ret | 46 | Consalvo Sanesi | Alfa Romeo | 11 | Engine | 4 | |
| Ret | 44 | Robert Manzon | Simca-Gordini | 7 | Transmission | 10 | |
| Ret | 30 | Prince Bira | Maserati | 1 | Engine | 15 | |
| Ret | 28 | Paul Pietsch | Maserati | 0 | Engine | 27 | |
| DNS | 52 | Felice Bonetto | Milano-Speluzzi | 0 | Non Starter | 23 | |
| Source: ||||||||

**Notes**

* ^1 – 1 point for fastest lap

## Championship standings after the race

### Drivers' Championship standings

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| 2 | 1 | Nino Farina | 30 |
| 1 | 2 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 27 |
| 1 | 3 | Luigi Fagioli | 24 (28) |
| | 4 | Louis Rosier | 13 |
| 1 | 5 | Alberto Ascari | 11 |
| Source: ||||

* Note: Only the top five positions are listed. Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.
