1950 Swiss Grand Prix
# 1950 Swiss Grand Prix

The 1950 Swiss Grand Prix, formally titled the Großer Preis der Schweiz für Automobile, was a Formula One motor race held on 4 June 1950 at Bremgarten. It was race four of seven in the 1950 World Championship of Drivers. The 42-lap race was won by Alfa Romeo driver Nino Farina after he started from second position. His teammate Luigi Fagioli finished second and Talbot-Lago driver Louis Rosier came in third.

## Report

The fourth round of the Championship took place just three weeks after the series began at Silverstone (with Monaco and Indianapolis having taken place on consecutive weekends). Once again the event proved to be a battle between the Alfa Romeo factory 158s of Giuseppe Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli and the Scuderia Ferraris of Alberto Ascari, Luigi Villoresi (who had the latest model with de Dion rear suspension, twin overhead camshaft engine and 4-speed gearbox), Raymond Sommer and Peter Whitehead. There were a number of uncompetitive Talbot-Lagos and Maseratis as usual. José Froilán González was out of action as a result of burns he had received after the first lap accident at Monaco Grand Prix. Also out of action as a result of the crash was Maserati factory driver Franco Rol. This was the last race to be entered by pre-war racer Eugène Martin. It was also the first and only World Championship Grand Prix for Nello Pagani, better known for his exploits in Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

In qualifying Fangio and Farina were well clear of Fagioli with Villoresi and Ascari sharing the second row of the 3-2-3 grid. Peter Whitehead, Franco Rol, Reg Parnell and Rudi Fischer failed to qualify. In the race, on the first lap Ascari managed to get among the Alfa Romeos but he quickly slipped back and it was left to the Alfas to battle. Fangio led early on but then Farina went ahead through a faster refuelling stop. Fagioli was unable to keep up and after both Villoresi and Ascari retired. It was left to Prince Bira to run fourth. He had to refuel and so Philippe Étancelin in a Talbot-Lago was able to move into fourth place. Shortly afterwards, factory Talbot-Lago driver Eugène Martin crashed heavily and was seriously hurt when he was thrown from the car. Étancelin later went out with gearbox trouble and so Talbot-Lago factory driver Louis Rosier moved into fourth. He was promoted to third when Fangio retired on lap 33 with an electrical problem. Farina became the first driver to win multiples Grands Prix, after winning the inaugural World Championship Grand Prix.

## Entries

| No | Driver | Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | Nello Pagani | Scuderia Achille Varzi | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 4 | Johnny Claes | Ecurie Belge | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 6 | Yves Giraud-Cabantous | Automobiles Talbot-Darracq | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C-DA | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 8 | Eugène Martin | Automobiles Talbot-Darracq | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C-DA | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 10 | Louis Rosier | Automobiles Talbot-Darracq | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C-DA | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 12 | Luigi Fagioli | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo 158 | Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s | P |
| 14 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo 158 | Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s | P |
| 16 | Nino Farina | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo 158 | Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s | P |
| 18 | Alberto Ascari | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 125 | Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s | P |
| 20 | Raymond Sommer | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 166 F2-50 | Ferrari 166 F2 2.0 V12 | P |
| 22 | Luigi Villoresi | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 125 | Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s | P |
| 24 | Peter Whitehead | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | Ferrari 125 | Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s | P |
| 26 | Louis Chiron | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 28 | Franco Rol | Officine Alfieri Maserati | 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 | Toulo de Graffenried | Enrico Platé | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 34 | Felice Bonetto | Scuderia Milano | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/50 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 36 | Reg Parnell | Scuderia Ambrosiana | Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 | Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s | P |
| 38 | Rudi Fischer | Ecurie Espadon | SVA-Fiat | SVA 1500 | Fiat L4s | P |
| 40 | Toni Branca | Scuderia Achille Varzi | Maserati | Maserati 4CL | Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4s | P |
| 42 | Philippe Étancelin | Philippe Étancelin | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| 44 | Harry Schell | Ecurie Bleue | Talbot-Lago | Talbot-Lago T26C | Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 | D |
| Sources: |||||||

    ^1 — Nello Pagani qualified and drove all 39 laps of the race in the #2 Maserati. José Froilán González, named substitute driver for the car, was absent due to injury.

