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Alberto Ascari (July 13, 1918 in Milan, Milan, Lombardy, Italy – May 26, 1955 in Monza, Milan, Lombardy, Italy) was an Italian racing driver and two time Formula One champion, in 1952 and 1953. Son of the famous Antonio Ascari, who was European champion for Alfa Romeo in 1925, he is only one of two Italian Formula One Champions and the only one to do this in a Ferrari.

His driving style was precise accurate and unflustered, and seldom never put a foot wrong, very rarely did he make a mistake.

During 1952 and 1953, Ascari took nine victories in nine successive starts. This record drops to seven wins when successive races is considered. This record is shared with Michael Schumacher.

He was killed during testing at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in 1955.

Before Formula 1 World Championship[]

Alberto was son of 1920's Grand Prix star Antonio Ascari. Antonio was a factory Alfa Romeo driver with inconsistent results but once he was given the new P2 to drive in 1924, Antonio was instantly formidable winning on his first outing. He followed this up with victory a high-profile victory at home in Monza.

The stage was set for Antonio to have an extremely promising 1925, again driving the P2 and that's what happened at Spa-Francochamp where he was so dominant that during a pit stop he found time to eat and drink slowly during before rejoining to take an impressive victory. Antonio speed was obvious was he was leading the French GP but disaster struck and Antonio was killed leaving a 7 year old without a father. Despite this Alberto had a love for racing, motorcycles particular in his early years and he also competed in the Mille Miglia in a Ferrari.

1948 Ascari

Ascari racing a Maserati in 1948

Following the end of WWII Alberto began racing for Maserati alongside Luigi Villoresi who would become his mentor and friend. Alberto won his first GP in Sanremo in 1948 and took second place in Britain and continued his form into 1949 taking his final victory for Maserati before moving to Ferrari to join his friend Villoresi mid season.

The move resulted in a further 3 victories in 1949 meaning coming into 1950, he and Fangio would be the in form drivers.

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Formula 1 Career[]

1950[]

For 1950 Alberto competed for the factory Ferrari team alongside his friend Luigi Villoresi. Ferrari had a mixed campaign, starting with missing the season opening British Grand Prix but Alberto was able to pick up a strong second at Monaco when most of the field were involved in a first corner crash on the first lap at the wet Tabac corner.

1950 4 Ascari

Ascari battles in Bern

The season looked as though it may be a promising one for Ascari, at the Swiss Grand Prix he found himself battling with the dominant Alfa Romeo's of Juan Manuel Fangio and Nino Farina until an early mechanical failure but wasn't in the running in Belgium and was lucky to pick up some points as others retired.

During practice for the French Grand Prix again the Ferrari's were off the pace they wanted, although Ascari set 5th fastest time, Enzo Ferrari decided to pull his cars out of the race.

Between the French GP and the Italian GP, Ferrari went testing in Geneva with a new engine which they brought to the final race of the year.

Ascari achieved a fantastic result in qualifying, second behind Juan Manuel Fangio and as the flag dropped he was able to get right in on the action, chasing Nino Farina for many laps. When Farina pitted his Alfa for fuel, Ascari inheritted the lead until his engine blew but the race was not over for Ascari as during a pitstop he took over the car of Dorino Serafini in third and chased down Luigi Fagioli in the Alfa, taking second position and fifth in the championship.


1951[]

Formula One Statistical Overview[]

F1 Career Record[]

Year Entrant Team(s) Pts WDC Pos Report
1940 Scuderia Torino Maserati No Grand Prix Championship
19411946: Did Not Compete
1947 Scuderia Ambrosiana Maserati No Formula One Championship
1948 Scuderia Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo No Formula One Championship
1949 Scuderia Ambrosiana Maserati No Formula One Championship
Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari
1950 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 11 5th Report
1951 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 25 (28) 2nd Report
1952 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 36 (53) 1st Report
1953 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 34 (46) 1st Report
1954 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 1 25th Report
Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari
Scuderia Lancia Lancia
1955 Scuderia Lancia Lancia 0 NC Report

Statistics[]

