Enzo Ferrari was well prepared for this eventuality, for by late 1951 Maranello was already testing a new naturally aspirated 2-liter inline-four-cylinder engine in monoposto form, with very promising results. Chief engineer Aurelio Lampredi had steadily advanced the concepts of simplicity and reliability, and his latest engine was a masterful study in these qualities, featuring a 65% reduction in moving parts and weighing 92.8 pounds less than the outgoing Colombo-designed Tipo 166 V-12. Featuring dry-sump lubrication, the new Tipo 500 engine was ignited by dual sparkplugs powered by twin magnetos and fed by two twin-choke Weber carburetors, combining to develop an impressive 170 horsepower—an improvement of 15 horsepower over the outgoing Tipo 166. In short, the inline-four was lighter, more reliable, and more powerful than its predecessor. The new 500 engine was mated to a four-speed transaxle and dropped into an equally simplified and reliable short-wheelbase chassis of 2,160 millimeters, equipped with independent double-wishbone front suspension, a De Dion rear axle, and capable drum brakes, all clothed in minimalist monoposto coachwork. Weighing a svelte 1,235 pounds, the new 500 F2 had a top speed of over 149 mph, making it a clear favorite among Formula Two competitors.

The beloved Alberto “Ciccio” Ascari, one of the day’s most popular drivers, led a team consisting of Nino Farina, Piero Taruffi, and Luigi Villoresi, and during the next two years they established a dominance that has rarely been matched. During the 1952 and 1953 seasons the 500 F2 won an astounding 30 out of 33 races in which it participated, and Ascari became Ferrari’s first Drivers’ Champion—actually becoming a back-to-back Champion—while Farina and Taruffi finished 2nd and 3rd in Championship driver’s points in 1952. Maranello built six of these remarkable factory team cars during the model’s two-year reign, all stamped with three-digit numbers ranging from 001 to 006. Midway through the first season the company began offering privateer versions to preferred racing clients, and five such cars were built with standard even-numbered competition chassis numbers. Referred to as “starlet” cars in Italy, these privateer examples performed nearly as well as the factory cars, exemplified by Rudi Fischer’s 4th-place standing in 1952 Championship driver’s points.

Representing one of the most dominant periods in Scuderia Ferrari history, including Ferrari’s first Drivers’ World Championship, and claiming important ownership provenance and racing use by Jacques Swaters’ Ecurie Francorchamps and the legendary Marquis de Portago, this extremely rare 625 F1 would make a fabulous addition to any collection. It is eligible for the some of the most exclusive vintage racing events worldwide, and can expect a warm welcome at premiere concours d’elegance. It invites admirers to indulge in its brilliant engineering mandate, fostered by the genius of Aurelio Lampredi, and employed to such overwhelming success by the luminary Alberto Ascari.

— see video above —

The post Video: ultra-rare 1954 Ferrari 625 F1 (ex Alberto Ascari) up for auction appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

There is a reason why the Goodwood Festival of Speed, inaugurated in 1993, has over the years become a popular gathering with fans of all ages and adored by so many different generations of drivers. There are not many other events in which you can breathe so much history of motorsport all together. Cars, drivers and characters who have written memorable pages of motorsport, all gathered for a few days in one place. A real magic, which also leads to excitement of motoring legends who have crossed all the most prestigious milestones in their careers, but who in the depths of their hearts still remain ‘simple’ enthusiasts.

This is the case of Mario Andretti, the hero of the two worlds of motorsport, capable of winning during his Formula 1 career at Indianapolis and getting on the podium at Le Mans. The Italian-American champion, present this year at Goodwood, was the protagonist of a highly emotional moment when he got behind the wheel of one of the Ferrari cars driven by Alberto Ascari in his career. The two-time Milanese world champion was the idol of Mario Andretti, who was 12 when the Italian won his first title. “A great personal moment for me at the Goodwood Festival was driving Alberto Ascari’s car. He was my absolute idol. I fell in love with racing watching him drive this car. This made my day happy,” – wrote the former Ferrari driver on Twitter.

Mario Andretti then did not miss the opportunity to be immortalized with two other authentic sporting monsters, such as Sir Jackie Stewart and Emerson Fittipaldi. A photo already destined to become iconic and which embodies the beauty of six world titles. “Meet the friends of a lifetime in Goodwood”, the concise but very clear comment written by ‘Piedone’ accompanying the image.

The post Mario Andretti got behind the wheel of legendary Ferrari car driven by Alberto Ascari appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

— see video above —

The post Watch: Alberto Ascari cements himself in history books with second Drivers’ title for Ferrari | 1953 Swiss GP appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

Maserati’s new A6GCM was still not ready, and, to compound this, their lead driver Juan Manuel Fangio had suffered back injuries at the non-championship Monza Grand Prix. This meant that Ferrari were once again favoured for success in the race, with their driver lineup consisting of Alberto Ascari (in place of André Simon), Nino Farina and Piero Taruffi. There were also two privateer Ferrari entries: local driver Charles de Tornaco of Ecurie Francorchamps, and Louis Rosier.

