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1951 Swiss Grand Prix

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}

{{Infobox Grand Prix race report

|Type = F1

|Country = Switzerland

|Grand Prix = Swiss

|Official name = XI Großer Preis der Schweiz

|Image = Circuit Bremgarten.svg

|Caption = Circuit Bremgarten track layout

|Date = 27 May

|Year = 1951

|Previous_round = 1950 Italian Grand Prix

|Next_round = 1951 Indianapolis 500#World Drivers' Championship

|Location = Bremgarten, Bern, Switzerland

|Course = Temporary street/road circuit

|Course_mi = 4.524

|Course_km = 7.28

|Distance_laps = 42

|Distance_mi = 190.008

|Distance_km = 305.760

|Weather = Overcast, rain

|Pole_Driver = Juan Manuel Fangio

|Pole_Team = Alfa Romeo

|Pole_Time = 2:35.9

|Pole_Country = Argentina

|Fast_Driver = Juan Manuel Fangio

|Fast_Team = Alfa Romeo

|Fast_Time = 2:51.1

|Fast_Lap =

|Fast_Country = Argentina

|First_Driver = Juan Manuel Fangio

|First_Team = Alfa Romeo

|First_Country = Argentina

|Second_Driver = Piero Taruffi

|Second_Team = Ferrari

|Second_Country= Italy

|Third_Driver = Nino Farina

|Third_Team = Alfa Romeo

|Third_Country = Italy

|Lapchart = {{F1Laps1951|SUI}}

}}

The 1951 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 27 May 1951 in Bern. The race was contested over 42 laps of the Bremgarten Circuit with it also being the opening race of the 1951 World Championship of Drivers. The race was the eleventh time that the Swiss Grand Prix was held with all of the races being held at Bremgarten.

After claiming pole position for the race, Argentine driver, Juan Manuel Fangio would go on win the race by 55 seconds over Italian driver, Piero Taruffi who drove for Ferrari. Fellow Italian driver, Nino Farina rounded out the podium in the second Alfa Romeo car.

Report

The Swiss Grand Prix, the first event of the 1951 World Championship due to the absence of Monaco from the calendar, saw the Alfa Romeo team continue their dominance of the previous season. All four of their drivers occupied positions on the front two rows of the grid; the highest non-Alfa qualifier was Ferrari's Luigi Villoresi, who was alongside Fangio and Farina on the front row.

The race took place in the rain, with Fangio initially leading from Farina. Ferrari's Piero Taruffi also challenged for the lead, having started from sixth on the grid. Fangio pitted, handing Nino Farina the lead for the 24th lap of the race. However, Farina's decision not to make a pitstop did not pay off, as Fangio was able to retake the lead on lap 29. Fangio maintained the lead for the remainder of the race, eventually winning by nearly a minute from Taruffi, who had overtaken Farina on the penultimate lap. This was Taruffi's first podium in just his second championship race. The remaining Alfa drivers—Consalvo Sanesi and Toulo de Graffenried—completed the points paying positions, ahead of Ferrari's Alberto Ascari, who competed despite suffering from burns from the previous weekend's Formula 2 race in Genoa. Stirling Moss, driving for HWM, was in seventh, but ran out of fuel on the final lap, therefore yielding the position to Louis Chiron, who was driving a Maserati for Enrico Platé.{{cite web|url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr008.html|title=Swiss GP, 1951 Race Report|publisher=Grandprix.com|access-date=10 August 2012}}

Entries

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
NoDriverEntrantConstructorChassisEngineTyre
2