Entries 33
Starts 32
Shared Drives 5
Pole positions 14
Front row starts 25
Victories 13
Podia 17
Fastest laps 12
Points 107.643 (140.143)
Laps raced 1691
kms raced 11108.388
Races led 21
Laps led 928
kms led 5907.107
Doubles 9
Hat-tricks 7
Grand chelems 5

Wins[]

No. Race
1 1951 German Grand Prix
2 1951 Italian Grand Prix
3 1952 Belgian Grand Prix
4 1952 French Grand Prix
5 1952 British Grand Prix
6 1952 German Grand Prix
7 1952 Dutch Grand Prix
8 1952 Italian Grand Prix
9 1953 Argentine Grand Prix
10 1953 Dutch Grand Prix
11 1953 Belgian Grand Prix
12 1953 British Grand Prix
13 1953 Swiss Grand Prix

Non-Championship Wins[]

No. Race
1 1947 French Grand Prix
2 1949 Buenos Aires Grand Prix I
3 1949 Swiss Grand Prix
4 1949 BRDC International Trophy
5 1949 Italian Grand Prix
6 1949 Buenos Aires Grand Prix IV
7 1950 Penya Rhin Grand Prix
8 1951 Sanremo Grand Prix
9 1952 Syracuse Grand Prix
10 1952 Pau Grand Prix
11 1952 Marseille Grand Prix
12 1952 Baule Grand Prix
13 1953 Pau Grand Prix
14 1953 Bordeaux Grand Prix
15 1955 Valentino Grand Prix
16 1955 Naples Grand Prix

Career Results[]

Complete Formula One Results
Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pts Pos
1950 Flag of the United Kingdom Flag of Monaco 48-star U S flag Flag of Switzerland Flag of Belgium Flag of France Flag of Italy 11 5th
2nd Ret 5th DNS 2nd*
1951 Flag of Switzerland 48-star U S flag Flag of Belgium Flag of France Flag of the United Kingdom Flag of Germany Flag of Italy Flag of Spain 1945 1977 25 (28) 5th
6th 2nd 2nd* Ret 1st 1st 4th
1952 Flag of Switzerland 48-star U S flag Flag of Belgium Flag of France Flag of the United Kingdom Flag of Germany Flag of the Netherlands Flag of Italy 36 (53.5) 1st
Ret 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st
1953 Flag of Argentina 48-star U S flag Flag of the Netherlands Flag of Belgium Flag of France Flag of the United Kingdom Flag of Germany Flag of Switzerland Flag of Italy 34.5 (46.5) 1st
1st DNA 1st 1st 4th 1st 8th* 1st Ret
1954 Flag of Argentina 48-star U S flag Flag of Belgium Flag of France Flag of the United Kingdom Flag of Germany Flag of Switzerland Flag of Italy Flag of Spain 1945 1977 1.143 25th
Ret Ret Ret Ret
1955 Flag of Argentina Flag of Monaco 48-star U S flag Flag of Belgium Flag of the Netherlands Flag of France Flag of the United Kingdom Flag of Germany Flag of Switzerland Flag of Italy Flag of Spain 1945 1977 0 NC
Ret Ret C C C C
Key
Symbol Meaning Symbol Meaning
1st Winner Ret Retired
2nd Podium finish DSQ Disqualified
3rd DNQ Did not qualify
5th Points finish DNPQ Did not pre-qualify
14th Non-points finish TD Test driver
Italics Scored point(s) for Fastest Lap DNS Did not start
18th Classified finish (retired with >90% race distance) NC Non-classified finish (<90% race distance)
4thP Qualified for pole position [+] More Symbols

* Shared drive

Notes[]

