OldRacingCars.com

Monaco Grand Prix

Monte Carlo, 21 May 1950

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 158 - s/c 8
#34 Alfa Romeo SpA
100 3h 13m 18.7s
2 Alberto Ascari Ferrari 125 - s/c V12
#40 Scuderia Ferrari (see note 1)
99 3h 14m 13.9s
3 Louis Chiron Maserati 4CLT-48 [1606] - s/c 4
#48 Officine Alfieri Maserati (see note 2)
98 3h 14m 23.3s
4 Raymond Sommer Ferrari 125 - s/c V12
#42 Scuderia Ferrari (see note 3)
97 3h 13m 53.8s
5 "B Bira" Maserati 4CLT-48 [1607] - s/c 4
#50 Enrico Platé (see note 4)
95 3h 14m 08.7s
6 Bob Gerard ERA A Type [R4A] - s/c 6
#26 F R Gerard (see note 5)
94 3h 14m 16.7s
7 Johnny Claes Talbot T26C [110 011] 6
#6 Écurie Belge (see note 6)
94 3h 14m 24.7s
R Luigi Villoresi Ferrari 125 - s/c V12
#38 Scuderia Ferrari (see note 7)
63 Rear axle
R Philippe Étancelin Talbot T26C [110 008] 6
#14 P Étancelin (see note 8)
36 Oil leak
R José Froilán Gonzalez Maserati 4CLT-48 [1600] - s/c 4
#2 Scuderia Achille Varzi (see note 9)
1 Fire
R Giuseppe Farina Alfa Romeo 158 - s/c 8
#32 Alfa Romeo SpA
0 accident
R Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo 158 - s/c 8
#36 Alfa Romeo SpA
0 accident
R Louis Rosier Talbot T26C [110 001] 6
#16 Écurie Rosier (see note 10)
0 accident
R Robert Manzon Simca-Gordini T15 [0014-GC] - T15C s/c 4
#10 Équipe Gordini (see note 11)
0 accident
R Emmanuel de Graffenried Maserati 4CLT-48 [1601] - s/c 4
#52 Enrico Platé (see note 12)
0 accident
R Maurice Trintignant Simca-Gordini T15 [0012-GC] - T15C s/c 4
#12 Équipe Gordini (see note 13)
0 accident
R Cuth Harrison ERA C Type [R8C] - s/c 6
#24 T C Harrison (see note 14)
0 accident
R Franco Rol Maserati 4CLT-48 [1604] - s/c 4
#44 Officine Alfieri Maserati (see note 15)
0 accident
R Harry Schell (F?) 1.1-litre Cooper Mk IV 'T12' - JAP twin
#8 Horschell Racing Corporation
0 accident
DNS Peter Whitehead Ferrari 125 [10C] - s/c V12
#28 P N Whitehead (see note 16)
Did not start
(Practice engine failure)
DNSC Alfredo Pián Maserati 4CLT-48 - s/c 4
#4 Scuderia Achille Varzi (see note 17)
Did not start (crashed)
DNP Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo 158 - s/c 8
#36 Alfa Romeo SpA
Did not take part in official practice
(Alternate driver)
DNA Charles Pozzi Talbot T26C [110 006] 6
#18 G Grignard (see note 18)
Did not arrive
DNA Clemente Biondetti Maserati 4CLT-48 [1603] - s/c 4
#46 C Biondetti (see note 19)
Did not arrive

