1950 Modena Grand Prix
| 1950 Modena Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race details | |||
| Date | 7 May 1950 | ||
| Official name | I Gran Premio di Modena | ||
| Location | Aerautodromo di Modena, Modena, Italy | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 3.8 km (2.4 mi) | ||
| Distance | 80 laps, 304 km (189 mi) | ||
| Weather | Rain | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Ferrari | ||
| Time | 1:57.5 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:58.2 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Ferrari | ||
| Second | Private | ||
| Third | OSCA | ||
The 1950 Modena Grand Prix was a Formula Two motor race held on 7 May 1950 to inaugurate the Aerautodromo di Modena, Italy.[1] Raced in front of 50,000 spectators, the 304 km race was won by Italian driver Alberto Ascari in a Ferrari 166 F2/50. Ascari also set the fastest lap and started from pole position.[2][3]
History
[edit]After the severe accident at the 8th Circuito Automobilistico di Modena on 28 September 1947, when Giovanni Bracco's Delage 3000 crashed into the crowd at 130 km/h, killing 5 spectators and injuring 19, street racing in the city was brought to an end.[4] It was then decided to build a modern racetrack, similar to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (where spectators could watch the entire race), to serve the hometown automakers Ferrari, Maserati, and Stanguellini.[5]
Construction of the track, which would also serve as an airport (later inaugurated on 12 December), began on 28 March 1949.[6] On 7 May, the aerodrome was officially inaugurated by the Minister of the Merchant Navy, Alberto Simonini, alongside other civil, military, and religious authorities.
Race
[edit]The public was eager to see the duel between Juan Manuel Fangio and Ascari. Ascari was driving a new Ferrari 166 F2/50 featuring a De Dion tube rear suspension and a rounded nose, while the Argentine was equipped with an older model.[7]
The Grand Prix started at 15:50 under the rain. Dorino Serafini made the best start, taking the lead, but was quickly overtaken by Ascari, followed by Fangio in third. A few laps later, El Chueco regained second position, but on lap 19 he was forced to retire due to an engine connecting rod failure. Ascari won the race at an average speed of 108.875 km/h, followed by Mario Tadini two laps down.[8] Piero Carini in an OSCA finished third, after a long battle with Sergio Sighinolfi's Stanguellini (who later retired on lap 29).
Classification
[edit]| Pos | No. | Driver | Entrant | Car | Laps | Time/Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Alberto Ascari |
Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 166 F2/50 | 80 | 2:47:31.4 |
| 2 | 20 | Mario Tadini |
Private | Ferrari 166 F2 | 78 | +2 laps |
| 3 | Piero Carini |
Automobili OSCA | OSCA MT4 | 76 | +4 laps | |
| 4 | Nello Pagani |
Scuderia Achille Varzi | Simca-Gordini T15 | 74 | +6 laps | |
| 5 | Pietro Palmieri |
Private | Maserati A6GCS | 72 | +8 laps | |
| 6 | Vittorio Casalegno |
Private | Cisitalia D46-Fiat | 70 | +10 laps | |
| 7 | Angelo Mijorini |
Private | Cisitalia D46-Fiat | 68 | +12 laps | |
| Ret | Sergio Sighinolfi |
Automobili Stanguellini | Stanguellini-Fiat | 29 | Retired | |
| Ret | 18 | Dorino Serafini |
Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari 166 F2 | 24 | Cylinder head |
| Ret | 16 |  Juan Manuel Fangio |
Automovil Club Argentina | Ferrari 166 F2 | 17 | Engine |
| Ret | Clemente Biondetti |
Private | Ferrari 166 SC | 12 | Gearbox | |
| Ret | Roberto Mieres |
Scuderia Achille Varzi | Simca-Gordini T15 | 11 | Suspension | |
| Ret | Ernesto Bianchi |
Private | Cisitalia D46-Fiat | 6 | Accident |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Roberto Grimaldi (7 May 2020). "Un autodromo solo per i grandi campioni". Il Resto del Carlino. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ↑ "Gran Premio di Modena 1950". Fondazione Pirelli. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ↑ Anthony Pritchard. Grand Prix Ferrari: The Years of Enzo Ferrari’s Power, 1948-1980. Veloce Publishing. pp. 76–77. ISBN 9781845846237. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ↑ "Augusta Carri". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ↑ "Automobile Club Modena: 85 anni di servizi". Automobile Club di Modena. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015.
- ↑ "Aerautodromo di Modena: storia di un autodromo". Modelfoxbrianza. 20 May 2004. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
- ↑ "Ferrari GP 1950 fotos". Retrieved 2 June 2022.
- ↑ "1950 Italia - I Gran Premio di Modena" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 June 2022.
External links
[edit]- 1950 Modena Grand Prix at Motorsport Magazine
- I. Gran Premio di Modena 1950 – Formula 2 Race at MitoRosso.com
- I Gran Premio di Modena 1950 at The Fastlane
- Gran Premio dell'autodromo di Modena (Settimana INCOM) on YouTube
- Fangio en Modena on YouTube (in Spanish)