Italian Grand Prix

Monza, 3 Sep 1950

All cars are 1.5-litre s/c F1 or 4.5-litre F1^† unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Ferrari 375/50 ['1'] (Alberto Ascari): One of the pair of Ferrari 375s introduced at the 1950 Italian GP and marked 'GP/50/1'. Believed to be Serafina's car at Monza (handed over to Ascari) and then used by Villoresi in the first few races of 1951. Crashed by Villoresi at San Remo and again at Berne five weeks later. This car does not appear to have raced thereafter as the team had thre 1951-model 375s. Subsequent history unknown.
2. Ferrari 375/50 ['1'] (Dorino Serafini): One of the pair of Ferrari 375s introduced at the 1950 Italian GP and marked 'GP/50/1'. Believed to be Serafina's car at Monza (handed over to Ascari) and then used by Villoresi in the first few races of 1951. Crashed by Villoresi at San Remo and again at Berne five weeks later. This car does not appear to have raced thereafter as the team had thre 1951-model 375s. Subsequent history unknown.
3. Talbot T26C [110 001] (Louis Rosier): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 001' was raced by Louis Rosier from 1948 to 1950 and then under the Ecurie Rosier banner by Pozzi in 1950; by Henri Louveau and Louis Chiron in 1951; and by Giraud-Cabantous, Chaboud and Mairesse in 1952. It was acquired by the Musée Henri Malatre at Rochetaillé, France, in 1956 and was still on display in 1990.
4. Talbot T26C [110 008] (Philippe Étancelin): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 008' was Philippe Etancelin's car in 1948 and then passed to Jean Achard November 1950. Achard moved to Brazil, taking the car, and sold it there to Pinheiro Pires who raced it in Brazil from 1951 to 1954. Remains to UK via Colin Crabbe in the 1980s and then via other UK owners to Tony Bianchi c1999. Has been raced in historics up to 2005.
5. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1601] (Emmanuel de Graffenried): To Enrico Platé for 1949 (dated 7 Mar 1949 in Maserati records) and driven by Emmanuel de Graffenried. Continued as de Graffenried's well-used car through 1950 and 1951. Probably one of two cars extensively rebuilt as Plate-Maseratis for 1952. Probably raced by Ottorino Volonterio in F2 in 1953. Sold with the sister car (probably 1598) by de Graffenried to 20th Century Fox for film work then sold again via Tom Carstens (Tacoma, WA). Subsequent history unknown.
6. Ferrari 125 [10C] (Peter Whitehead): Peter Whitehead bought 10C new for 1949 and used it through 1949 and 1950 before buying a newer ex-works 125. This car was raced by Dobson in 1951 and later sold to David Murray. Whitehead later bought a 1949/50 LWB Tipo 125 renumbered 0114; it is this latter car that spent many years in the Donington Collection.
7. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1593] (David Murray): Shown in Maserati records as Alberto Ascari's early 1948 car. To Reg Parnell 1949 for Fred Ashmore then raced in 1950 by David Hampshire and others as part of Scuderia Ambrosiana. Then David Murray's car for 1951. Crashed in practice at the Nürburgring for the 1951 German GP and not seen again.
8. ERA C Type [R8C] (Cuth Harrison): Built in 1938 using mechanical parts from R8B and raced by Earl Howe 1938 and until a crash in the 1939 International Trophy. Then to Reg Parnell for 1946, Cuth Harrison from 1947 to 1951, Brian Shawe-Taylor 1951 and 1952; then a chain of other owners until acquired in 1977 by Bruce Spollon. Rebuilt to correct C-type specs and raced from 1981 to 2003.
9. Talbot T26C [110 009] (Raymond Sommer): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 009' was Raymond Sommer's 1949 car and then passed to Yves Giraud-Cabantous for 1950. Driven by Giraud-Cabantous and Pierre Meyrat 1951 and next seen with Louis Girardot 1953-56 and then possibly via Serge Pozzoli to Fritz Schlumpf 1957. In Musée de l'Automobile in Mulhouse 2001, possibly numbered 110002.
