Giuseppe “Nino” Farina, the first Formula 1 world champion, received a generous prize of £500,00 for his historic achievement. Born in Turin on October 30, 1906, Farina had a degree in law and a PhD in Political Economy, but his true passion was racing on tracks instead of practicing law.
Farina’s unique driving style, with his arms stretched out, became a trend in the racing world. Even a young Stirling Moss imitated the Italian driver. However, Farina’s early races were marked by accidents. His exceptional speed, determination, and courage caught the attention of Enzo Ferrari, the manager of the Alfa Romeo racing team, who recruited him as a teammate to the legendary Tazio Nuvolari.
Prior to the inaugural season of the F1 championship, Farina had success in various races. He finished second three times in the Mille Miglia, a race that took place on public roads from Brescia to Rome and back, in 1936, 1937, and 1940. In the same year, he also emerged victorious in the Tripoli Grand Prix. After World War II, Farina won the 1946 Nations Grand Prix in Geneva for Alfa Romeo and achieved another victory in the 1948 Monaco Grand Prix driving a Maserati.
The first season of the F1 championship consisted of six Grand Prix races and the Indianapolis 500. The Alfa Romeo team dominated the European races, with Farina winning the season-opening race in Silverstone, starting from pole position and setting the fastest lap. His main rival for the championship, Juan Manuel Fangio, retired during the race, giving Farina an advantage. The Scuderia Ferrari, on the other hand, did not participate due to a dispute over the prize money.
The second stage of the championship took place at the Monaco Grand Prix. Once again, Alfa Romeo emerged victorious from pole position, but this time it was Fangio who claimed the victory. Unfortunately, Farina was involved in an incident on the first lap that resulted in the withdrawal of several cars from the race.
The third stage was held at the iconic Brickyard for the Indy 500, which was part of the Formula 1 World Championship in its early years. Surprisingly, none of the Formula 1 teams participated in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”.
The fourth stage of the championship was the Swiss Grand Prix at the Bremgarten street circuit. Farina secured his second victory of the season, while Fangio once again failed to score points, retiring on lap 33 after starting from pole position.
Farina led the championship at this point with 18 points, followed by Fagioli with 12 points. Fangio and Johnny Parsons were tied in third place, with nine points each, the latter earning his points by winning the Indy 500. Fangio achieved consecutive victories in Belgium and France.
In Spa, there were three Alfa Romeos in the top four positions. Fagioli finished in second place, with French driver Louis Rosier in a Talbot-Lago right behind. Farina started from pole position but finished in fourth place.
In the French Grand Prix at Reims, Fangio emerged victorious from pole position, with Fagioli in second place. Farina’s inability to score points, as he retired on lap 55 out of 64, set the stage for an exciting finale in Monza to determine the first Formula 1 World Champion. Fangio had the advantage with 26 points, followed by Fagioli with 24 points and Farina with 22 points.
The Argentine “Maestro” conquered the pole position, but lost the lead to Farina at the start. Fangio would later claim in his memoirs that the Alfa Romeo team had improved Farina’s Alfa 158 with increased power.
During the 80-lap race, Fangio was in third place when gearbox problems forced him to go to the pits on lap 24. According to the regulations of the time, he took over Piero Taruffi’s car. Two laps later, Fangio found himself in second place, behind his championship rival. However, on lap 34, his dreams were shattered when he had engine problems. Farina continued and won his home Grand Prix.
Farina’s three-point advantage secured his place in history as the first Formula 1 World Champion.
In the 1951 season, Farina achieved podium finishes in four of the five races he completed. His only victory of the season came in Spa. He finished the championship in fourth place, while his Alfa teammate Fangio won the first of his five championships.
For the 1952 season, Farina joined the Maranello team. Although he did not win any races, he achieved four second places, which helped him secure second place in the championship, behind his Ferrari teammate Alberto Ascari. Taruffi’s performance also contributed to the presence of three Italian drivers in the top three positions.
In the 1953 season, Farina achieved a victory at the Nürburgring and stood on the podium in five of the six races he completed. He finished in third place in the championship, with Maserati driver Fangio and his Ferrari teammate Ascari taking first and second place, respectively. Additionally, Farina and Piero Scotti won the 12 Hours of Casablanca in a Ferrari 375 MM, ahead of Luigi Villoresi and Ascari.
The fearless Farina had incredible luck in his racing career. He gained a reputation for his aggressive driving style and miraculously survived several accidents. In an edition of Motorsport magazine from August 2003, the legendary Stirling Moss shared his thoughts with journalist Nigel Roebuck.
“Farina was an exceptional driver, but everyone approached him with caution because of his recklessness. He showed complete disregard for other drivers on the track, even those who were less experienced and being overtaken. Facing him meant facing his absolute cruelty; he executed maneuvers that wouldn’t even cross the mind of a driver like Fangio.”
Unfortunately, this cruelty resulted in the death of two of his competitors. During the 1936 Deauville Grand Prix, Farina’s Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo collided with Marcel Lehoux’s ERA, causing fatal injuries to the French driver.
Two years later, during the 1938 Tripoli Grand Prix at the Mellaha circuit, a similar accident claimed the life of Hungarian driver Laszlo Hartmann on lap 12. This incident marked the second fatality of the race. Three laps earlier, Italian driver Eugenio Siena lost control of his Alfa, went off track, and crashed into a small house adjacent to the circuit. The race was won by Mercedes driver Hermann Lang.
On June 30, 1966, Farina’s luck finally ran out. The first Formula 1 world champion met his end on the way to the French Grand Prix. He lost control of his Lotus-Cortina on an icy stretch near Chambery. The car collided with a telegraph pole, resulting in his premature death at the age of 59.
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