1950 Italian Grand Prix: Full Weekend Report & Highlights

Giuseppe Farina won the 1950 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, finishing three points ahead of his main rival, Juan Manuel Fangio, to secure the first-ever F1 World Drivers’ Championship.

This race was Alfa Romeo‘s first significant challenge in a world championship event, with the Ferrari of Alberto Ascari battling alongside Fangio and Farina. However, Ascari retired after 21 laps due to an overheating engine, while Fangio went out shortly after with a gearbox problem. Farina led to the finish from Ascari, who was now in teammate Dorino Serafini’s Ferrari, with Luigi Fagioli finishing third in his Alfa Romeo 158.

Going into the race, following his victory at the 1950 French Grand Prix, Fangio led the championship with 26 points, two ahead of teammate Luigi Fagioli and four ahead of other teammate, Giuseppe Farina. While Fangio and Farina had scored points from just three races each—with Fangio securing wins in all three—Fagioli had already accumulated points from four races, all second-place finishes, limiting his ability to significantly increase his total.

The championship scenarios for each driver were as follows:

Fangio would win the title by:

Finishing 1st or 2nd, guaranteeing the championship.
Finishing 3rd, 4th, or 5th, provided Farina finished no better than 2nd.
Achieving only the fastest lap, provided Farina finished 3rd or lower.
Scoring no points, provided Farina finished 3rd or lower without the fastest lap, or 4th if Farina had the fastest lap, and Fagioli did not win with the fastest lap.

Fagioli’s only path to the title:

Winning the race with the fastest lap, with Farina finishing 3rd or lower, and Fangio scoring no points.

Farina could become champion by:

Winning with the fastest lap, provided Fangio finished 3rd or lower.
Winning without the fastest lap, provided Fangio finished 4th or lower.
Finishing 2nd with the fastest lap, provided Fangio finished 5th or lower without securing the fastest lap.
Finishing 3rd with the fastest lap, provided Fangio did not score any points.

Come the chequered flag, it was Farina who won the title and race.

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Time	Gap
1	18	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	1:58.6	–
2	16	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	1:58.8	+ 0.2
3	10	Nino Farina	Alfa Romeo	2:00.2	+ 1.6
4	46	Consalvo Sanesi	Alfa Romeo	2:00.4	+ 1.8
5	36	Luigi Fagioli	Alfa Romeo	2:04.0	+ 5.4
6	48	Dorino Serafini	Ferrari	2:05.6	+ 7.0
7	60	Piero Taruffi	Alfa Romeo	2:05.8	+ 7.2
8	12	Raymond Sommer	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	2:08.6	+ 10.0
9	4	Franco Rol	Maserati	2:10.0	+ 11.4
10	44	Robert Manzon	Simca-Gordini	2:12.4	+ 13.8
11	40	Guy Mairesse	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	2:13.2	+ 14.6
12	42	Maurice Trintignant	Simca-Gordini	2:13.4	+ 14.8
13	58	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	2:13.4	+ 14.8
14	64	Henri Louveau	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	2:13.8	+ 15.2
15	30	Prince Bira	Maserati	2:14.0	+ 15.4
16	24	Philippe Étancelin	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	2:14.4	+ 15.8
17	38	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	2:14.4	+ 15.8
18	8	Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	2:16.2	+ 17.6
19	6	Louis Chiron	Maserati	2:17.2	+ 18.6
20	56	Pierre Levegh	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	2:17.2	+ 18.6
21	32	Cuth Harrison	ERA	2:18.4	+ 19.8
22	2	Johnny Claes	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	2:18.6	+ 20.0
23	52	Felice Bonetto	Milano-Speluzzi	2:19.8	+ 21.2
24	50	David Murray	Maserati	2:22.0	+ 23.4
25	22	Clemente Biondetti	Ferrari-Jaguar	2:30.6	+ 32.0
26	62	Franco Comotti	Maserati-Milano	2:33.6	+ 35.0
27	28	Paul Pietsch	Maserati	3:00.2	+ 61.9
DNA	14	Giovanni Bracco	Ferrari	–	–
DNA	26	Reg Parnell	Maserati	–	–
DNA	34	Luigi Platé	Talbot	–	–