| {{flagicon|Belgium}} Johnny Claes

| Ecurie Belge

| Talbot-Lago

| Talbot-Lago T26C-DA

| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

4

| {{flagicon|France}} Philippe Étancelin

| Philippe Étancelin

| Talbot-Lago

| Talbot-Lago T26C-DA

| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

6

| {{flagicon|France}} Yves Giraud-Cabantous

| Yves Giraud-Cabantous

| Talbot-Lago

| Talbot-Lago T26C

| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

8

| {{flagicon|France}} Louis Rosier

| rowspan=2| Ecurie Rosier

| Talbot-Lago

| Talbot-Lago T26C-DA

| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

10

| {{flagicon|France}} Henri Louveau

| Talbot-Lago

| Talbot-Lago T26C

| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

12

| {{flagicon|UK}} George Abecassis

| rowspan=2| HW Motors

| HWM-Alta

| HWM 51

| Alta F2 2.0 L4

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

14

| {{flagicon|UK}} Stirling Moss

| HWM-Alta

| HWM 51

| Alta F2 2.0 L4

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

16

| {{flagicon|UK}} Peter Whitehead

| rowspan=3| Scuderia Ferrari

| Ferrari

| Ferrari 125

| Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12 s

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

18

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Luigi Villoresi

| Ferrari

| Ferrari 375

| Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

20

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Alberto Ascari

| Ferrari

| Ferrari 375

| Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

22

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Nino Farina

| rowspan=4| Alfa Romeo SpA

| Alfa Romeo

| Alfa Romeo 159A

| Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8 s

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

24

| {{flagicon|Argentina}} Juan Manuel Fangio

| Alfa Romeo

| Alfa Romeo 159A

| Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8 s

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

26

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Toulo de Graffenried

| Alfa Romeo

| Alfa Romeo 159A

| Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8 s

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

28

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Consalvo Sanesi{{Ref|1|1}}

| Alfa Romeo

| Alfa Romeo 159

| Alfa Romeo 1.5 L8 s

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

30

| {{flagicon|Monaco}} Louis Chiron

| rowspan=2| Enrico Platé

| Maserati

| Maserati 4CLT-48

| Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4 s

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

32

| {{flagicon|United States|1912}} Harry Schell

| Maserati

| Maserati 4CLT-48

| Maserati 4 CL 1.5 L4 s

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

38

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Rudi Fischer

| Ecurie Espadon

| Ferrari

| Ferrari 212

| Ferrari 212 2.5 V12

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

40

| {{flagicon|France}} Guy Mairesse

| Yves Giraud-Cabantous

| Talbot-Lago

| Talbot-Lago T26C

| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

42

| {{flagicon|Argentina}} José Froilán González

| José Froilán González

| Talbot-Lago

| Talbot-Lago T26C-GS

| Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6

| align="center"| {{Dunlop}}

44

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Piero Taruffi

| Scuderia Ferrari

| Ferrari

| Ferrari 375

| Ferrari Type 375 4.5 V12

| align="center"| {{Pirelli}}

46

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Francis Rochat{{Ref|2|2}}

| Francis Rochat

| Simca-Gordini

| Simca-Gordini T11

| Simca-Gordini 16 1.5 L4

| align="center"| {{Englebert}}

48

| {{flagicon|France}} Robert Manzon /
{{flagicon|FRA}} Maurice Trintignant{{Ref|2|2}}

| rowspan=2| Equipe Gordini

| Simca-Gordini

| Simca-Gordini T15

| Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s

| align="center"| {{Englebert}}

50

| {{flagicon|France}} André Simon{{Ref|2|2}}

| Simca-Gordini

| Simca-Gordini T15

| Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4 s

| align="center"| {{Englebert}}

52

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Peter Hirt

| Peter Hirt

| Veritas

| Veritas Meteor

| Veritas 2.0 L6

| align="center"| ?

style="background-color:#E5E4E2" align="center"

! colspan=7| Sources: {{cite web|url=http://www.manipef1.com/results/1951/switzerland/entries/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509144358/http://www.manipef1.com/results/1951/switzerland/entries/|archive-date=9 May 2012|title=1951 Swiss Grand Prix - Race Entries|publisher=manipef1.com|access-date=6 January 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://chicanef1.com/race.pl?year=1951&gp=Swiss%20GP&r=1&type=ent|title=1951 Swiss GP - Entry List|publisher=chicanef1.com|access-date=17 November 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.oldracingcars.com/results/result.php?RaceID=CH51|title=Grosser Preis der Schweiz - Bremgarten, 27 May 1951|publisher=oldracingcars.com|access-date=4 February 2017}}

:{{Note|1|1}} — Consalvo Sanesi qualified and drove the entirety of the race in the #28 Alfa Romeo. Gianbattista Guidotti, named substitute driver, was not used during the Grand Prix.{{cite web|url=http://www.statsf1.com/en/1951/suisse/engages.aspx|title=Switzerland 1951 - Race entrants|publisher=statsf1.com|access-date=9 January 2014}}

