Classic F1 Championships - 1951

The 2nd Formula One World Championship took place the very next year with Nino Farina the defending champion returning, along with last year's title contenders, Juan Manuel Fangio and Alberto Ascari. Luigi Fagioli who finished 3rd in the 1950 season only competed in one race. Alfa Romeo were coming back into the sport as the Mercedes of today, and Ferrari were the Ferrari of today, lighting a fire onto the ass of the front runner.

The 1951 drivers champion Juan Manuel Fangio

However it didn't look like that from the first race in Switzerland, with Alfa Romeo's Juan Manuel Fangio taking pole, fastest lap and the win. Ascari in the Ferrari never had the pace as he had a badly burnt arm from a previous Formula 2 race. Round 2 was in Belgium at Spa, where Nino Farina got back to his winning ways beating the Ferrari's by over 3 minutes. Juan Manuel Fangio finished 9th after he jammed a wheel in a pit stop, costing him 15 minutes. Fangio did pick up a point for setting the fastest lap. Round 3 took the championship France at a fast track in Reims. As Ascari was chasing Fangio his gearbox failed, and so the newest Ferrari driver was pulled into the pits, and Ascari as the senior driver took over his car. Fangio finished first with Ascari second, and Ferrari were really getting onto the back of the Alfas. Then to the historic Silverstone, and Ascari had another gearbox failure and when his team mate, Gonzalez came into the pits, Ascari didn't swap cars with him, as he thought Gonzalez was in top form. As Fangio tryed to establish a lead, Gonzalez was right behind him in his Ferrari and had an advantage of only needing one more fuel stop, compared to Alfa's two. Gonzalez was to quick that day, and finished first, a minute ahead of Fangio. Alfa Romeo then added more upgrades for the next round, Germany. Fangio lead most of the race, but once again an extra fuel stop let him down, with Ascari overtaking him in the pits, and effectively winning the race, with Fangio coming in second. Onto Monza and Fangio had to retire, giving Ferrari a one two finish with Ascari in first and Gonzalez in second.

The 2nd Round at Circuit Spa Francorchamps

Onto the final round of the championship, and it was in Spain at the Pedralbes circuit. The circuit is known for being extremely bumpy and hard on tires. For Ferrari it tore there tires apart, and left them unable to fight, giving Juan Manuel Fangio with an easy run to the line, and the world championship. Juan Manuel Fangio was the 2nd man to win the World Drivers Championship after Nino Farina in 1950, and both had driven for Alfa Romeo.

Race 1: Switzerland - Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio
Race 2: Belgium - Winner: Nino Farina
Race 3: France - Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio/Luigi Fagioli
Race 4: Silverstone - Winner: Jose Froilan Gonzalez
Race 5: Germany - Winner: Alberto Ascari
Race 6: Italy - Winner: Alberto Ascari
Race 7: Spain - Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio

Drivers Champion: Juan Manuel Fangio

After this season, funding dried up for the Alfa Romeo Formula One team, and they dropped out of Formula One, leaving Ferrari the front runner for the next season and they dominated, with a new Maserati team to be the next competition in 1953.

Classic F1 Championships - 1950

1950 was the official inaugural Formula One season. It contained 6 rounds, from an opener at Silverstone, England, to the season finale at Monza, Italy. The Indy 500 was technically part of the championship as well, making it a 7 race season. Even though the classic race provided points for the championship till 1960, only one Formula One driver has competed in the Indy 500. Also another 17 races were contended in 1950, but didn't count toward the championship standings. The championship was contested by 26 different teams varying from 1 to 5 cars per team.  The championship was won by Guiseppe (Nino) Farina, with tight competition from Juan Manuel Fangino (who would later win 5 championships) and Luigi Fagioli. Fangio, Fagioli and Farina drove for the Alfa Romeo team but a constructors championship was not introduced to 1958.

Farina on his way to victory at Silverstone.

The first race in the inaugural Formula One season took place at the Silverstone circuit in England on the 13th of May. Farina won with team mate Fangioli coming in second. Fangio retired with 8 laps from the finish. A week later in Monaco a pile up on the first lap involved Farina (who was in second) ended any hope of him winning. As he blocked the road, Fangio was in the lead and had no knowledge of the crash, and managed to weave through the accident when he came across it on the next lap. Fangio won the race. Alberto Ascari in the Ferrari came home in second. The next race was the Swiss Grand Prix, won by Farina with Fagioli in second, and Fangio retired. All three Ferrari cars had blown up leaving the last podium slot to Louis Rosier. Spa then hosted the Belgium Grand Prix, and this time Fangio won, Fagioli in second, Farina failing to make the podium in 4th, but picking up vital points in the process. The French Grand Prix was next, and it was won comfortably by Juan Manuel Fangio again with Fagioli second. At this point in the season Fangio had 26 points, Fangioli 24, Farina was behind in third. The last race of the year was at Monza, Italy and Alfa Romeo had 2 more cars, which were to be driven by Piero Taruffi and Consalvo Sanesi. On the 24th lap, Fangio's gearbox failed, but he was able to take over the new car driven Taruffi. However this car then dropped a valve forcing Fangio to retire from the race. Now Ferrari's Alberto Ascari was in the fight for the win, because the Alfa Romeos required two lengthy refueling stops, whilst the Ferrari only needed one. Unluckily for Ascari his car failed, but he could knick the car from his team mate Dorino Serafini, and managed to get back to second, with Fagioli behind in third, Farina in the lead. The race order didn't change and it gave Farina his third win, and winning the championship with 30 points from Fangio and Fagioli. Fangio finished second in the championship on 27 points and Fagioli with 24 points. The year was dominated by Alfa Romeo, with them winning all 6 races in the European leg.

Nino Farina after he won the first ever World Championship race, Silverstone, 1950.

Race 1: Silverstone - Winner: Nino Farina
Race 2: Monaco - Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio
Race 3: Indianapolis 500 - Winner: Johnnie Parsons
Race 4: Switzerland - Winner: Nino Farina
Race 5: Belgium - Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio
Race 6: France - Winner: Juan Manuel Fangio
Race 7: Italy - Winner: Nino Farina

And that was the first season of Formula One, the birth of a magnificent sport. Next week will be 1951.