The 1950 Swiss Grand Prix, formally titled the Großer Preis der Schweiz für Automobile, 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.
Report 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 No Driver Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre 2 Nello Pagani Scuderia Achille Varzi Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 4 Johnny Claes Ecurie Belge Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 6 Yves Giraud-Cabantous Automobiles Talbot-Darracq Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 8 Eugène Martin Automobiles Talbot-Darracq Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 10 Louis Rosier Automobiles Talbot-Darracq Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 12 Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 158 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s 14 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 158 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s 16 Nino Farina Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 158 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s 18 Alberto Ascari Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s 20 Raymond Sommer Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 166 F2-50 Ferrari 166 F2 2.0 V12 22 Luigi Villoresi Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s 24 Peter Whitehead Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s 26 Louis Chiron Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 28 Franco Rol Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 30 Prince Bira Enrico Platé Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 32 Toulo de Graffenried Enrico Platé Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 34 Felice Bonetto Scuderia Milano Maserati Maserati 4CLT/50 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 36 Reg Parnell Scuderia Ambrosiana Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 38 Rudi Fischer Ecurie Espadon SVA-Fiat SVA 1500 Fiat L4s 40 Toni Branca Scuderia Achille Varzi Maserati Maserati 4CL Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4s 42 Philippe Étancelin Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 44 Harry Schell Ecurie Bleue Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 Sources:
— 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.
Classification Qualifying Pos No Driver Constructor Time 1 14 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 2:42.1 2 16 Nino Farina Alfa Romeo 2:42.8 3 12 Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo 2:45.2 4 22 Luigi Villoresi Ferrari 2:46.1 5 18 Alberto Ascari Ferrari 2:46.8 6 42 Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:51.1 7 6 Yves Giraud-Cabantous Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:52.7 8 30 Prince Bira Maserati 2:53.2 9 8 Eugène Martin Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:53.7 10 10 Louis Rosier Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:54.0 11 32 Toulo de Graffenried Maserati 2:54.2 12 34 Felice Bonetto Maserati 2:54.6 13 20 Raymond Sommer Ferrari 2:54.6 14 4 Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:59.0 15 2 Nello Pagani Maserati 3:06.8 16 26 Louis Chiron Maserati 3:06.8 17 40 Toni Branca Maserati 3:10.0 18 44 Harry Schell Talbot-Lago-Talbot 3:11.5 24 Peter Whitehead Ferrari– 28 Franco Rol Maserati– 36 Reg Parnell Maserati– 38 Rudi Fischer SVA-Fiat–
Race Pos No Driver ConstructorLapsTime/Retired Grid Points 1 16 Nino Farina Alfa Romeo 42 2:02:53.7 2 9 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 14 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 32 Engine 1 42 Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago-Talbot 25 Gearbox 6 8 Eugène Martin Talbot-Lago-Talbot 19 Accident 9 20 Raymond Sommer Ferrari 19 Suspension 13 22 Luigi Villoresi Ferrari 9 Engine 4 18 Alberto Ascari Ferrari 4 Oil Pump 5 6 Yves Giraud-Cabantous Talbot-Lago-Talbot 0 Accident 7 Notes – Includes 1 point for fastest lap
Championship standings after the race 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 6Source:
References