V T E List of World Drivers' Champions
1950: Giuseppe Farina
1951: Juan Manuel Fangio
1952: Alberto Ascari
1953: Alberto Ascari
1954: Juan Manuel Fangio
1955: Juan Manuel Fangio
1956: Juan Manuel Fangio
1957: Juan Manuel Fangio
1958: Mike Hawthorn
1959: Jack Brabham
1960: Jack Brabham
1961: Phil Hill
1962: Graham Hill
1963: Jim Clark
1964: John Surtees
1965: Jim Clark
1966: Jack Brabham
1967: Denny Hulme
1968: Graham Hill
1969: Jackie Stewart
1970: Jochen Rindt
1971: Jackie Stewart
1972: Emerson Fittipaldi
1973: Jackie Stewart
1974: Emerson Fittipaldi
1975: Niki Lauda
1976: James Hunt
1977: Niki Lauda
1978: Mario Andretti
1979: Jody Scheckter
1980: Alan Jones
1981: Nelson Piquet
1982: Keke Rosberg
1983: Nelson Piquet
1984: Niki Lauda
1985: Alain Prost
1986: Alain Prost
1987: Nelson Piquet
1988: Ayrton Senna
1989: Alain Prost
1990: Ayrton Senna
1991: Ayrton Senna
1992: Nigel Mansell
1993: Alain Prost
1994: Michael Schumacher
1995: Michael Schumacher
1996: Damon Hill
1997: Jacques Villeneuve
1998: Mika Häkkinen
1999: Mika Häkkinen
2000: Michael Schumacher
2001: Michael Schumacher
2002: Michael Schumacher
2003: Michael Schumacher
2004: Michael Schumacher
2005: Fernando Alonso
2006: Fernando Alonso
2007: Kimi Räikkönen
2008: Lewis Hamilton
2009: Jenson Button
2010: Sebastian Vettel
2011: Sebastian Vettel
2012: Sebastian Vettel
2013: Sebastian Vettel
2014: Lewis Hamilton
2015: Lewis Hamilton
2016: Nico Rosberg
2017: Lewis Hamilton
2018: Lewis Hamilton
2019: Lewis Hamilton
2020: Lewis Hamilton
2021: Max Verstappen
2022: Max Verstappen
2023: Max Verstappen
V T E List of World Drivers' Championship runners-up
1950: Juan Manuel Fangio
1951: Alberto Ascari
1952: Giuseppe Farina
1953: Juan Manuel Fangio
1954: José Froilán González
1955: Stirling Moss
1956: Stirling Moss
1957: Stirling Moss
1958: Stirling Moss
1959: Tony Brooks
1960: Bruce McLaren
1961: Wolfgang von Trips
1962: Jim Clark
1963: Graham Hill
1964: Graham Hill
1965: Graham Hill
1966: John Surtees
1967: Jack Brabham
1968: Jackie Stewart
1969: Jacky Ickx
1970: Jacky Ickx
1971: Ronnie Peterson
1972: Jackie Stewart
1973: Emerson Fittipaldi
1974: Clay Regazzoni
1975: Emerson Fittipaldi
1976: Niki Lauda
1977: Jody Scheckter
1978: Ronnie Peterson
1979: Gilles Villeneuve
1980: Nelson Piquet
1981: Carlos Reutemann
1982: Didier Pironi
1983: Alain Prost
1984: Alain Prost
1985: Michele Alboreto
1986: Nigel Mansell
1987: Nigel Mansell
1988: Alain Prost
1989: Ayrton Senna
1990: Alain Prost
1991: Nigel Mansell
1992: Riccardo Patrese
1993: Ayrton Senna
1994: Damon Hill
1995: Damon Hill
1996: Jacques Villeneuve
1997: Heinz-Harald Frentzen*
1998: Michael Schumacher
1999: Eddie Irvine
2000: Mika Häkkinen
2001: David Coulthard
2002: Rubens Barrichello
2003: Kimi Räikkönen
2004: Rubens Barrichello
2005: Kimi Räikkönen
2006: Michael Schumacher
2007: Lewis Hamilton
2008: Felipe Massa
2009: Sebastian Vettel
2010: Fernando Alonso
2011: Jenson Button
2012: Fernando Alonso
2013: Fernando Alonso
2014: Nico Rosberg
2015: Nico Rosberg
2016: Lewis Hamilton
2017: Sebastian Vettel
2018: Sebastian Vettel
2019: Valtteri Bottas
2020: Valtteri Bottas
2021: Lewis Hamilton
2022: Charles Leclerc
2023: Sergio Pérez
* Michael Schumacher was disqualified from the 1997 championship.


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