1951 Formula One season

1951 FIA Formula One World Championship season
Previous: 1950	Next: 1952
Index: Races by country | Races by season

Alfa Romeo won four of the eight World Championship races in 1951 with the Type 159

The 1951 Formula One season was the second season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1951 World Championship of Drivers, which commenced on May 27, 1951 and ended on October 28 after eight races. The season also included 14 races that were open to Formula One cars but did not count towards the championship standings.

Season summary

Ferrari's newer, unsupercharged 4.5 litre cars offered a real challenge to the Alfas, which were nearing the end of their development potential. Although Alfas won four of the European races, with Fangio taking the championship, Ferrari's three victories spelled the end for the Alfas. BRM made their only championship appearance with the V16 at Silverstone, and the old, slow Talbots were increasingly outclassed.

Points were given to top 5 finishers (8, 6, 4, 3, 2). 1 point was given for fastest lap. Only the best four of eight scores counted towards the world championship. Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps.

Season review

Rnd	Race	Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Constructor	Tyre	Report
1	Swiss Grand Prix	Bremgarten	May 27	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	P	Report
2	Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis	May 30	Duke Nalon	Lee Wallard	Lee Wallard	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	F	Report
3	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps	June 17	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	P	Report
4	French Grand Prix	Reims	July 1	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio Luigi Fagioli	Alfa Romeo	P	Report
5	British Grand Prix	Silverstone	July 14	José Froilán González	Giuseppe Farina	José Froilán González	Ferrari	P	Report
6	German Grand Prix	Nürburgring	July 29	Alberto Ascari	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	P	Report
7	Italian Grand Prix	Monza	September 16	Juan Manuel Fangio	Giuseppe Farina	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	P	Report
8	Spanish Grand Prix	Pedralbes	October 28	Alberto Ascari	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	P	Report

The World Championship Grand Prix races were open to FIA Formula One cars however the Indianapolis 500 was restricted to American Championship Cars.

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1951 FIA World Championship of Drivers.

Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1951 World Championship of Drivers

Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	Driver	Rounds
Ecurie Belge	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Johnny Claes	1, 3–8
Philippe Étancelin	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Philippe Étancelin	1, 3–4, 6, 8
Yves Giraud-Cabantous	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Yves Giraud-Cabantous	1, 3–4, 6–8
					Guy Mairesse	1, 4
Ecurie Rosier	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Louis Rosier	1, 3–8
					Henri Louveau	1
					Louis Chiron	3–8
HW Motors	HWM	51	Alta 2.0 L4s	D	George Abecassis	1
					Stirling Moss	1
Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari	125 375	Ferrari 125 1.5 V12s Ferrari 375 4.5 V12	D P	Peter Whitehead	1
					Luigi Villoresi	1, 3–8
					Alberto Ascari	1, 3–8
					Piero Taruffi	1, 3, 6–8
					José Froilán González	4–8
Alfa Romeo SpA	Alfa Romeo	159	Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s	P	Giuseppe Farina	1, 3–8
					Juan Manuel Fangio	1, 3–8
					Toulo de Graffenried	1, 7–8
					Consalvo Sanesi	1, 3–5
					Luigi Fagioli	4
					Felice Bonetto	5–8
					Paul Pietsch	6
Enrico Platé	Maserati	4CLT/48	Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s	P	Louis Chiron	1
					Harry Schell	1, 4
					Toulo de Graffenried	4, 6
Ecurie Espadon	Ferrari	212 166	Ferrari 375 2.5 V12	P	Rudi Fischer	1, 6–7
José Froilán González	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	José Froilán González	1
Peter Hirt	Veritas	Meteor	Veritas 2.0 L6	P	Peter Hirt	1
Ecurie Belgique	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	André Pilette	3
					Jacques Swaters	6–7
Pierre Levegh	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Pierre Levegh	3, 6–7
Graham Whitehead	Ferrari	125	Ferrari 125 1.5 V12s	D	Peter Whitehead	4
GA Vandervell	Ferrari	375 tw	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12	P	Reg Parnell	4
					Peter Whitehead	5
Equipe Gordini	Simca-Gordini	15 11	Gordini 15C 1.5 L4s	E	Robert Manzon	4, 6–8
					Maurice Trintignant	4, 6, 8
					André Simon	4, 6–8
					Aldo Gordini	4
					Jean Behra	7
Eugène Chaboud	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Eugène Chaboud	4
Scuderia Milano	Maserati	4CLT/50 4CLT/48	Milano 1.5 L4s Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s	P	Onofre Marimón	4
					Paco Godia	8
					Juan Jover	8
Joe Kelly	Alta	GP	Alta 1.5 L4s	D	Joe Kelly	5
BRM Ltd	BRM	P15	BRM P15 1.5 V16s	D	Reg Parnell	5, 7
					Peter Walker	5
					Ken Richardson	7
					Hans Stuck	7
Bob Gerard	ERA	B	ERA 1.5 L6s	D	Bob Gerard	5
Brian Shawe-Taylor	ERA	B	ERA 1.5 L6s	D	Brian Shawe-Taylor	5
Scuderia Ambrosiana	Maserati	4CLT/48	Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s	D	David Murray	5–6
John James	Maserati	4CLT/48	Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s	D	John James	5
Philip Fotheringham-Parker	Maserati	4CL	Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s	D	Philip Fotheringham-Parker	5
Duncan Hamilton	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Duncan Hamilton	5–6
Antonio Branca	Maserati	4CLT/48	Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s	P	Toni Branca	6
Francisco Landi	Ferrari	375	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12	P	Chico Landi	7
Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	125	Ferrari 125 1.5 V12s	D	Peter Whitehead	7
OSCA Automobili	OSCA	4500G	OSCA 4500 4.5 V12	P	Franco Rol	7
Prince Bira	Maserati	4CLT/48	OSCA 4500 4.5 V12	P	B. Bira	8
Georges Grignard	Talbot-Lago	T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6	D	Georges Grignard	8

