Swiss GP 1950

JUNE 4, 1950

Swiss GP, 1950

The fourth round of the new World Championship took place just three weeks after the series began at Silverstone - with Monaco and Indianapolis in the interim.

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 Ferraris of Alberto Ascari, Gigi Villoresi, Raymond Sommer and Peter Whitehead. There were a number of uncompetitive Talbot Lagos and Maseratis as usual.

Froilan Gonzalez was out of action as a result of burns he had received after the first lap accident at Monaco. Also out of action due to the crash was Maserati factory driver Franco Rol.

In practice Fangio and Farina were well clear of Fagioli with Villoresi and Ascari sharing the second row of the 3-2-3 grid. 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 it out between themselves.

Fangio led early on but then Farina got ahead. 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 Etancelin in a Talbot Lago was able to move into fourth place.

Shortly afterwards factory Talbot Lago driver Eugene Martin crashed heavily and was seriously hurt when he was thrown from the car. Etancelin 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.

POSNODRIVERENTRANTLAPSTIME/RETIREMENTQUAL POS
16 Giuseppe Farina Alfa Romeo 158 42 2h02m53.700s  
12 Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo 158 42 2h02m54.100s  
10 Louis Rosier Talbot Lago-Talbot T26C-DA 41  10 
30 Prince Bira Maserati 4CLT/48 40  
34 Felice Bonetto Maserati Milano 4CLT/50 40  12 
32 Emmanuel de Graffenried Maserati 4CLT/48 40  11 
Nello Pagani Maserati 4CLT/48 39  15 
44 Harry Schell Talbot Lago-Talbot T26C 39  18 
26 Louis Chiron Maserati 4CLT/48 39  16 
10 Johnny Claes Talbot Lago-Talbot T26C 39  14 
11 40 Antonio Branca Maserati 4CL 35  17 
14 Juan-Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 158 33 Electrics 
42 Philippe Etancelin Talbot Lago-Talbot T26C 25 Gearbox 
20 Raymond Sommer Ferrari 166 19 Suspension 13 
Eugene Martin Talbot Lago-Talbot T26C-DA 19 Accident 
22 Luigi Villoresi Ferrari 125 Transmission 
18 Alberto Ascari Ferrari 125 Mechanical 
Yves Giraud-Cabantous Talbot Lago-Talbot T26C-DA Accident