Formula 1 Retrospective: 1950 Season
Race 1: Italian physician Giuseppe Farina (2, Alfa Romeo) leads wire to wire in his red Alfa to win the first modern day F1 Grand Prix of Europe before 200,000 spectators at Silverstone, England. Farina averages 90.95 mph over 2h 13m 23s in an event preceded over by the British Royals, King George, Queen Elizabeth, and Princess Margaret. Farina 1, Alfa Romeo 1.
Race 2: Juan Manuel Fangio (34, Alfa Romeo) runs wire to wire to win on the streets of Monaco. Fangio 1, Alfa Romeo 2.
1950 Indianapolis 500 Start
Race 3: Johnnie Parsons of Van Nuys, California (1, Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser-Wynns) wins the rain shortened Indianapolis 500 with an overpowering performance before 150,000. Parsons joins the lead pack at Lap 10 and remains at the point for the remaining race despite suffering a cracked engine block during midrace. Rain halts the race at the 345 mile mark as Parsons paces around for an average of 124.002 mph, a new event record. Parsons 1, Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 1.
Race 4: Farina (16, Alfa Romeo), taking advantage of pole sitter and teammate Fangio’s engine failure with only ten laps remaining, dashes to victory at the Bern Grand Prix in Switzerland. Farina 2, Alfa Romeo 3.
Race 5: Fangio (10, Alfa Romeo), starting from P2, outpaces teammates Farina and Luigi Fagioli to win the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. Fangio 2. Alfa Romeo 4.
Race 6: Fangio (6, Alfa Romeo) runs wire to wire and challenges teammate Farina for the championship title with a commanding victory in the French Grand Prix at Rheims. Fangio 3, Alfa Romeo 5.
Race 7: Farina of Italy (10, Alfa Romeo) gains the edge when Fangio’s gearbox fails on Lap 23, allowing the former to breeze away for an easy victory at Monza, Italy. Farina’s win earns him the maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix Drivers’ Championship by a narrow three point margin over the Argentinian Fangio. Farina 3, Alfa Romeo 6.