1951 World Championship of Drivers final standings

Pos. Driver SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA ESP Pts. 1 Juan Manuel Fangio 1 9 1† / 11† 2 2 Ret 1 31 (37) 2 Alberto Ascari 6 2 2† Ret 1 1 4 25 (28) 3 José Froilán González Ret 2† 1 3 2 2 24 (27) 4 Giuseppe Farina 3 1 5 Ret Ret 3† / Ret 3 19 (22) 5 Luigi Villoresi Ret 3 3 3 4 4 Ret 15 (18) 6 Piero Taruffi 2 Ret 5 5 Ret 10 7 Lee Wallard 1 9 8 Felice Bonetto 4 Ret 3† 5 7 9 Mike Nazaruk 2 6 10 Reg Parnell 4 5 DNS 5 11 Luigi Fagioli 1† / 11† 4 12 Consalvo Sanesi 4 Ret 10 6 3 13 Louis Rosier 9 4 Ret 10 8 7 7 3 14 Andy Linden 4 3 15 Manny Ayulo 3† 2 16 Jack McGrath 3† 2 17 Toulo de Graffenried 5 Ret Ret Ret 6 2 18 Yves Giraud Cabantous Ret 5 7 Ret 8 Ret 2 19 Bobby Ball 5 2 — Louis Chiron 7 Ret 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 — Rudi Fischer 11 6 0 — André Simon Ret Ret 6 Ret 0 — Henry Banks 6 0 — André Pilette 6 0 — Robert Manzon Ret 7 Ret 9 0 — Johnny Claes 13 7 Ret 13 11 Ret Ret 0 — Carl Forberg 7 0 — Peter Walker 7 0 — Pierre Levegh 8 9 Ret 0 — Philippe Étancelin 10 Ret Ret Ret 8 0 — Stirling Moss 8 0 — Duane Carter 8 0 — Eugène Chaboud 8 0 — Brian Shawe Taylor 8 0 — Guy Mairesse 14 9 0 — Peter Whitehead Ret Ret 9 Ret 0 — Franco Rol 9 0 — Jacques Swaters 10 Ret 0 — Paco Godia 10 0 — Bob Gerard 11 0 — Harry Schell 12 Ret 0 — Duncan Hamilton 12 Ret 0 — Joe Kelly NC 0 — Maurice Trintignant Ret Ret Ret Ret 0 — Henri Louveau Ret 0 — George Abecassis Ret 0 — Peter Hirt Ret 0 — Tony Bettenhausen Ret 0 — Duke Nalon Ret 0 — Gene Force Ret 0 — Sam Hanks Ret 0 — Bill Schindler Ret 0 — Mauri Rose Ret 0 — Walt Faulkner Ret 0 — Jimmy Davies Ret 0 — Fred Agabashian Ret 0 — Carl Scarborough Ret 0 — Bill Mackey Ret 0 — Chuck Stevenson Ret 0 — Johnnie Parsons Ret 0 — Cecil Green Ret 0 — Troy Ruttman Ret 0 — Duke Dinsmore Ret 0 — Chet Miller Ret 0 — Walt Brown Ret 0 — Rodger Ward Ret 0 — Cliff Griffith Ret 0 — Bill Vukovich Ret 0 — George Connor Ret 0 — Mack Hellings Ret 0 — Joe James Ret 0 — Johnny McDowell Ret 0 — Aldo Gordini Ret 0 — Onofre Marimón Ret 0 — Philip Fotheringham-Parker Ret 0 — David Murray Ret 0 — John James Ret 0 — Paul Pietsch Ret 0 — Toni Branca Ret 0 — Chico Landi Ret 0 — Georges Grignard Ret 0 — Prince Bira Ret 0 — Ken Richardson DNS 0 — Juan Jover DNS 0 Pos. Driver SUI MON BEL FRA GBR GER ITA ESP Pts.

Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Race cancelled (C) Light blue Practiced only (PO) Friday test driver (TD) (from 2003 onwards) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Excluded (EX) Did not arrive (DNA) Withdrew entry before the event (WD)

• Italics indicate fastest lap (1 point awarded)
• Bold indicates pole position
• † Position shared between two or more drivers of the same car
• Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.

Non-Championship race results

Other Formula One races, which did not count towards the World Championship, also held in 1951.

Race Name	Circuit	Date	Winning driver	Constructor	Report
I Gran Premio di Siracusa	Syracuse	March 11	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	Report
XII Pau Grand Prix	Pau	March 26	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	Report
III Richmond Trophy	Goodwood	March 26	B. Bira	Maserati	Report
VI Gran Premio di Sanremo	Ospedaletti	April 22	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	Report
I Grand Prix de Bordeaux	Bordeaux	April 29	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	Report
III BRDC International Trophy	Silverstone	May 5	Reg Parnell	Ferrari	Report
V Grand Prix de Paris	Bois de Boulogne	May 20	Giuseppe Farina	Maserati	Report
V Ulster Trophy	Dundrod	June 2	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	Report
I Scottish Grand Prix	Winfield	July 21	Philip Fotheringham-Parker	Maserati	Report
II Grote Prijs van Nederland	Zandvoort	July 22	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	Report
XIII Grand Prix de l'Albigeois	Albi	August 5	Maurice Trintignant	Simca-Gordini	Report
XX Circuito di Pescara	Pescara	August 15	José Froilán González	Ferrari	Report
V Gran Premio di Bari	Bari	September 2	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	Report
IV Goodwood Trophy	Goodwood	September 29	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	Report

External links

• The Formula One Archives at www.silhouet.com
• World Championship results and images at f1-facts.com