The 1950 Monaco Grand Prix, formally titled the Prix de Monte-Carlo et XI Grand Prix Automobile, was a Formula One motor race held on 21 May 1950 at Monaco. It was race two of seven in the 1950 World Championship of Drivers. The 100-lap race was held at an overall distance of 318.1 km (197.1 mi) and was won by Juan Manuel Fangio for the Alfa Romeo team after starting from pole position. Alberto Ascari finished second for Ferrari and Louis Chiron finished third for Maserati. It was also the first race for Ferrari in Formula One.
Report After two qualifying sessions, on Thursday and Saturday, which Charles Pozzi, Yves Giraud-Cabantous, Pierre Levegh and Clemente Biondetti did not start, the race was dominated from start to finish by Juan Manuel Fangio, who scored his first ever victory in a World Championship event, driving an Alfa Romeo. The starting grid consisted of alternating rows of three and two, starting with three on the front row and continuing up to two on the 8th row. The first two rows of the grid (positions 1 to 5) were made up of the fastest five drivers from the Thursday qualifying session, with the remaining positions based on the other 16 drivers' times in the second session on the Saturday. This format meant that Luigi Villoresi started 6th, despite his time being fast enough for 2nd place on the grid.
Due to an accident in practice, Alfredo Pián did not start the race, with Peter Whitehead another non-starter. The race was marred by a large pile-up during the first lap, when a wave from the harbour flooded the track at Tabac Corner. Nino Farina in 2nd, spun and crashed while Fangio managed to escape the chaos. Those who were behind them tried to stop or avoid the carnage, but eight more drivers (from a field of 19 drivers) crashed and retired. None of them were injured, but José Froilán González, who damaged his Maserati in the pile-up but was subsequently running second, crashed during the second lap. His car caught fire and he suffered burns. The race went on with many cars going off at Tabac Corner, nearly causing other accidents. Ferrari driver Luigi Villoresi charged his way from the back of the field after being delayed by the pile-up, but did not finish.
Harry Schell's Cooper was the first rear-engined car to start in a championship race. Chiron's 3rd-place finish made him the only Monegasque driver to score points in Formula One until Charles Leclerc finished 6th in the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Entries No Driver Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre 2 José Froilán González Scuderia Achille Varzi Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s 4 Alfredo Pián Scuderia Achille Varzi Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s 6 Johnny Claes Ecurie Belge Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 8 Harry Schell Horschell Racing Corporation Cooper Cooper T12 JAP 1.1 V2 10 Robert Manzon Equipe Gordini Simca-Gordini Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s 12 Maurice Trintignant Equipe Gordini Simca-Gordini Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s 14 Philippe Étancelin Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 16 Louis Rosier Ecurie Rosier Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 18 Charles Pozzi Ecurie Rosier Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 20 Yves Giraud-Cabantous Automobiles Talbot-Darracq Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 22 Pierre Levegh Pierre Levegh Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 24 Cuth Harrison Cuth Harrison ERA ERA B/C ERA 1.5 L6 s 26 Bob Gerard Bob Gerard ERA ERA A ERA 1.5 L6 s 28 Peter Whitehead Peter Whitehead Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12 s 32 Nino Farina Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 158 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8 s 34 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 158 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8 s 36 Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 158 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8 s 38 Luigi Villoresi Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12 s 40 Alberto Ascari Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12 s 42 Raymond Sommer Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12 s 44 Franco Rol Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s 46 Clemente Biondetti Scuderia Milano Maserati Maserati 4CLT/50 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s 48 Louis Chiron Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s 50 Prince Bira Enrico Platé Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s 52 Toulo de Graffenried Enrico Platé Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s 54 André Simon Equipe Gordini Simca-Gordini Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s Sources:
— Entry withdrawn prior to event.
Classification Qualifying
Positions 1-5 determined by Thursday practice. The rest of the field was set on Saturday.
Pos No Driver Constructor Lap times ThursdaySaturday 1 34 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 1:50.2 2 32 Nino Farina Alfa Romeo 1:52.8 3 2 José Froilán González Maserati 1:53.7 4 14 Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago-Talbot 1:54.1 5 36 Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo 1:54.2 6 38 Luigi Villoresi FerrariUnknown1:52.3 7 40 Alberto Ascari Ferrari1:53.8 8 48 Louis Chiron Maserati1:56.3 9 42 Raymond Sommer Ferrari1:56.6 10 16 Louis Rosier Talbot-Lago-Talbot1:57.7 11 10 Robert Manzon Simca-Gordini2:00.4 12 52 Toulo de Graffenried Maserati2:00.7 13 12 Maurice Trintignant Simca-Gordini2:01.4 14 24 Cuth Harrison ERA2:01.6 15 50 Prince Bira Maserati2:02.2 16 26 Bob Gerard ERA2:03.4 17 44 Franco Rol Maserati2:04.5 18 6 Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago-Talbot2:12.0 19 4 Alfredo Pián MaseratiNo time 20 8 Harry Schell Cooper-JAPNo time 21 28 Peter Whitehead FerrariNo time 18 Charles Pozzi Talbot-Lago-Talbot– 20 Yves Giraud-Cabantous Talbot-Lago-Talbot– 22 Pierre Levegh Talbot-Lago-Talbot– 46 Clemente Biondetti Maserati–Source:
Race Pos No Driver ConstructorLapsTime/Retired Grid Points 1 34 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 100 3:13:18.7 1 9 2 40 Alberto Ascari Ferrari 99 + 1 lap 7 6 3 48 Louis Chiron Maserati 98 + 2 laps 8 4 4 42 Raymond Sommer Ferrari 97 + 3 laps 9 3 5 50 Prince Bira Maserati 95 + 5 laps 15 2 6 26 Bob Gerard ERA 94 + 6 laps 16 7 6 Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago-Talbot 94 + 6 laps 19 38 Luigi Villoresi Ferrari 63 Rear axle 6 14 Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago-Talbot 36 Oil leak 4 2 José Froilán González Maserati 1 Accident 3 32 Nino Farina Alfa Romeo 0 Accident 2 36 Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo 0 Accident 5 16 Louis Rosier Talbot-Lago-Talbot 0 Accident 10 10 Robert Manzon Simca-Gordini 0 Accident 11 52 Toulo de Graffenried Maserati 0 Accident 12 12 Maurice Trintignant Simca-Gordini 0 Accident 13 24 Cuth Harrison ERA 0 Accident 14 44 Franco Rol Maserati 0 Accident 17 8 Harry Schell Cooper-JAP 0 Collision 20 28 Peter Whitehead Ferrari Engine 21 4 Alfredo Pián Maserati Practice accident 18 Notes – Includes 1 point for fastest lap
Championship standings after the race Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 Nino Farina 9 11 2 Juan Manuel Fangio 9 1 3 Luigi Fagioli 6 18 4 Alberto Ascari 6 8 5 Louis Chiron 4Source:
References