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The Champions
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Dr Giuseppe 'Nino' Farina World Champion 1950 |
Dr. Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina in his race winning Alfa Romeo Tipo 158 ‘Alfetta’ following team mate Juan Manual Fangio, both about to overtake Louis Chiron’s Talbot-Lago. The British Grand Prix at Silverstone on May 13, 1950 was the first race of the year in the new World Championship. Farina would take pole position, fastest lap., and would go on to take the crown becoming motor racing’s inaugural Driver’s World Champion www.blackhawkcollection.com |
Farina was born in 1906 in Turin, the son of the famous coach building brothers and was the nephew of Pinin Farina. Farina or "Nino" as he was called, had a fiery driving style and woebetide the driver that crossed his path. His driving impressed Tazio Nuvolari who became his friend and mentor. Driving for Alfa Romeo in 1938, he raised quite a few eyebrows including German ones as he harassed their cars not allowing them the easy victories that they were becoming accustomed too. Many predicted great things for him but World War II would intervene. After the war he made good on all of the predictions by becoming the first World Drivers Champion. In his later career he became known for a number crashes that he somehow survived, eventually retiring in 1956> Ten years later in 1966 he died in a road accident at Cheminux whilst driving a Ford Lotus Cortina. He was on his way to the French Grand Pirx to meet John Frankemheimer and to dicsuss working on Frankemheimer's film "Grand Prix".
