1950 Monaco Grand Prix: Full Weekend Report & Highlights

The second Formula One World Championship race took place in Monaco on 21 May 1950 and was won by Juan Manuel Fangio. Due to windy conditions, waves and spray from the harbour made the Tabac corner exceptionally slippery, causing a nine-car pileup on the first lap.

Fangio, driving an Alfa Romeo, avoided the chaos and secured victory in the 100-lap race, finishing over a lap ahead of Alberto Ascari in the Ferrari. Luigi Villoresi added excitement by stalling at the start but fought back to second place before retiring with a mechanical issue. Local hero and Monégasque Louis Chiron in a Maserati finished third. It was also the first Formula One race for Ferrari.

Interestingly, Chiron’s 3rd-place finish made him the only Monegasque driver to score points in Formula One until Charles Leclerc finished 6th in the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix some 68 years later. Leclerc would go on to win the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix.

Qualifying

Positions 1-5 determined by Thursday practice. The rest of the field was set on Saturday.

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Lap	Gap
1	34	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	1:50.2	–
2	32	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	1:52.8	+ 2.6
3	2	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	Maserati	1:53.7	+ 3.5
4	14	Philippe Étancelin	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	1:54.1	+ 3.9
5	36	Luigi Fagioli	Alfa Romeo	1:54.2	+ 4.0
6	38	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	1:52.3	+ 2.1
7	40	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	1:53.8	+ 3.6
8	48	Louis Chiron	Maserati	1:56.3	+ 6.1
9	42	Raymond Sommer	Ferrari	1:56.6	+ 6.4
10	16	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	1:57.7	+ 7.5
11	10	Robert Manzon	Simca-Gordini	2:00.4	+ 10.2
12	52	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	2:00.7	+ 10.5
13	12	Maurice Trintignant	Simca-Gordini	2:01.4	+ 11.2
14	24	Cuth Harrison	ERA	2:01.6	+ 11.4
15	50	Prince Bira	Maserati	2:02.2	+ 12.0
16	26	Bob Gerard	ERA	2:03.4	+ 13.2
17	44	Franco Rol	Maserati	2:04.5	+ 14.3
18	4	Alfredo Piàn	Maserati	No time	–
19	6	Johnny Claes	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	2:12.0	+ 21.8
20	8	Harry Schell	Cooper-JAP	No time	–
21	28	Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	No time	–
DNA	18	Charles Pozzi	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	–	–
DNA	20	Yves Giraud-Cabantous	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	–	–
DNA	22	Pierre Levegh	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	–	–
DNA	46	Clemente Biondetti	Maserati	–	–

1950 Monaco Grand Prix Starting Grid

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Time
1	34	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	1:50.200
2	32	Nino Farina	Alfa Romeo	1:52.800
3	2	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	Maserati	1:53.700
4	14	Philippe Etancelin	Talbot-Lago	1:54.100
5	36	Luigi Fagioli	Alfa Romeo	1:54.200
6	38	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	1:52.300
7	40	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	1:53.800
8	48	Louis Chiron	Maserati	1:56.300
9	42	Raymond Sommer	Ferrari	1:56.600
10	16	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	1:57.700
11	10	Robert Manzon	Simca-Gordini	2:04.000
12	52	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	2:00.700
13	12	Maurice Trintignant	Simca-Gordini	2:01.400
14	24	Cuth Harrison	ERA	2:01.600
15	50	Prince Bira	Maserati	2:02.200
16	26	Bob Gerard	ERA	2:03.400
17	44	Franco Rol	Maserati	2:04.500
18	4	Alfredo Pián	Maserati
19	6	Johnny Claes	Talbot-Lago	2:12.000
20	8	Harry Schell	Cooper JAP

1950 Monaco Grand Prix Race Results

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Laps	Time/retired	Pts
1	34	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	100	3:13:18.700	9
2	40	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	99	+1 lap	6
3	48	Louis Chiron	Maserati	98	+2 laps	4
4	42	Raymond Sommer	Ferrari	97	+3 laps	3
5	50	Prince Bira	Maserati	95	+5 laps	2
6	26	Bob Gerard	ERA	94	+6 laps	0
7	6	Johnny Claes	Talbot-Lago	94	+6 laps	0
NC	38	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	63	DNF	0
NC	14	Philippe Etancelin	Talbot-Lago	36	DNF	0
NC	2	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	Maserati	1	DNF	0
NC	36	Luigi Fagioli	Alfa Romeo	0	DNF	0
NC	32	Nino Farina	Alfa Romeo	0	DNF	0
NC	16	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	0	DNF	0
NC	10	Robert Manzon	Simca-Gordini	0	DNF	0
NC	8	Harry Schell	Cooper JAP	0	DNF	0
NC	52	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	0	DNF	0
NC	12	Maurice Trintignant	Simca-Gordini	0	DNF	0
NC	24	Cuth Harrison	ERA	0	DNF	0
NC	44	Franco Rol	Maserati	0	DNF	0

1950 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Giuseppe Farina	9
2	Juan Manuel Fangio	9
3	Luigi Fagioli	6
4	Alberto Ascari	6
5	Louis Chiron	4

Only the top five positions are included. Only the best four results counted towards the Championship.

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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.