Giuseppe “Nino” Farina, the first ever Formula 1 world champion, received a generous prize of £500.00 for his historic achievement. Born in Turin on 30 October 1906, Farina had a law degree and a doctorate in Political Economy, but his true passion was racing on the track rather than practicing law.
Farina’s unique style of driving with arms outstretched became a trendsetter in the racing world. Even a young Stirling Moss emulated the Italian driver. However, Farina’s early races were plagued by crashes. His exceptional speed, determination, and bravery caught the attention of Enzo Ferrari, the manager of the Alfa Romeo Racing team, who recruited him as a teammate to the legendary Tazio Nuvolari.
Prior to the inaugural F1 championship season, Farina achieved success in various races. He finished as the runner-up three times in the Mille Miglia, a race that took place on public roads from Brescia to Rome and back, in 1936, 1937, and 1940. In the same year, he also emerged victorious in the Tripoli Grand Prix. After World War II, Farina won the 1946 Grand Prix des Nations in Geneva for Alfa Romeo and secured another triumph in the 1948 Monaco Grand Prix driving a Maserati.
The first F1 championship season consisted of six Grand Prix races and the Indianapolis 500. The Alfa Romeo team dominated the European events, with Farina winning the season opener at Silverstone from pole position and setting the fastest lap. His main rival for the championship, Juan Manuel Fangio, retired during the race, giving Farina an advantage. Scuderia Ferrari, on the other hand, did not participate due to a dispute over prize money.
The second round of the championship took place at the Monaco Grand Prix. Once again, Alfa Romeo emerged victorious from pole position, but this time it was Fangio who claimed the win. Farina, unfortunately, was involved in a first lap incident that resulted in several cars being taken out of the race.
The third round was held at the iconic Brickyard for the Indy 500, which was part of the Formula 1 world championship in its early years. Surprisingly, none of the Formula 1 teams participated in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
The fourth round of the championship was the Swiss Grand Prix at the Bremgarten street circuit. Farina secured his second win of the season, while Fangio once again failed to score any points, retiring on lap 33 after starting from pole position.
Farina was leading the championship at this point with 18 points, followed by Fagioli with 12 points. Fangio and Johnny Parsons were joint third with nine points each, the latter earning his points from winning the Indy 500. Fangio secured consecutive victories in Belgium and France.
At Spa, there were three Alfa Romeos in the top four positions. Fagioli came in second, with French driver Louis Rosier in a Talbot-Lago following closely behind. Farina started from the pole position but finished fourth.
In the French Grand Prix at Reims, Fangio emerged victorious from the pole position, with Fagioli coming in second. Farina’s failure to score any points, as he retired on lap 55 out of 64, set the stage for an exciting finale at Monza to determine the first-ever Formula 1 world champion. Fangio held the advantage with 26 points, followed by Fagioli with 24 points and Farina with 22 points.
The Argentine “Maestro” secured pole position but lost the lead to Farina at the start. Fangio would later claim in his memoirs that the Alfa Romeo team had enhanced Farina’s Alfa 158 with increased power.
During the 80-lap race, Fangio was running in third place when gearbox issues forced him into the pits on Lap 24. According to the regulations at the time, he took over Piero Taruffi’s car. Two laps later, Fangio found himself in second place behind his championship rival. However, on Lap 34, his dreams were shattered as he encountered engine problems. Farina went on to win his home grand prix.
Farina’s three-point advantage secured his place in history as the first Formula 1 World Champion.
In the 1951 season, Farina achieved podium finishes in four out of the five races he completed. His sole victory of the season came at Spa. He finished the championship in fourth place, while his Alfa teammate Fangio claimed the first of his five championships.
For the 1952 season, Farina joined Maranello. Although he did not win any races, he secured four second-place finishes, which helped him secure second place in the championship behind his Ferrari teammate Alberto Ascari. Taruffi’s performance also contributed to Italy having three drivers in the top three standings.
In the 1953 season, Farina achieved one victory at the Nürburgring and stood on the podium in five out of the six races he completed. He finished third in the championship, with Maserati driver Fangio and his Ferrari teammate Ascari taking first and second place respectively. Additionally, Farina and Piero Scotti won the 12 Hours of Casablanca in a Ferrari 375 MM, ahead of Luigi Villoresi and Ascari.
The fearless Farina was incredibly fortunate in his racing career. He gained a reputation for his aggressive driving style and miraculously survived numerous accidents. In an issue of Motorsport magazine from August 2003, the legendary Stirling Moss shared his thoughts with journalist Nigel Roebuck.
“Farina was an exceptional driver, but everyone approached him with caution due to his recklessness. He showed a complete disregard for other drivers on the track, even those who were less experienced and being lapped. Engaging in a battle with him meant facing his absolute ruthlessness; he would execute maneuvers that would never even cross the mind of a driver like Fangio.”
Unfortunately, this ruthlessness resulted in the deaths of two of his competitors. During the 1936 Deauville Grand Prix, Farina’s Scuderia Ferrari Alfa Romeo collided with Marcel Lehoux’s ERA, causing fatal injuries to the French driver.
Two years later, during the 1938 Tripoli Grand Prix at the Mellaha circuit, a similar accident claimed the life of Hungarian driver Laszlo Hartmann on Lap 12. This incident marked the second fatality of the race. Three laps earlier, Italian driver Eugenio Siena lost control of his Alfa, veered off the track, and crashed into a small house adjacent to the circuit. The race was ultimately won by Mercedes driver Hermann Lang.
On June 30, 1966, Farina’s luck finally ran out. Formula 1’s inaugural world champion met his demise while en route to the French Grand Prix. He lost control of his Lotus-Cortina on a patch of ice near Chambery. The car collided with a telegraph pole, resulting in his untimely death at the age of 59.