1951 Belgian Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Country:Belgium
Grand Prix:Belgian
Official Name:XIII Grote Prijs Van Belgie
Date:17 June
Year:1951
Previous Round:1951 Indianapolis 500#World Drivers' Championship
Next Round:1951 French Grand Prix
Location:Spa-Francorchamps, Spa, Belgium
Course:Grand Prix Circuit
Course Mi:8.774
Course Km:14.12
Distance Laps:36
Distance Mi:315.864
Distance Km:508.320
Weather:Sunny, Mild, Dry
Pole Driver:Juan Manuel Fangio
Pole Team:Alfa Romeo
Pole Time:4:25.0
Pole Country:Argentina
Fast Driver:Juan Manuel Fangio
Fast Team:Alfa Romeo
Fast Time:4:22.1
Fast Lap:10
Fast Country:Argentina
First Driver:Nino Farina
First Team:Alfa Romeo
First Country:Italy
Second Driver:Alberto Ascari
Second Team:Scuderia Ferrari
Second Country:Italy
Third Driver:Luigi Villoresi
Third Team:Scuderia Ferrari
Third Country:Italy

The 1951 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 17 June 1951 at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. It was race 3 of 8 in the 1951 World Championship of Drivers

Report

Despite there being just 13 starters, representing three makes of car, the race attracted a record crowd. There were a further three entries, including two Maseratis, which did not attend the event. Juan Manuel Fangio had a new suspension with special wheels, which had to be concave to make room for the brake drums. These proved an expensive novelty. At his first pit stop, they jammed and his stop lasted over 14 minutes. Giuseppe Farina's Alfa Romeo dominated, holding off the Ferraris of Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi. A quick stop of 39 seconds for wheel change and refuelling preserved his lead until the finish.

This would eventually prove to be the only Grand Prix in Fangio's entire Formula 1 career, barring retirements, that he finished outside of the top four. He scored a point for posting the fastest lap of the race, which meant that despite having finished in ninth place (only the top five finishers scored points), he kept his record of scoring points in every single race he finished.

Entries

No Driver Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre
2 Juan Manuel FangioAlfa Romeo SpAAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo 159BAlfa Romeo 1.5 L8s
4 Nino FarinaAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo 159AAlfa Romeo 1.5 L8s
6 Consalvo SanesiAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo 159Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8s
8 Alberto AscariScuderia FerrariFerrariFerrari 375Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12
10 Luigi VilloresiFerrariFerrari 375Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12
12 Piero TaruffiFerrariFerrari 375Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12
14 Louis RosierEcurie RosierTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26C-DATalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
16 Johnny ClaesEcurie BelgeTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26C-DATalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
18 Louis ChironEcurie RosierTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26CTalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
20 Philippe ÉtancelinPhilippe ÉtancelinTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26C-DATalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
22 Yves Giraud-CabantousYves Giraud-CabantousTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26CTalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
24 André PiletteEcurie BelgiqueTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26CTalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
26 Pierre LeveghPierre LeveghTalbot-LagoTalbot-Lago T26CTalbot 23CV 4.5 L6
28 Prince BiraEcurie SiamMaserati-OSCAMaserati 4CLT-48OSCA V12
30 José Froilán GonzálezEnrico PlatéMaseratiMaserati 4CLT-48Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s
32 Reg ParnellG. A. VandervellFerrariFerrari 375 twFerrari Type 375 4.5 V12
Sources:[1] [2]

Classification

Qualifying

Pos No Driver Constructor Time Gap
12data-sort-value="FAN" Juan Manuel FangioAlfa Romeo4:25
24data-sort-value="FAR" Nino FarinaAlfa Romeo4:28+ 3
310data-sort-value="VIL" Luigi VilloresiFerrari4:29+ 4
48data-sort-value="ASC" Alberto AscariFerrari4:30+ 5
512data-sort-value="TAR" Piero TaruffiFerrari4:32+ 7
66data-sort-value="SAN" Consalvo SanesiAlfa Romeo4:36+ 11
714data-sort-value="ROS" Louis RosierTalbot-Lago-Talbot4:45+ 20
822data-sort-value="GIR" Yves Giraud-CabantousTalbot-Lago-Talbot4:52+ 27
918data-sort-value="CHI" Louis ChironTalbot-Lago-Talbot5:01+ 36
1020data-sort-value="ETA" Philippe ÉtancelinTalbot-Lago-Talbot5:04+ 39
1116data-sort-value="CLA" Johnny ClaesTalbot-Lago-Talbot5:09+ 44
1224 André PiletteTalbot-Lago-Talbot5:16+ 51
1326data-sort-value="LEV" Pierre LeveghTalbot-Lago-Talbot5:17+ 52
data-sort-value="27"DNA28data-sort-value="BIR" Prince BiraMaseratidata-sort-value="14"
data-sort-value="27"DNA30data-sort-value="GON" José Froilán GonzálezMaseratidata-sort-value="14"
data-sort-value="77:00"DNA32data-sort-value="PAR" Reg ParnellFerraridata-sort-value="14"
Source:[3]

Race

PosNoDriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
14 Nino FarinaAlfa Romeo362:45:46.228
28 Alberto AscariFerrari36+ 2:51.046
310 Luigi VilloresiFerrari36+ 4:21.934
414 Louis RosierTalbot-Lago-Talbot34+ 2 Laps73
522 Yves Giraud-CabantousTalbot-Lago-Talbot34+ 2 Laps82
624 André PiletteTalbot-Lago-Talbot33+ 3 Laps12 
716 Johnny ClaesTalbot-Lago-Talbot33+ 3 Laps11 
826 Pierre LeveghTalbot-Lago-Talbot32+ 4 Laps13 
92 Juan Manuel FangioAlfa Romeo32+ 4 Laps11
Ret18 Louis ChironTalbot-Lago-Talbot28Engine9 
Ret6 Consalvo SanesiAlfa Romeo11Radiator6 
Ret12 Piero TaruffiFerrari8Transmission5 
Ret20 Philippe ÉtancelinTalbot-Lago-Talbot0Transmission10 
Notes

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
41 Nino Farina12
12 Juan Manuel Fangio10
13 Lee Wallard9
84 Alberto Ascari6
25 Piero Taruffi6
Source:[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1951 Belgian Grand Prix - Race Entries. https://web.archive.org/web/20120509144247/http://www.manipef1.com/results/1951/belgium/entries/. 9 May 2012. manipef1.com. 6 January 2016.
  2. Web site: 1951 Belgian GP - Entry List. chicanef1.com. 4 December 2013.
  3. Web site: Belgium 1951 - Qualifications. statsf1.com. 5 March 2019.
  4. Web site: Belgium 1951 - Championship. wstatsf1.com. 1 March 2019.