All cars are 1.5-litre s/c F1 or 4.5-litre F1 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 Juan Manuel Fangio (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Alfa Romeo 158 - Alfa Romeo s/c 8 1m 50.2s
2 Giuseppe Farina (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Alfa Romeo 158 - Alfa Romeo s/c 8 1m 52.8s
3 José Froilán Gonzalez (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Maserati 4CLT-48 [1600] - Maserati s/c 4 1m 53.7s
4 Philippe Étancelin (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C [110 008] - Talbot 6 1m 54.1s
5 Luigi Fagioli (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Alfa Romeo 158 - Alfa Romeo s/c 8 1m 54.2s
6 Luigi Villoresi (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Ferrari 125 - Ferrari s/c V12 1m 52.3s
7 Alberto Ascari (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Ferrari 125 - Ferrari s/c V12 1m 53.8s
8 Louis Chiron (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Maserati 4CLT-48 [1606] - Maserati s/c 4 1m 56.3s
9 Raymond Sommer (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Ferrari 125 - Ferrari s/c V12 1m 56.6s
10 Louis Rosier (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C [110 001] - Talbot 6 1m 57.7s
11 Robert Manzon (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Simca-Gordini T15 [0014-GC] - Simca-Gordini T15C s/c 4 2m 00.0s
12 Emmanuel de Graffenried (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Maserati 4CLT-48 [1601] - Maserati s/c 4 2m 00.7s
13 Maurice Trintignant (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Simca-Gordini T15 [0012-GC] - Simca-Gordini T15C s/c 4 2m 01.4s
14 Cuth Harrison (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre ERA C Type [R8C] - ERA s/c 6 2m 01.6s
15 "B Bira" (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Maserati 4CLT-48 [1607] - Maserati s/c 4 2m 02.2s
16 Bob Gerard (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre ERA A Type [R4A] - ERA s/c 6 2m 03.4s
17 Franco Rol (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Maserati 4CLT-48 [1604] - Maserati s/c 4 2m 04.5s
18 Johnny Claes (4.5 F1) 4.5-litre Talbot T26C [110 011] - Talbot 6 2m 12.0s
19 Harry Schell (F?) 1.1-litre Cooper Mk IV 'T12' - JAP twin No time
- Alfredo Pián * (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Maserati 4CLT-48 - Maserati s/c 4 1m 56.6s
- Peter Whitehead * (4.5 F1) 1.5-litre Ferrari 125 [10C] - Ferrari s/c V12 2m 05.4s
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Ferrari 125 (Alberto Ascari): Two new two-stage supercharged, long-wheelbase Tipo 125s were built for the 1949 Italian GP with the internal designation 'GP49'. These were numbered either 125-C-00 and 125-C-01 or 125-C-01 and 125-C-02 and it is unclear which car Ascari drove. However, it was normal practice that he would have kept the same car thereafter. At Spa in 1950, Ascari's car was fitted with a Tipo 275 (3.3-litre) sports car Lampredi engine. It is not clear whether Ascari's car was even present at the French GP. One of these two 'GP49' cars became the Thin Wall Special while the other was renumbered 0114 and sold to Peter Whitehead for 1951.
  2. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1606] (Louis Chiron): Shown in Maserati records as going to Louis Chiron in Monte Carlo 21 Sep 1949. Raced by Chiron through 1950 then to Toni Branca for 1951 and then de Walckiers (who entered Steve Watson and Pilette) for 1952. Reappeared Italy 1960s then via chain of Italian, Belgian, Swiss, German and French owners to 1998. Owned by Bernie Ecclestone from 1998.
  3. Ferrari 125 (Raymond Sommer): For the first part of the 1950 season, one of the 1948/49 cars was loaned to Raymond Sommer for the French races including Monaco. It was painted light blue and may also have been the car used by Sommer at San Remo, which alternatively was a works car. The blue car was returned to the factory in June. This is most likely to be 08C or 12C but a definitive identification has not yet been possible.