:{{Note|2|2}} — Francis Rochat, Maurice Trintignant and André Simon all withdrew from the event prior to practice. Robert Manzon, who was entered in the #48 Simca Gordini alongside Trintignant, also withdrew.{{cite web|url=http://www.statsf1.com/en/1951/suisse/classement.aspx|title=Switzerland 1951 - Result|publisher=statsf1.com|access-date=9 January 2014}}

Classification

=Qualifying=

class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%;"
PosNoDriverConstructorTimeclass="unsortable"|Gap
1

| 24

| data-sort-value="FAN"|{{flagicon|Argentina}} Juan Manuel Fangio

| Alfa Romeo

| 2:35.9

| –

2

| 22

| data-sort-value="FAR"|{{flagicon|Italy}} Nino Farina

| Alfa Romeo

| 2:37.8

| + 1.9

3

| 18

| data-sort-value="VIL"|{{flagicon|Italy}} Luigi Villoresi

| Ferrari

| 2:39.3

| + 3.4

4

| 28

| data-sort-value="SAN"|{{flagicon|Italy}} Consalvo Sanesi

| Alfa Romeo

| 2:40.3

| + 4.4

5

| 26

| data-sort-value="GRA"|{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Toulo de Graffenried

| Alfa Romeo

| 2:41.8

| + 5.9

6

| 44

| data-sort-value="TAR"|{{flagicon|Italy}} Piero Taruffi

| Ferrari

| 2:45.2

| + 9.3

7

| 20

| data-sort-value="ASC"|{{flagicon|Italy}} Alberto Ascari

| Ferrari

| 2:46.0

| + 10.1

8

| 8

| data-sort-value="ROS"|{{flagicon|France}} Louis Rosier

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 2:52.7

| + 16.8

9

| 16

| data-sort-value="WHI"|{{flagicon|UK}} Peter Whitehead

| Ferrari

| 2:52.9

| + 17.0

10

| 38

| data-sort-value="FIS"|{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Rudi Fischer

| Ferrari

| 2:54.1

| + 18.2

11

| 10

| data-sort-value="LOU"|{{flagicon|France}} Henri Louveau

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 2:56.2

| + 20.3

12

| 4

| data-sort-value="ETA"|{{flagicon|France}} Philippe Étancelin

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 2:57.3

| + 21.4

13

| 42

| data-sort-value="GON"|{{flagicon|Argentina}} José Froilán González

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 2:57.3

| + 21.4

14

| 14

| data-sort-value="MOS"|{{flagicon|UK}} Stirling Moss

| HWM-Alta

| 2:58.4

| + 22.5

15

| 6

| data-sort-value="GIR"|{{flagicon|France}} Yves Giraud-Cabantous

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 3:00.3

| + 24.4

16

| 52

| data-sort-value="HIR"|{{flagicon|Switzerland}} Peter Hirt

| Veritas

| 3:01.6

| + 25.7

17

| 32

| data-sort-value="SCH"|{{flagicon|United States|1912}} Harry Schell

| Maserati

| 3:02.4

| + 26.5

18

| 2

| data-sort-value="CLA"|{{flagicon|Belgium}} Johnny Claes

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 3:02.5

| + 26.6

19

| 30

| data-sort-value="CHI"|{{flagicon|Monaco}} Louis Chiron

| Maserati

| 3:03.8

| + 27.9

20

| 12

| data-sort-value="ABE"|{{flagicon|UK}} George Abecassis

| HWM-Alta

| 3:05.1

| + 29.2

21

| 40

| data-sort-value="MAI"|{{flagicon|France}} Guy Mairesse

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 3:12.0

| + 36.1

data-sort-value="27"|DNA

| 34

| data-sort-value="BIR"|{{flagicon|Thailand}} Prince Bira

| Maserati

| data-sort-value="27"|–

| –

data-sort-value="27"|DNA

| 36

| data-sort-value="BRA"|{{flagicon|SUI}} Toni Branca

| Maserati

| data-sort-value="27"|–

| –

data-sort-value="27"|DNA

| 46

| data-sort-value="ROC"|{{flagicon|SUI}} Francis Rochat

| Simca-Gordini

| data-sort-value="27"|–

| –

data-sort-value="27"|DNA

| 48

| data-sort-value="MAN"|{{flagicon|FRA}} Robert Manzon /
{{flagicon|FRA}} Maurice Trintignant

| Simca-Gordini

| data-sort-value="27"|–

| –

data-sort-value="27"|DNA

| 50

| data-sort-value="SIM"|{{flagicon|FRA}} André Simon

| Simca-Gordini

| data-sort-value="27"|–

| –

colspan="6"|{{center|Source:{{cite web|title=Grosser Preis der Schweiz|publisher=oldracingcars.com|url=http://www.oldracingcars.com/results/result.php?RaceID=CH51|access-date=25 December 2015}}}}

