1951 Spanish Grand Prix

The 1951 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 28 October 1951 at Pedralbes Circuit. It was the eighth and final race of the 1951 World Championship of Drivers.

1951 Spanish Grand Prix
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Pedralbes street circuit
Pedralbes street circuit
Race details
Date 28 October 1951
Official name XI Gran Premio de España
Location Pedralbes Circuit, Barcelona, Catalonia
Course Street circuit
Course length 6.316 km (3.925 miles)
Distance 70 laps, 442.120 km (274.721 miles)
Weather Hot, Dry
Pole position
Driver
Scuderia Ferrari
Time 2:10.59
Fastest lap
Driver Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo
Time 2:16.93
Podium
First
Alfa Romeo
Second
Scuderia Ferrari
Third
Alfa Romeo
Lap leaders

This race was determined by tyre choice – Ferrari chose a 16-inch rear wheel, whilst Alfa Romeo settled for the 18 inch, which proved to be the better of the two options. Juan Manuel Fangio led Alberto Ascari by two points before the race. Ascari led the race from José Froilán González, but the Ferraris suffered numerous tread problems. Piero Taruffi threw a tyre tread on lap 6 and was followed on lap 7 by Luigi Villoresi, Ascari on lap 8 and Gonzalez on lap 14. The Ferraris were forced to stop frequently to change tyres and Fangio comfortably won the race and his first drivers' title, after Ascari finished 4th was not able to overhaul Fangio's total. After the race, Alfa Romeo announced that due to lack of finances, they would not be competing in the 1952 season.

Entries
NoDriverEntrantConstructorChassisEngineTyre
2 Italy Alberto Ascari Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 375 Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12 P
4 Italy Luigi Villoresi Ferrari Ferrari 375 Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12 P
6 Argentina José Froilán González Ferrari Ferrari 375 Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12 P
8 Italy Piero Taruffi Ferrari Ferrari 375 Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12 P
10 United Kingdom Peter Whitehead1 Peter Whitehead Ferrari Ferrari 375 Ferrari 375 F1 4.5 V12 P
12 France Maurice Trintignant Equipe Gordini Simca-Gordini Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4s E
14 France Robert Manzon Simca-Gordini Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4s E
16 France André Simon Simca-Gordini Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4s E
18 Thailand Prince Bira Prince Bira Maserati-OSCA Maserati 4CLT-48 OSCA V12 P
20 Italy Nino Farina Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 159M Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8s P
22 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 159M Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8s P
24 Italy Felice Bonetto Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 159M Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8s P
26 Switzerland Toulo de Graffenried Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 159M Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8s P
28 France Louis Rosier Ecurie Rosier Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 D
30 Monaco Louis Chiron Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 D
32 France Yves Giraud-Cabantous Yves Giraud-Cabantous Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 D
34 France Philippe Étancelin Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 D
36 Belgium Johnny Claes Ecurie Belge Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 D
38 France Georges Grignard Georges Grignard Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 D
40 United Kingdom Reg Parnell1 BRM Ltd. BRM BRM P15 BRM 15 1.5 V16s D
44 Spain Paco Godia Scuderia Milano Maserati Maserati 4CLT-48 Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s P
46 Spain Juan Jover2 Maserati Maserati 4CLT-48 Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s P
48 Switzerland Toni Branca3 Antonio Branca Maserati Maserati 4CLT-48 Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4s P
Sources:[1][2]
^1 — Peter Whitehead and Reg Parnell both withdrew from the event prior to practice.[3]
^2 — Juan Jover qualified in the #46 Maserati, although he did not start the race. Joaquin Palacio had been entered in car #46, but he withdrew prior to practice.[3]
^3 — Toni Branca withdrew from the event prior to practice. Chico Landi had also been entered in car #48, but he too withdrew from the Grand Prix before practice.[3]

