By Score More
The 1951 Formula One season was the second season of the FIA Formula One World Championship, which is recognized today as the first official Formula One season. The championship was contested over six races and was won by Argentine driver Juan Manuel Fangio, driving for the Alfa Romeo team.
The season began on May 27th with the Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten circuit, where Fangio won his first race of the season. He went on to win the following race, the Indianapolis 500, which was not part of the Formula One championship at the time. The third race of the season was the Belgian Grand Prix, held at Spa-Francorchamps, where Ferrari’s Luigi Villoresi took the checkered flag.
The fourth race of the season was the French Grand Prix, held at Reims-Gueux, where Fangio secured his third win of the season. The British Grand Prix, held at Silverstone, was won by Ferrari’s José Froilán González, who became the first driver to win a race in a car powered by a engine with a displacement greater than four liters.
The season concluded with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where Fangio secured his fourth win of the season and clinched the championship title. He finished the season with 31 points, ahead of his Alfa Romeo teammate Giuseppe Farina and Ferrari’s Alberto Ascari, who both finished with 24 points.
Overall, the 1951 season was dominated by Alfa Romeo, who won four of the six races. Fangio’s championship win marked the beginning of a dominant period for the Alfa Romeo team in the early years of Formula One.
he 1951 Formula One season was the second season of the FIA Formula One World Championship, consisting of six races held in Europe and the United States.
Here is a list of the races held during the 1951 season:
- Swiss Grand Prix – Bremgarten circuit, May 27th – won by Juan Manuel Fangio (Alfa Romeo)
- Indianapolis 500 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 30th – won by Lee Wallard (Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser)*
- Belgian Grand Prix – Spa-Francorchamps, June 17th – won by Luigi Villoresi (Ferrari)
- French Grand Prix – Reims-Gueux, July 1st – won by Juan Manuel Fangio (Alfa Romeo)
- British Grand Prix – Silverstone, July 14th – won by José Froilán González (Ferrari)
- German Grand Prix – Nürburgring, July 29th – won by Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
- Italian Grand Prix – Monza, September 16th – won by Juan Manuel Fangio (Alfa Romeo)
*Note: The Indianapolis 500 was not part of the Formula One championship at the time, but is now recognized as a race that counted towards the 1951 championship.
The final championship standings for the 1951 Formula One season were as follows:
- Juan Manuel Fangio – Alfa Romeo – 31.5 points (3 wins)
- Alberto Ascari – Ferrari – 25.64 points (2 wins)
- José Froilán González – Ferrari – 19 points (1 win)
- Luigi Fagioli – Alfa Romeo – 16.33 points (1 win)
- Froilan González – Maserati – 10 points
- Emmanuel de Graffenried – Alfa Romeo – 8 points
- Felice Bonetto – Alfa Romeo – 8 points
- Louis Chiron – Maserati – 6 points
- Piero Taruffi – Ferrari – 6 points
- Reg Parnell – BRM – 4 points
Alfa Romeo dominated the season, winning six out of the eight races held. Juan Manuel Fangio won the championship with three victories, including wins at the British and German Grands Prix. Alberto Ascari finished as the runner-up in the championship with two wins. Ferrari also had a strong showing, with José Froilán González winning the season-opening Swiss Grand Prix and finishing third in the championship.