1950 Italian Grand Prix Starting Grid

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Time
1	18	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	1:58.600
2	16	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	1:58.800
3	10	Nino Farina	Alfa Romeo	2:00.200
4	46	Consalvo Sanesi	Alfa Romeo	2:00.400
5	36	Luigi Fagioli	Alfa Romeo	2:04.000
6	48	Dorino Serafini	Ferrari	2:05.200
7	60	Piero Taruffi	Alfa Romeo	2:05.800
8	12	Raymond Sommer	Talbot-Lago	2:08.600
9	4	Franco Rol	Maserati	2:10.000
10	44	Robert Manzon	Simca-Gordini	2:12.400
11	40	Guy Mairesse	Talbot-Lago	2:13.200
12	42	Maurice Trintignant	Simca-Gordini	2:13.400
13	58	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	2:13.400
14	64	Henri Louveau	Talbot-Lago	2:13.800
15	30	Prince Bira	Maserati	2:14.000
16	24	Philippe Etancelin	Talbot-Lago	2:14.400
17	38	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	2:14.400
18	8	Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	2:16.200
19	6	Louis Chiron	Maserati	2:17.200
20	56	Pierre Levegh	Talbot-Lago	2:17.200
21	32	Cuth Harrison	ERA	2:18.400
22	2	Johnny Claes	Talbot-Lago	2:18.600
23	52	Felice Bonetto	Maserati	2:19.800
24	50	David Murray	Maserati	2:22.000
25	22	Clemente Biondetti	Ferrari Jaguar	2:30.600
26	62	Franco Comotti	Maserati	2:33.600
27	28	Paul Pietsch	Maserati	3:00.400

1950 Italian Grand Prix Race Results

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Laps	Time/retired	Pts
1	10	Nino Farina	Alfa Romeo	80	2:51:17.400	8
2	48	Dorino Serafini	Ferrari		SHC	3
2	48	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	80	+78.600s	3
3	36	Luigi Fagioli	Alfa Romeo	80	+95.600s	4
4	58	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	75	+5 laps	3
5	24	Philippe Etancelin	Talbot-Lago	75	+5 laps	2
6	38	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	72	+8 laps	0
7	8	Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	72	+8 laps	0
NC	50	David Murray	Maserati	56	DNF	0
NC	32	Cuth Harrison	ERA	51	DNF	0
NC	12	Raymond Sommer	Talbot-Lago	48	DNF	0
NC	40	Guy Mairesse	Talbot-Lago	42	DNF	0
NC	4	Franco Rol	Maserati	39	DNF	0
NC	60	Piero Taruffi	Alfa Romeo		SHC	0
NC	60	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	34	DNF	1
NC	56	Pierre Levegh	Talbot-Lago	29	DNF	0
NC	18	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	23	DNF	1
NC	2	Johnny Claes	Talbot-Lago	22	DNF	0
NC	16	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	21	DNF	0
NC	22	Clemente Biondetti	Ferrari Jaguar	17	DNF	0
NC	64	Henri Louveau	Talbot-Lago	16	DNF	0
NC	62	Franco Comotti	Maserati Milano	15	DNF	0
NC	6	Louis Chiron	Maserati	13	DNF	0
NC	42	Maurice Trintignant	Simca-Gordini	13	DNF	0
NC	46	Consalvo Sanesi	Alfa Romeo	11	DNF	0
NC	44	Robert Manzon	Simca-Gordini	7	DNF	0
NC	30	Prince Bira	Maserati	1	DNF	0
NC	28	Paul Pietsch	Maserati	0	DNF	0

1950 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings

Only the best four results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.

Pos	Driver	Nationality	Car	PTS
1	Giuseppe Farina	ITA	Alfa Romeo	30
2	Juan Manuel Fangio	ARG	Alfa Romeo	27
3	Luigi Fagioli	ITA	Alfa Romeo	24
4	Louis Rosier	FRA	Talbot-Lago	13
5	Alberto Ascari	ITA	Ferrari	11
6	Johnnie Parsons	USA	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	9
7	Bill Holland	USA	Deidt Offenhauser	6
8	Prince Bira	THA	Maserati	5
9	Reg Parnell	GBR	Maserati	4
9	Louis Chiron	MON	Maserati	4
9	Mauri Rose	USA	Deidt Offenhauser	4
9	Peter Whitehead	GBR	Ferrari	4
13	Yves Giraud Cabantous	FRA	Talbot-Lago	3
13	Raymond Sommer	FRA	Talbot-Lago	3
13	Cecil Green	USA	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	3
13	Robert Manzon	FRA	Simca-Gordini	3
13	Dorino Serafini	ITA		3
13	Philippe Etancelin	FRA		3
19	Felice Bonetto	ITA	Maserati Milano	2
20	Tony Bettenhausen	USA	Deidt Offenhauser	1
20	Joie Chitwood	USA	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	1
20	Eugene Chaboud	FRA		1

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Ben is a staff writer specialising in F1 from the 1990s to the modern era. Ben has been following Formula 1 since 1986 and is an avid researcher who loves understanding the technology that makes it one of the most exciting motorsport on the planet. He listens to podcasts about F1 on a daily basis, and enjoys reading books from the inspirational Adrian Newey to former F1 drivers.