The Lancia D50 was a Formula One racing car designed by Vittorio Jano for Lancia in 1954. The car's design made use of many innovative features, such as the use of the engine as a stressed chassis member, the off-centre positioning of the engine to allow a lower overall height, and pannier fuel cells for better weight distribution and aerodynamics. Six of the cars were built, and two of them are displayed in Italian museums.

Description

The D50 made its race debut toward the end of the 1954 Formula One season in the hands of two-time and reigning World Champion, Italian driver Alberto Ascari. In its first event Ascari took both pole position in qualifying and fastest race lap, although his car's clutch failed after only ten laps. Following Ascari's death, and in increasing financial trouble, the Lancia family sold their controlling share in the Lancia company, and the assets of Scuderia Lancia were given to Scuderia Ferrari. Ferrari continued to develop the car, although they removed many of Jano's most innovative designs, and the car was rebadged as the "Lancia-Ferrari D50" and later simply the "Ferrari D50". Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1956 World Championship of Drivers with this car modified by Ferrari. During their competition lifespan D50s were entered into 14 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, winning five. Ferrari 801

The D50s lived on into the 1957 season, much modified as "Ferrari 801s" but were largely uncompetitive against the latest generation of Maserati 250Fs.

Technical data

Technical data D50 Ferrari 801 Engine: Front mounted 8 cylinder V engine displacement: 2488 cm32486 cm3 Bore × stroke: 73.6 × 73.1 mm 76 × 68.5 mm Max power at rpm: 250 hp at 8 100 rpm 275 hp at 8 400 rpm Max torque at rpm: 210 Nm at 6 000 rpm205 Nm at 5 500 rpm Compression: 11.9:1 11.5:1 Valve control: 2 overhead camshafts per cylinder row, 2 valves per cylinder Carburetor: 4 Solex ZIL4 Solex 40 PII Gearbox: 5-speed manual, transaxle suspension front: Double wishbones, transverse leaf springs, hydraulic shock absorbersDouble wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bars suspension rear: De Dion axle, transverse leaf springs, hydraulic shock absorbersDe Dion axle, double longitudinal links, transverse leaf spring Brakes: Hydraulic drum brakes Chassis & body: Fackverk frame with aluminum body Wheelbase: 228 cm Dry weight: 640 kg654 kg Top speed: 300 km/h280 km/h

Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) (results in bold indicate pole position, results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Designation Engine Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Lancia D50 Lancia DS50 2.5 V8 ARG 500 BEL FRA GBR GER SWI ITA ESP Alberto Ascari Ret Luigi Villoresi Ret Lancia D50 Lancia DS50 2.5 V8 ARG MON 500 BEL NED GBR ITA Alberto Ascari Ret Ret Luigi Villoresi Ret1 5 Eugenio Castellotti Ret1 2 Ret Louis Chiron 6 Ferrari D50 Giuseppe Farina DNS Eugenio Castellotti DNS Luigi Villoresi DNS Ferrari D50 Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 ARG MON 500 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA Juan Manuel Fangio 1/Ret 2/4 Ret 4 1 1 2/8 Eugenio Castellotti Ret 4/Ret Ret 2 10 Ret/Ret 8/Ret Luigi Musso 1 Ret Ret Ret Peter Collins 2 1 1 2/Ret Ret/Ret 2 Olivier Gendebien Ret DNA Paul Frère 2 André Pilette 6 Alfonso de Portago Ret 2/10 Ret Ret Wolfgang von Trips DNS Ferrari D50AFerrari 801 DS50 2.5 V8 ARG MON 500 FRA GBR GER PES ITA Peter Collins 61/Ret Ret 3 Ret 3 Ret Luigi Musso Ret 2 2 4 Ret 8 Eugenio Castellotti Ret Mike Hawthorn Ret Ret1 4 3 2 6 Wolfgang von Trips 61 71 3 Cesare Perdisa 61 Alfonso de Portago 51 José Froilán González 51 Maurice Trintignant 5 Ret 4 DNS

Shared drive

References Notes

Bibliography

External links

Push-starting a Lancia D50. www.streetfire.net (video)