10. Talbot T26C [110 002] (Guy Mairesse): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 002' was raced by 'Raph' and Eugene Chaboud in 1948 and Paul Vallee and Guy Mairesse in 1950. Owned by Mairesse 1950-51; also raced by Giraud-Cabantous 1950; by Jean Blanc and Levegh 1952; and by Etancelin in 1953. In late 1953, Vallee sold the car to Doug Whiteford in Australia to replace his existing chassis '110 007'. Whiteford was surprised to discover that he'd bought an earlier model and it was 1955 before the car raced in Australia. It was sold to Ralph Snodgrass in 1956 but crashed badly at Mt Druitt in 1957. Snodgrass retained the car until 1980 when it was sold to Reg Hunt who restored it for historic events. Retained by Hunt until sold to Ron Towney in 2006.
11. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1604] (Franco Rol): Maserati records state that this car went to Franco Rol 8 Sep 1949. Raced by Rol through 1950 until Rol's crash at Pedralbes 29 Oct 1950. Then raced by Adolfo Macchieraldo 1952-54. To USA, where Marguerite Morgan entered 1957 Indianapolis 500 but driver Danny Kladis failed to qualify. Reappeared in the US in 1965 then via a chain of US, UK, Australian, South African and German owners up to 2002. Owned by Wolf-Dieter Baumann from 2002. Raced by Thomas Steinke 2007 Goodwood Revival but possibly still owned by Baumann.
12. Talbot T26C [110 005] (Pierre Bouillin ("Levegh")): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 005' was raced by 'Levegh' from 1948 to 1951 and by Grignard once in 1951. Retained by the works until it was sold to Otto Zipper in the US in 1957. Then to the Briggs Cunningham museum via two other US owners to Tony Wang 1988.
13. Talbot T26C [110 011] (Johnny Claes): Talbot-Lago T26C chassis '110 011' was Johnny Claes car in 1948-50 and then sold to Duncan Hamilton (and Fotheringham-Parker) and raced 1951-53. Stored in France until 1955 when Hamilton sold it to Allan Freeman in New Zealand who raced it through to 1961. It was bought by Joe Hepworth in 1963 and returned to England; then via other UK and French owners until sold to Bernie Ecclestone 1996. Retained 2002.
14. Ferrari 375/50 ['2'] (Alberto Ascari): One of the pair of Ferrari 375s introduced at the 1950 Italian GP and marked 'GP/50/1'. Believed to be Ascari's car at Monza and then used by Ascari at the first two races of 1951. Then became the team's muletto and used by Gonzales to win the British GP and by Ascari to win at the Nürburgring. Last seen when raced by Chico Landi at the Italian GP. The car stamped '2' that was later owned by Rosier appears to be a late-51 375, not this 1950 car. Subsequent history unknown.
15. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1611] (Gianfranco Comotti): Listed in Maserati records as going to Officine A. Maserati 7 Mar 1950 and then Scuderia Milan. Used by Milan for second Milan (Speluzzi)-engined 4CLT and raced in 1950 (for Bonetto at Monza and Godia at Barcelona) and 1951 (Marimon at Reims and Landi at Albi). Subsequent history unknown but one of the Milan-Maseratis is owned by Doreen Fielding in Scotland.
16. Simca-Gordini T15 [0022-GC] (Maurice Trintignant): 1950 works car, sold to Thépenier 1951. Rebought (or borrowed) by works 1952 and raced by Bira and Behra then returned to Thepénier who continued to use in minor French events to 1955. Reappeared on the international scene in 1958 when Jacques Calès used it for F2. Later owners Claude Guesquière and René Mauriès, the latter selling at auction June 1997 to an anonymous private collector.
17. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1606] (Louis Chiron): Shown in Maserati records as going to Louis Chiron in Monte Carlo 21 Sep 1949. Raced by Chiron through 1950 then to Toni Branca for 1951 and then de Walckiers (who entered Steve Watson and Pilette) for 1952. Reappeared Italy 1960s then via chain of Italian, Belgian, Swiss, German and French owners to 1998. Owned by Bernie Ecclestone from 1998.
18. Simca-Gordini T15 [0014-GC] (Robert Manzon): Completed late 1949 and run by works for Manzon in 1950 and 1951, including in F1 events with supercharged engine. Rebuilt 1952 as sportscar 0019 and raced by Bordoni in Mille Miglia with 2.3-litre 6-cyl engine. In Musée Nationale 1983 but apparently not by 1993. More recent history unknown.
19. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1598] ("B Bira"): Maserati records show this car going to 'B. Bira' 23 Sep 1948. Bira raced 1948 British GP, 1949 Argentine Temporada and 1949 European season. Retained 1950 being used as Platé team car from Pescara. Raced by Harry Schell for Enrico Platé in 1951 then becoming one of two cars extensively rebuilt as Platé-Maseratis for 1952. Probably raced by Giovanni de Riu in F2 in 1953. Then sold via de Graffenried to 20th Century Fox for film work and then acquired by Tom Carstens (Tacoma, WA). Subsequent history unknown.
20. Maserati 4CLT-50 [1612] (Paul Pietsch): Listed in Maserati records as going to Officine A. Maserati and then Scuderia Milan. It is not clear if this car ever raced.
21. Milan ['1'] (Felice Bonetto): Built during 1950 by Scuderia Milan incorporating the modifications they had previously made to Maserati 4CLT chassis. A Gilco built tubular chassis frame housed a Speluzzi 4 cylinder engine ultimately in twin supercharged form. The car was notably unsuccessful, only appearing five times in 1950, after which it disappeared from view. Its ultimate fate is unknown. No Chassis number is known for this car.
22. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1606] (Franco Rol): Shown in Maserati records as going to Louis Chiron in Monte Carlo 21 Sep 1949. Raced by Chiron through 1950 then to Toni Branca for 1951 and then de Walckiers (who entered Steve Watson and Pilette) for 1952. Reappeared Italy 1960s then via chain of Italian, Belgian, Swiss, German and French owners to 1998. Owned by Bernie Ecclestone from 1998.
23. Maserati 4CLT-48 [1596] (Reg Parnell): Maserati records list this as Reg Parnell's car dated 14 Sep 1948. Raced by Parnell from 1949 to 1951, under the Scuderia Ambrosiana banner in 1950 and 1951, also by Hampshire in 1951. Sold or leased to Bobby Baird mid-1951 and then sometime after 1952 sold to Count Johnny Lurani. Lurani sold it in 1955 to Pat Hoare in New Zealand where it raced until the mid-1960s and then spent many years in the Queenstown Motor Museum. It was sold in 1982 and returned to Europe in 1989. Sold at auction a number of times in the late 1980s and 1990s. Owned by Max Lustenberger (Switzerland) from 1999. Retained 2004.
24. Plate Special (Luigi 'Gigi' Plate): "Gigi" Plate entered the 1950 Italian GP with a 'Plate'. Although it did not appear, this car can be tentatively identified as a 1926-27 Talbot-Darracq, one of two survivors of the team built for the new 1.5-litre formula. These cars went Scuderia Materassi for 1928 and then to Plate in 1929. Suitably developed, one of these cars was still being used by Plate after the war and is presumably the car he had in mind when he made this race entry.
25. Plate Special (TBA): As well as his #34 entry at the 1950 Italian GP, "Gigi" Plate also entered a second 'Plate' at #60. One of these cars is likely to be his highly modified 1926-27 Talbot-Darracq, but what he had planned for his second entry is a mystery.

Formula 1 events 1948-1953

The results published here were compiled by David McKinney and Adam Ferrington from a range of sources including Autocourse, Motor Sport and Autosport, as well as the F1 Register's A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing Volume 5 covering 1950 and 1951. Individual car identities were then meticulously checked against their enormous libraries of books and photographs, notably Talbot-Lago de Course by Pierre Abeillon, Les Gordini by Robert Jarraud, Gordini – Un Sorcier, Une Equipe by Christian Huet and The History of English Racing Automobiles by David Weguelin.

David has also contributed extensively from his notes on car identities compiled over 40 years of research, Michael Müller has contributed immaculately researched histories of all the 1948-1950 Ferrari 125s, and Doug Nye, both through his books and his personal assistance on HWM, has also been of great help.

Please note that since David's sad death in 2014, Adam and Allen have agreed that these pages will remain unaltered from now on, as a lasting testimony to David's expertise.