## Classification

### Qualifying

| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 14 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alfa Romeo | 2:42.1 | – |
| 2 | 16 | Nino Farina | Alfa Romeo | 2:42.8 | + 0.7 |
| 3 | 12 | Luigi Fagioli | Alfa Romeo | 2:45.2 | + 3.1 |
| 4 | 22 | Luigi Villoresi | Ferrari | 2:46.1 | + 4.0 |
| 5 | 18 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | 2:46.8 | + 4.7 |
| 6 | 42 | Philippe Étancelin | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:51.1 | + 9.0 |
| 7 | 6 | Yves Giraud-Cabantous | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:52.7 | + 10.6 |
| 8 | 30 | Prince Bira | Maserati | 2:53.2 | + 11.1 |
| 9 | 8 | Eugène Martin | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:53.7 | + 11.6 |
| 10 | 10 | Louis Rosier | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:54.0 | + 11.9 |
| 11 | 32 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati | 2:54.2 | + 12.1 |
| 12 | 34 | Felice Bonetto | Maserati | 2:54.6 | + 12.5 |
| 13 | 20 | Raymond Sommer | Ferrari | 2:54.6 | + 12.5 |
| 14 | 4 | Johnny Claes | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 2:59.0 | + 16.9 |
| 15 | 2 | Nello Pagani | Maserati | 3:06.8 | + 24.7 |
| 16 | 26 | Louis Chiron | Maserati | 3:06.8 | + 24.7 |
| 17 | 40 | Toni Branca | Maserati | 3:10.0 | + 27.9 |
| 18 | 44 | Harry Schell | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 3:11.5 | + 29.4 |
| DNA | 24 | Peter Whitehead | Ferrari | – | – |
| DNA | 28 | Franco Rol | Maserati | – | – |
| DNA | 36 | Reg Parnell | Maserati | – | – |
| DNA | 38 | Rudi Fischer | SVA-Fiat | – | – |
| Source: ||||||

### Race

| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 16 | Nino Farina | Alfa Romeo | 42 | 2:02:53.7 | 2 | 9 |
| 2 | 12 | Luigi Fagioli | Alfa Romeo | 42 | + 0.4 | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | 10 | Louis Rosier | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 41 | + 1 Lap | 10 | 4 |
| 4 | 30 | Prince Bira | Maserati | 40 | + 2 Laps | 8 | 3 |
| 5 | 34 | Felice Bonetto | Maserati | 40 | + 2 Laps | 12 | 2 |
| 6 | 32 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati | 40 | + 2 Laps | 11 | |
| 7 | 2 | Nello Pagani | Maserati | 39 | + 3 Laps | 15 | |
| 8 | 44 | Harry Schell | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 39 | + 3 Laps | 18 | |
| 9 | 26 | Louis Chiron | Maserati | 39 | + 3 Laps | 16 | |
| 10 | 4 | Johnny Claes | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 38 | + 4 Laps | 14 | |
| 11 | 40 | Toni Branca | Maserati | 35 | + 7 Laps | 17 | |
| Ret | 14 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alfa Romeo | 32 | Engine | 1 | |
| Ret | 42 | Philippe Étancelin | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 25 | Gearbox | 6 | |
| Ret | 8 | Eugène Martin | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 19 | Accident | 9 | |
| Ret | 20 | Raymond Sommer | Ferrari | 19 | Suspension | 13 | |
| Ret | 22 | Luigi Villoresi | Ferrari | 9 | Engine | 4 | |
| Ret | 18 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | 4 | Oil Pump | 5 | |
| Ret | 6 | Yves Giraud-Cabantous | Talbot-Lago-Talbot | 0 | Accident | 7 | |
| Source: ||||||||

**Notes**

* ^1 – Includes 1 point for fastest lap

## Championship standings after the race

### Drivers' Championship standings

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Nino Farina | 18 |
| 2 | 2 | Luigi Fagioli | 12 |
| 1 | 3 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 9 |
| 1 | 4 | Johnnie Parsons | 9 |
| | 5 | Alberto Ascari | 6 |
| Source: ||||

* Note: Only the top five positions are listed. Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship.