Classification

Qualifying
PosNoDriverConstructorTimeGap
1 2 Italy Alberto Ascari Ferrari 2:10.59 –
2 22 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 2:12.27 + 1.68
3 6 Argentina José Froilán González Ferrari 2:14.01 + 3.42
4 20 Italy Nino Farina Alfa Romeo 2:14.94 + 4.35
5 4 Italy Luigi Villoresi Ferrari 2:16.38 + 5.79
6 26 Switzerland Toulo de Graffenried Alfa Romeo 2:16.40 + 5.81
7 8 Italy Piero Taruffi Ferrari 2:16.80 + 6.21
8 24 Italy Felice Bonetto Alfa Romeo 2:21.80 + 11.21
9 14 France Robert Manzon Simca-Gordini 2:23.81 + 13.22
10 16 France André Simon Simca-Gordini 2:24.60 + 14.01
11 12 France Maurice Trintignant Simca-Gordini 2:25.25 + 14.66
12 30 Monaco Louis Chiron Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:30.32 + 19.73
13 34 France Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:31.00 + 20.41
14 32 France Yves Giraud-Cabantous Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:32.18 + 21.59
15 36 Belgium Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:34.46 + 23.87
16 38 France Georges Grignard Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:35.58 + 24.99
17 44 Spain Paco Godia Maserati 2:37.45 + 26.86
18 46 Spain Juan Jover Maserati 2:41.99 + 31.40
19 18 Thailand Prince Bira Maserati-OSCA 2:45.99 + 35.40
20 28 France Louis Rosier Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:46.78 + 36.19

Race
Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/retired Grid Points
1 22 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 70 2:46:54.10 2 91
2 6 Argentina José Froilán González Ferrari 70 +54.28 3 6
3 20 Italy Nino Farina Alfa Romeo 70 +1:45.54[4] 4 4
4 2 Italy Alberto Ascari Ferrari 68 +2 laps 1 3
5 24 Italy Felice Bonetto Alfa Romeo 68 +2 laps 8 2
6 26 Switzerland Toulo de Graffenried Alfa Romeo 66 +4 laps 6
7 28 France Louis Rosier Talbot-Lago-Talbot 64 +6 laps 20
8 34 France Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago-Talbot 63 +7 laps 13
9 14 France Robert Manzon Simca-Gordini 63 +7 laps 9
10 44 Spain Paco Godia Maserati 60 +10 laps 17
Ret 4 Italy Luigi Villoresi Ferrari 48 Ignition 5
Ret 16 France André Simon Simca-Gordini 48 Engine 10
Ret 36 Belgium Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago-Talbot 37 Accident 15
Ret 8 Italy Piero Taruffi Ferrari 30 Wheel 7
Ret 12 France Maurice Trintignant Simca-Gordini 25 Engine 11
Ret 38 France Georges Grignard Talbot-Lago-Talbot 23 Engine 16
Ret 32 France Yves Giraud-Cabantous Talbot-Lago-Talbot 7 Accident 14
Ret 30 Monaco Louis Chiron Talbot-Lago-Talbot 4 Ignition 12
Ret 18 Thailand Prince Bira Maserati-OSCA 1 Engine 19
DNS 46 Spain Juan Jover Maserati 0 Engine 18
Source:[5]
Notes
  • ^1 – Includes 1 point for fastest lap

Championship permutations
  • Three drivers were fighting for the championship going into the race: Fangio on 27 points, Ascari on 25 points and González on 21 points.
    • Fangio would finish ahead of Ascari in the Championship if:
      • Fangio finished ahead of Ascari, or
      • Ascari finished 3rd or lower
    • Fangio would finish ahead of González in the Championship if:
      • González failed to win with the fastest lap or
      • Fangio scored at least one point with González winning with the fastest lap
    • Ascari would win the championship if he either:
      • won, or
      • finished 2nd with Fangio 3rd or lower
    • González needed to win, and set the fastest lap, with Ascari finishing third or lower and Fangio not scoring at all to win the Championship.[6]

Championship standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings
Pos Driver Points
1 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio 31 (37)
2 Italy Alberto Ascari 25 (28)
3 Argentina José Froilán González 24 (27)
4 Italy Nino Farina 19 (22)
5 Italy Luigi Villoresi 15 (18)
Source:[7]
  • Note: Only the top five positions are included. Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.

References
  1. "1951 Spanish Grand Prix - Race Entries". manipef1.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  2. "1951 Spanish GP - Entry List". chicanef1.com. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
  3. "Spain 1951 - Result". statsf1.com. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  4. Lang, Mike (1981). Grand Prix! Vol 1. Haynes Publishing Group. p. 37. ISBN 0-85429-276-4.
  5. "1951 Spanish Grand Prix". formula1.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  6. "Looking back at the history of the Spanish GP". atlasf1.autosport.com. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  7. "Spain 1951 - Championship • STATS F1". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
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