After qualifying, the front row was an all-Ferrari affair with the 500s of Alberto Ascari, Giuseppe Farina and Piero Taruffi. Fourth fastest was Robert Manzon in the Gordini, no less than 15 seconds off the pace of the pole man. The early stages of the race produced a moment of glory for Jean Behra who, in his Gordini, managed to get the better of all the Ferraris, with the exception of Ascari and then also had to give best to Farina. By lap 13, Piero Taruffi also managed to catch Behra, attacking him to take third. However, not long after, Taruffi spun at Malmedy and Behra was powerless to avoid hitting him square on. Thus a top three finish for Ferrari evaporated, but Alberto Ascari won by 1.55.2 from Giuseppe Farina and almost a lap ahead of Manzon. It was Alberto Ascari’s third win and Ferrari fifth, as well as the third one-two finish in its still very early days.

Alberto Ascari’s win (with fastest lap), and Piero Taruffi’s retirement, meant that the two now shared the lead of the Championship, on nine points each. Indianapolis 500 winner Troy Ruttman was in third, while Farina’s second-place finish raised him to fourth in the standings, three points adrift of the joint Championship leaders.

The post Pole, win and fastest lap for Ferrari’s Alberto Ascari at Spa-Francorchamps | 1952 Belgian GP appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

True to form, Ferrari were favourites right from qualifying when the four factory 500s all secured top six places with Alberto Ascari on pole, even beating Juan Manuel Fangio by 1.6 seconds and Giuseppe Farina by 1.9.

The track presented an unexpected problem: the surface had recently been relaid, but the job was done in a hurry without much care and as a result it broke up with gravel flying dangerously at the drivers. Alberto Ascari complained to the organisers who did nothing but shrug their shoulders.

The Milanese driver remembered watching some American dirt track races the previous year and fitted his 500 with a protective mesh screen, a solution immediately adopted by all the other drivers.

In the race, Alberto Ascari took control from start to finish, to give Ferrari its twelfth win. Behind the victor came Giuseppe Farina which meant the Maranello marque had secured a ninth one-two finish. A clean sweep of the podium was not to be, because of a great climb up the order from Jose Froilan Gonzalez: the Argentine had to take over Felice Bonetto’s Maserati after his own had a problem and he managed to get all the way back to third, overtaking Mike Hawthorn in the Ferrari in the closing stages.

Ascari’s eight consecutive World Championship race victory (ignoring the Indianapolis 500) gave him a clear lead in the points standings. He was eight points clear of Bill Vukovich, the winner at Indianapolis, while his nearest genuine rivals for the Drivers’ Championship were his teammates Villoresi and Farina, who were in third and fourth, respectively. González and Hawthorn were level on points with Farina, eleven points adrift of Ascari.

The post Ferrari one-two at Zandvoort with Alberto Ascari and Nino Farina | 1953 Dutch GP appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

During practice, Johnny Claes crashed his Talbot after a brake pipe broke – and several spectators were killed.

— see video above —

The post An all-Ferrari podium at the Autodromo di Ospedaletti | 1951 San Remo GP appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

The Ferraris once again dominated qualifying, with Ascari taking his fourth pole position of the season, ahead of Farina in second. Mike Hawthorn shone in practice, gaining a front-row start for his little Cooper-Bristol, relegating Villoresi’s Ferrari to the second row of the grid. Trintignant’s Gordini completed row two, while his teammates Behra and Manzon were joined on the third row by Wharton in the sole Frazer-Nash.

Hawthorn fought valiantly with the Ferraris for five laps before they resumed their usual formation. Ascari led Farina and Villoresi home in another Ferrari procession, with Hawthorn gaining fourth place, two laps behind the Ferrari trio.

This was Ascari’s fifth consecutive victory (along with a fifth consecutive fastest lap), and his seventh victory in total, breaking Fangio’s record for the most World Championship race wins. Farina’s podium finish took him to second place in the Drivers’ Championship standings, overtaking the absentee Taruffi

This race was the first Dutch Grand Prix to count for the World Championship: there would be a further 29, seven of them won by a driver at the wheel of a Ferrari.

The post 1952 Dutch GP: Ferrari 500 D2 dominates at Zandvoort with Alberto Ascari, Nino Farina and Luigi Villoresi appeared first on Scuderia Fans.

The front row positions on the grid were shared equally between Alfa Romeo and Ferrari, with Fangio, Farina, Ascari and González posting the four fastest qualifying times. The second row consisted of the remaining works Ferraris of Villoresi and Taruffi, alongside Felice Bonetto. Reg Parnell, in a BRM, was also supposed to be on the second row, but was unable to start due to lubrication problems.

Fangio was the initial race leader, having started from pole position, but he soon had to cede the position to Ascari. He retook the lead on lap eight before pitting for a tyre change, which dropped him to fifth. Early retirements for Farina and de Graffenried left José Froilán González in second, behind his teammate Ascari. Fangio attempted to bridge the gap to the Ferraris, but engine problems eliminated his chances. The sole remaining Alfa driver, Nino Farina, who had taken over Bonetto’s car on lap 30, inherited third place as a result of Fangio’s retirement. He was fast, but fuel leakages meant that he needed to make two further pitstops; he therefore had to settle for third. Alberto Ascari took his second, and Ferrari’s third, consecutive Championship race victory, ahead of British Grand Prix winner González. The other works Ferraris of Villoresi and Taruffi completed the points positions in what was another successful race for the Scuderia.

Alberto Ascari’s victory took him to within two points of Championship leader Fangio, while González was a further four points behind in third.

— see video above —

The post Video, 1951 Italian GP: Alberto Ascari takes his second consecutive race win and Ferrari’s third appeared first on Scuderia Fans.