  4. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1607] ("B Bira"): To Enrico Platé for 1949 (dated 14 Nov 1949 in Maserati records) and raced by Bira up to Geneva 1950. Car fitted with a 4450cc OSCA V12 engine for Bira for the 1951 season. The OSCA was taken to Australia in 1955 by Bira as a spare car to his 250F and sold there to Alf Harvey who raced it from 1955 to 1959. The car then went to the UK for historic racing and was bought by Tom Wheatcroft in 1971. Subsequently in the Donington Museum.
  5. ERA A Type [R4A] (Bob Gerard): Pat Fairfield's customer A Type then via Norman Wilson to reg Parnell in 1942 and Bob Gerard as a hillclimb car in 1945 to Rhodesian owners in the 1950s. Returned to the UK in the mid-1960s and raced in historic events with 2-litre engine by Peter Brewer 1954-65 and Sir John Venables-Llewellyn 1967-93. Via another UK owner to Jöst Wildbolz (Switzerland) in 1999. Retained 2007.
  6. Talbot T26C [110 011] (Johnny Claes): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 011' was Johnny Claes car in 1948-50 and then sold to Duncan Hamilton (and Fotheringham-Parker) and raced 1951-53. Stored in France until 1955 when Hamilton sold it to Allan Freeman in New Zealand who raced it through to 1961. It was bought by Joe Hepworth in 1963 and returned to England; then via other UK and French owners until sold to Bernie Ecclestone 1996. Retained 2002.
  7. Ferrari 125 (Luigi Villoresi): This car was one of the new two-stage supercharged, long-wheelbase Tipo 125s built for the 1949 Italian GP and now known to have had the internal designation 'GP49'. These were numbered either 125-C-00 and 125-C-01 or 125-C-01 and 125-C-02 and it is unclear which serial applies to the car that Villoresi drove. However, it is probable that he had the same car throughout. Villoresi's car was fitted with a Tipo 275 (3.3-litre) sports car Lampredi engine at Albi. At the French GP, Villoresi was to have a 275 engine but it is not clear whether his car was even present. One of these two cars became the Thinwall Special while the other was renumbered 0114 and sold to Peter Whitehead for 1951.
  8. Talbot T26C [110 008] (Philippe Étancelin): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 008' was Philippe Etancelin's car in 1948 and then passed to Jean Achard November 1950. Achard moved to Brazil, taking the car, and sold it there to Pinheiro Pires who raced it in Brazil from 1951 to 1954. Remains to UK via Colin Crabbe in the 1980s and then via other UK owners to Tony Bianchi c1999. Has been raced in historics up to 2005.
  9. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1600] (José Froilán Gonzalez): Built in 1949 for Automovil Club Argentina and raced by under the ACA's "Scuderia Achille Varzi" banner Malusardi and Benedicto Campos. Raced in 1950 by Jose Froilan Gonzalez and then 1950-52 by other ACA drivers in South America. Reportedly to Venezuela then via US, Japanese and further US owners to 1996. Owned by Jean-Louis Duret from 1996. Retained 2000.
  10. Talbot T26C [110 001] (Louis Rosier): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 001' was raced by Louis Rosier from 1948 to 1950 and then under the Ecurie Rosier banner by Pozzi in 1950; by Henri Louveau and Louis Chiron in 1951; and by Giraud-Cabantous, Chaboud and Mairesse in 1952. It was acquired by the Musée Henri Malatre at Rochetaillé, France, in 1956 and was still on display in 1990.
  11. Simca-Gordini T15 [0014-GC] (Robert Manzon): Completed late 1949 and run by works for Manzon in 1950 and 1951, including in F1 events with supercharged engine. Rebuilt 1952 as sportscar 0019 and raced by Bordoni in Mille Miglia with 2.3-litre 6-cyl engine. In Musée Nationale 1983 but apparently not by 1993. More recent history unknown.
  12. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1601] (Emmanuel de Graffenried): To Enrico Platé for 1949 (dated 7 Mar 1949 in Maserati records) and driven by Emmanuel de Graffenried. Continued as de Graffenried's well-used car through 1950 and 1951. Probably one of two cars extensively rebuilt as Plate-Maseratis for 1952. Probably raced by Ottorino Volonterio in F2 in 1953. Sold with the sister car (probably 1598) by de Graffenried to 20th Century Fox for film work then sold again via Tom Carstens (Tacoma, WA). Subsequent history unknown.
