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.

1950 Swiss Grand Prix
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Circuit Bremgarten track layout
Circuit Bremgarten track layout
Race details
Date 4 June 1950
Official name Großer Preis der Schweiz für Automobile
Location Bremgarten, Bern, Switzerland
Course Temporary street/road circuit
Course length 7.28 km (4.524 miles)
Distance 42 laps, 305.760 km (190.008 miles)
Weather Warm, dry and sunny
Pole position
Driver Alfa Romeo
Time 2:42.1
Fastest lap
Driver Italy Nino Farina Alfa Romeo
Time 2:41.6 on lap 8[1]
Podium
First Alfa Romeo
Second Alfa Romeo
Third Talbot-Lago-Talbot
Lap leaders

Report

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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

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No Driver Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre
2   Nello Pagani1 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: [3][4]
^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.[5]

Classification

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Qualifying

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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:[6]

Race

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Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 16   Nino Farina Alfa Romeo 42 2:02:53.7 2 91
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:[7]
Notes
  • ^1 – Includes 1 point for fastest lap

Notes

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  • In only their second race, a Ferrari did not end in the top-10. For the next 51 races (excluding Indianapolis 500) a Ferrari would always end in the top-10. Only at the 1957 Pescara Grand Prix, would a Ferrari not end in the top-10.

Championship standings after the race

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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: [8]
  • Note: Only the top five positions are listed. Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship.

References

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  1. ^ "Switzerland 1950 - Best Laps • STATS F1". STATS F1. Archived from the original on 13 August 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  2. ^ Großer Preis der Schweiz für Automobile: Internationale Motorrad- und Seitenwagenrennen (in German). Automobil Club der Schweiz. 1950. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  3. ^ "1950 Swiss Grand Prix - Race Entries". manipef1.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  4. ^ "1950 Swiss GP - Entry List". chicanef1.com. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Switzerland 1950 - Race entrants". statsf1.com. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  6. ^ "X Großer Preis der Schweiz" (in German). silhouet.com. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  7. ^ "1950 Swiss Grand Prix". formula1.com. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  8. ^ "Switzerland 1950 - Championship". statsf1.com. Retrieved 1 March 2019.


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1950 season
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