1950 was the year in which the inaugural Formula One World Championship was hosted. Drivers such as Nino Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio and Alberto Ascari were dreaming of winning the first ever Formula One title.
Scuderia Ferrari were one of the many teams who had entered as constructors for the 1950 World Championship.
However, the Ferrari team missed the first ever Formula One Grand Prix in Britain due to an argument about the ‘start money’ paid to entrants.
The team made their début at the Monaco Grand Prix, using the Ferrari 125 F1. Alberto Ascari and Gigi Villoresi were the two drivers who would drive for Scuderia Ferrari in the 1950 season.
Unfortunately for Ferrari, Alfa Romeo dominated the season, handing Nino Farina the honour of winning the first ever Formula One World Championship.
In 1951 Ferrari were rewarded with their first F1 Grand Prix win in Britain, thanks to José Froilán Gonzalez.
After the 1951 season the Alfa team had left the sport. Ferrari entered a 2.0 litre, four-cylinder Ferrari Tipo 500 – the car went on to win almost every race it took part in the 1952 Formula One season. Ferrari boasted the drivers of Alberto Ascari, Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina and Piero Taruffi. After winning six consecutive races, Alberto Ascari went on to win the 1952 World Championship. Ascari would go on to win five races in the 1953 World Championship, which was enough for him to take another F1 title. At the end of the 1953 season, Juan Manuel Fangio beat the Ferraris in a Maserati for the first time.
In 1954 a new Formula One season dawned upon the world, along with new rules for 2.5 litre engines. Ferrari’s new car designated the Ferrari Tipo 625, however it could not compete against Juan Manuel Fangio – who drove for both Maserati and Mercedes-Benz for which he started driving for in July. Ferrari only won two Grand Prix that season, Gonzalez winning in Britain and Mike Hawthorn winning in Spain.
Ferrari didn’t exactly improve in the 1955 World Championship, winning just one race in Monaco – courtesy of Maurice Trintigant. 1955 was a tragic season for Formula One, following Ascari’s death. Because of this the Ferrari team purchased Lancia’s D50 chassis. Peter Collins, Eugenio Castellotti and Juan Manuel Fangio raced the D50s well in the 1956 season. Collins won two races whereas Fangio won three along with the championship.
Juan Manuel Fangio moved back to Maserati in 1957, whilst Ferrari failed to win another race. Ferrari were also charged with manslaughter after Portago crashed into a crowd at the Mille Miglia which killed twelve people. Castellotti was also killed whilst testing.
1958 saw the Constructors’ Championship introduced, eventually being won by Vanwall. Ferrari had an entirely new car designed by Carlo Chiti – the Ferrari 246 Dino, which was named after Enzo Ferrari’s deceased son. Musso, Hawthorn and Collins all stayed at Ferrari, but Musso was killed at the 1958 French Grand Prix, Collins was also killed in the German Grand Prix. Mike Hawthorn won the World Championship and then announced his retirement before being killed in a road accident months later.
Ferrari had five new drivers for the 1959 World Championship – Dan Gurney, Tony Brooks and Phil Hill. (Cliff Allison would occasionally appear for Ferrari). It’s safe to say the team didn’t have the best chemistry, Behra was fired for punching the team manager, Romolo Tavoni. Tony Brooks lost the championship in the end to Jack Brabham, who was using a rear-engined Cooper.
Part One of Seven
