1950 Swiss Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Country:Switzerland
Grand Prix:Swiss
Official Name:Großer Preis der Schweiz für Automobile
Date:4 June
Year:1950
Previous Round:1950 Indianapolis 500#World Drivers' Championship
Next Round:1950 Belgian Grand Prix
Location:Bremgarten, Bern, Switzerland
Course:Temporary street/road circuit
Course Mi:4.524
Course Km:7.28
Distance Laps:42
Distance Mi:190.008
Distance Km:305.760
Weather:Warm, dry and sunny
Pole Driver:Juan Manuel Fangio
Pole Team:Alfa Romeo
Pole Time:2:42.1
Pole Country:Argentina
Fast Driver:Nino Farina
Fast Team:Alfa Romeo
Fast Time:2:41.6
Fast Lap:8[1]
Fast Country:Italy
First Driver:Nino Farina
First Team:Alfa Romeo
First Country:Italy
Second Driver:Luigi Fagioli
Second Team:Alfa Romeo
Second Country:Italy
Third Driver:Louis Rosier
Third Team:Talbot-Lago-Talbot
Third Country:France

The 1950 Swiss Grand Prix, formally titled the Großer Preis der Schweiz für Automobile,[2] 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 PaganiScuderia Achille VarziMaseratiMaserati 4CLT/48Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s
4 Johnny ClaesEcurie BelgeTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26CTalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
6 Yves Giraud-CabantousAutomobiles Talbot-DarracqTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26C-DATalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
8 Eugène MartinAutomobiles Talbot-DarracqTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26C-DATalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
10 Louis RosierAutomobiles Talbot-DarracqTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26C-DATalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
12 Luigi FagioliAlfa Romeo SpAAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo 158Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s
14 Juan Manuel FangioAlfa Romeo SpAAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo 158Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s
16 Nino FarinaAlfa Romeo SpAAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo 158Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s
18 Alberto AscariScuderia FerrariFerrariFerrari 125Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s
20 Raymond SommerScuderia FerrariFerrariFerrari 166 F2-50Ferrari 166 F2 2.0 V12
22 Luigi VilloresiScuderia FerrariFerrariFerrari 125Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s
24 Peter WhiteheadScuderia FerrariFerrariFerrari 125Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s
26 Louis ChironOfficine Alfieri MaseratiMaseratiMaserati 4CLT/48Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s
28 Franco RolOfficine Alfieri MaseratiMaseratiMaserati 4CLT/48Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s
30 Prince BiraEnrico PlatéMaseratiMaserati 4CLT/48Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s
32 Toulo de GraffenriedEnrico PlatéMaseratiMaserati 4CLT/48Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s
34 Felice BonettoScuderia MilanoMaseratiMaserati 4CLT/50Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s
36 Reg ParnellScuderia AmbrosianaMaseratiMaserati 4CLT/48Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s
38 Rudi FischerEcurie EspadonSVA-FiatSVA 1500Fiat L4s
40 Toni BrancaScuderia Achille VarziMaseratiMaserati 4CLMaserati 4CL 1.5 L4s
42 Philippe ÉtancelinPhilippe ÉtancelinTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26CTalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
44 Harry SchellEcurie BleueTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26CTalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
Sources: [3] [4]

— 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.[5]

Classification

Qualifying

Pos No Driver Constructor Time Gap
114 Juan Manuel FangioAlfa Romeo2:42.1
216 Nino FarinaAlfa Romeo2:42.8+ 0.7
312 Luigi FagioliAlfa Romeo2:45.2+ 3.1
422 Luigi VilloresiFerrari2:46.1+ 4.0
518 Alberto AscariFerrari2:46.8+ 4.7
642 Philippe ÉtancelinTalbot-Lago-Talbot2:51.1+ 9.0
76 Yves Giraud-CabantousTalbot-Lago-Talbot2:52.7+ 10.6
830 Prince BiraMaserati2:53.2+ 11.1
98 Eugène MartinTalbot-Lago-Talbot2:53.7+ 11.6
1010 Louis RosierTalbot-Lago-Talbot2:54.0+ 11.9
1132 Toulo de GraffenriedMaserati2:54.2+ 12.1
1234 Felice BonettoMaserati2:54.6+ 12.5
1320 Raymond SommerFerrari2:54.6+ 12.5
144 Johnny ClaesTalbot-Lago-Talbot2:59.0+ 16.9
152 Nello PaganiMaserati3:06.8+ 24.7
1626 Louis ChironMaserati3:06.8+ 24.7
1740 Toni BrancaMaserati3:10.0+ 27.9
1844 Harry SchellTalbot-Lago-Talbot3:11.5+ 29.4
DNA24 Peter WhiteheadFerrari
DNA28 Franco RolMaserati
DNA36 Reg ParnellMaserati
DNA38 Rudi FischerSVA-Fiat

Race

PosNoDriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
116 Nino FarinaAlfa Romeo422:02:53.729
212 Luigi FagioliAlfa Romeo42+ 0.436
310 Louis RosierTalbot-Lago-Talbot41+ 1 Lap104
430 Prince BiraMaserati40+ 2 Laps83
534 Felice BonettoMaserati40+ 2 Laps122
632 Toulo de GraffenriedMaserati40+ 2 Laps11 
72 Nello PaganiMaserati39+ 3 Laps15 
844 Harry SchellTalbot-Lago-Talbot39+ 3 Laps18 
926 Louis ChironMaserati39+ 3 Laps16 
104 Johnny ClaesTalbot-Lago-Talbot38+ 4 Laps14 
1140 Toni BrancaMaserati35+ 7 Laps17 
Ret14 Juan Manuel FangioAlfa Romeo32Engine1 
Ret42 Philippe ÉtancelinTalbot-Lago-Talbot25Gearbox6 
Ret8 Eugène MartinTalbot-Lago-Talbot19Accident9 
Ret20 Raymond SommerFerrari19Suspension13 
Ret22 Luigi VilloresiFerrari9Engine4 
Ret18 Alberto AscariFerrari4Oil Pump5 
Ret6 Yves Giraud-CabantousTalbot-Lago-Talbot0Accident7 
Notes

Notes

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1 Nino Farina18
22 Luigi Fagioli12
13 Juan Manuel Fangio9
14 Johnnie Parsons9
5 Alberto Ascari6
Source: [6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Switzerland 1950 - Best Laps • STATS F1 . STATS F1 . 4 July 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120813234248/http://www.statsf1.com/en/1950/suisse/meilleur-tour.aspx . 13 August 2012 . live .
  2. Book: Großer Preis der Schweiz für Automobile: Internationale Motorrad- und Seitenwagenrennen. Automobil Club der Schweiz. 1950. de. 16 January 2018.
  3. Web site: 1950 Swiss Grand Prix - Race Entries. https://web.archive.org/web/20120509144215/http://www.manipef1.com/results/1950/switzerland/entries/. 9 May 2012. manipef1.com. 6 January 2016.
  4. Web site: 1950 Swiss GP - Entry List. chicanef1.com. 15 November 2013.
  5. Web site: Switzerland 1950 - Race entrants. statsf1.com. 11 January 2016.
  6. Web site: Switzerland 1950 - Championship. statsf1.com. 1 March 2019.