In 1950 the governing body of motorsport established a coordinated series of races for grand prix cars and drivers and the winner of the first seasons Formula One Drivers Championship was Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina. Despite this notable achievement, and an impressive list of race victories in various formula, his success has been largely forgotten, not least because he was competing against Juan Manuel Fangio and Tazio Nuvolari, two of the most formidable and popular drivers of the era.
1951 Spanish GP Alfetta 159 Farina
Even Farina accepted that, given similar machinery, he struggled to compete with them. Born in 1906, Farina went on to excel in a variety of sports, acquired a doctorate in political science and was the nephew of the founder of the hugely successful coach-building company, Pininfarina. He turned to motor sport in 1932 when he entered his Alfa Romeo in a hillclimb, an event that was almost his last when he left the road. The accident proved to be the first of many unfortunate incidents that became a feature of his career but luck was on his side and he survived. Although his determined, forceful driving drew criticism, he was offered a seat in both Alfa Romeo and Ferrari grand prix teams.
During the 1930s, German cars dominated the sport but due to Farina winning a number of smaller races he won the Italian national driver’s championship in 1936 and in the following two years. His first major victory came at the Tripoli grand prix in Libya in 1940 but that would be the final race win until 1948 when he won the Monaco grand prix. Once the new formula for grand prix cars was announced in 1950, Farina became part of the dominant Alfa Romeo team alongside Fangio. The inaugural race was held at Silverstone where Farina took pole position and went on to win the race. At the end of the year both he and Fangio had won three races but Farina took the title by four points. In the following year, 1951, Fangio won the championship as Alfa Romeo withdrew from racing due to financial concerns and Farina moved to Ferrari. Success was limited as a young Alberto Ascari had arrived and began to dominate the sport. In 1954 Farina was badly burnt when he crashed during a sports car race and he retired in 1955 having won five grand prix and eleven non-championship races. He also recorded wins in sports cars at the Nurburgring, Spa and Casablanca.
In 1966, whilst driving through the French alps in his Lotus Cortina en route to Le Mans, he lost control on an icy road and was killed when the car struck a telegraph pole. He was due to be part of the film ‘Grand Prix’ where he was employed as a body and driving double for the French movie star Yves Montand. The photograph shows Farina’s Alfa Romeo 159 having its spark plugs changed on the starting grid prior to the Spanish grand prix in 1951 where he finished third behind Fangio’s Alfa Romeo.