  13. Simca-Gordini T15 [0012-GC] (Maurice Trintignant): Works car 1949 to early 1952. Driven by Trintignant (and possibly Fangio) 1951. Rebuilt 1952 as sportscar 17S and raced at Le Mans with 2.3-litre 6-cyl engine. In Musée de Gérier 1983. More recent history unknown.
  14. ERA C Type [R8C] (Cuth Harrison): Built in 1938 using mechanical parts from R8B and raced by Earl Howe 1938 and until a crash in the 1939 International Trophy. Then to Reg Parnell for 1946, Cuth Harrison from 1947 to 1951, Brian Shawe-Taylor 1951 and 1952; then a chain of other owners until acquired in 1977 by Bruce Spollon. Rebuilt to correct C-type specs and raced from 1981 to 2003.
  15. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1604] (Franco Rol): Maserati records state that this car went to Franco Rol 8 Sep 1949. Raced by Rol through 1950 until Rol's crash at Pedralbes 29 Oct 1950. Then raced by Adolfo Macchieraldo 1952-54. To USA, where Marguerite Morgan entered 1957 Indianapolis 500 but driver Danny Kladis failed to qualify. Reappeared in the US in 1965 then via a chain of US, UK, Australian, South African and German owners up to 2002. Owned by Wolf-Dieter Baumann from 2002. Raced by Thomas Steinke 2007 Goodwood Revival but possibly still owned by Baumann.
  16. Ferrari 125 [10C] (Peter Whitehead): Peter Whitehead bought 10C new for 1949 and used it through 1949 and 1950 before buying a newer ex-works 125. This car was raced by Dobson in 1951 and later sold to David Murray. Whitehead later bought a 1949/50 LWB Tipo 125 renumbered 0114; it is this latter car that spent many years in the Donington Collection.
  17. Maserati 4CLT-48 (Alfredo Pián): The third AC Argentina car for 1950, entered by Scuderia Achille Varzi and driven by Pian & Pagani, has not yet been identified. Photographic evidence shows that the cars driven by Pagani at Albi, Pian at Monaco and Pagani at Bremgarten (all in 1950) appear to be the same and are not the ACA's regular cars from 1949, chassis 1599 and 1600.
  18. Talbot T26C [110 006] (Charles Pozzi): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 006' was raced by Georges Grignard in 1948, by Giraud-Cabantous in 1949, Pozzi and Levegh in 1950 and by Jean Blanc in one 1951 hillclimb. Then to Ecurie Belgique in 1951 and retained to 1952. Reappeared in US ownership in 1964 and then via two further US owners to Dean Butler in 1998. Retained 2003. This car was on display at the 2006 Brussels Retro Festival honouring Ecurie Francorchamps.
  19. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1603] (Clemente Biondetti): According to Maserati records, this car went to Luigi de Filippis 8 Sep 1949 and was then driven by Clemente Biondetti 1949 Italian GP and in 1950 races by both de Filippis and Biondetti. Subsequent history unknown.

Formula 1 events 1948-1953

The results published here were compiled by David McKinney and Adam Ferrington from a range of sources including Autocourse, Motor Sport and Autosport, as well as the F1 Register's A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing Volume 5 covering 1950 and 1951. Individual car identities were then meticulously checked against their enormous libraries of books and photographs, notably Talbot-Lago de Course by Pierre Abeillon, Les Gordini by Robert Jarraud, Gordini – Un Sorcier, Une Equipe by Christian Huet and The History of English Racing Automobiles by David Weguelin.

David has also contributed extensively from his notes on car identities compiled over 40 years of research, Michael Müller has contributed immaculately researched histories of all the 1948-1950 Ferrari 125s, and Doug Nye, both through his books and his personal assistance on HWM, has also been of great help.

Please note that since David's sad death in 2014, Adam and Allen have agreed that these pages will remain unaltered from now on, as a lasting testimony to David's expertise.