=Race=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

! Pos

! No

! Driver

! Constructor

! Laps

! Time/Retired

! Grid

! Points

1

| 24

| {{flagicon|Argentina}} Juan Manuel Fangio

| Alfa Romeo

| 42

| 2:07:53.64

| 1

| 9{{ref|1|1}}

2

| 44

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Piero Taruffi

| Ferrari

| 42

| + 55.24

| 6

| 6

3

| 22

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Nino Farina

| Alfa Romeo

| 42

| + 1:19.31

| 2

| 4

4

| 28

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Consalvo Sanesi

| Alfa Romeo

| 41

| + 1 Lap

| 4

| 3

5

| 26

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Toulo de Graffenried

| Alfa Romeo

| 40

| + 2 Laps

| 5

| 2

6

| 20

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Alberto Ascari

| Ferrari

| 40

| + 2 Laps

| 7

|  

7

| 30

| {{flagicon|Monaco}} Louis Chiron

| Maserati

| 40

| + 2 Laps

| 19

|  

8

| 14

| {{flagicon|UK}} Stirling Moss

| HWM-Alta

| 40

| + 2 Laps

| 14

|  

9

| 8

| {{flagicon|France}} Louis Rosier

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 39

| + 3 Laps

| 8

|  

10

| 4

| {{flagicon|France}} Philippe Étancelin

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 39

| + 3 Laps

| 12

|  

11

| 38

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Rudi Fischer

| Ferrari

| 39

| + 3 Laps

| 10

|  

12

| 32

| {{flagicon|United States|1912}} Harry Schell

| Maserati

| 38

| + 4 Laps

| 17

|  

13

| 2

| {{flagicon|Belgium}} Johnny Claes

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 35

| + 7 Laps

| 18

|  

14

| 40

| {{flagicon|France}} Guy Mairesse

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 31

| + 11 Laps

| 21

|  

Ret

| 16

| {{flagicon|UK}} Peter Whitehead

| Ferrari

| 36

| Accident

| 9

|  

Ret

| 10

| {{flagicon|France}} Henri Louveau

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 30

| Accident

| 11

|  

Ret

| 12

| {{flagicon|UK}} George Abecassis

| HWM-Alta

| 23

| Magneto

| 20

|  

Ret

| 6

| {{flagicon|France}} Yves Giraud-Cabantous

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 14

| Ignition

| 15

|  

Ret

| 18

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Luigi Villoresi

| Ferrari

| 12

| Accident

| 3

|  

Ret

| 42

| {{flagicon|Argentina}} José Froilán González

| Talbot-Lago-Talbot

| 10

| Oil pump

| 13

|  

Ret

| 52

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Peter Hirt

| Veritas

| 0

| Fuel System

| 16

|  

colspan="8"|{{center|Source:{{cite web |url=http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1951/572/ |title=1951 Swiss Grand Prix |publisher=formula1.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150118203738/http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1951/572/ |archive-date=18 January 2015 |access-date=25 December 2015}}}}

;Notes

  • {{Note|1|1}} – Includes 1 point for fastest lap

Championship standings after the race

;Drivers' Championship standings

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
Pos

! Driver

! Points

align="center"| 1

| {{flagicon|Argentina}} Juan Manuel Fangio

|align="left"| 9

align="center"| 2

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Piero Taruffi

|align="left"| 6

align="center"| 3

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Nino Farina

|align="left"| 4

align="center"| 4

| {{flagicon|Italy}} Consalvo Sanesi

|align="left"| 3

align="center"| 5

| {{flagicon|Switzerland}} Toulo de Graffenried

|align="left"| 2

colspan=3|Source: {{Cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/1951/suisse/championnat.aspx|title=Switzerland 1951 - Championship|website=statsf1.com|access-date=1 March 2019}}

  • Note: Only the top five positions are included. Only the best 4 results counted toward the Championship.

References

{{reflist | 30em}}

{{F1 race report

| Name_of_race = Swiss Grand Prix |

Year_of_race = 1951

| Previous_race_in_season = 1950 Italian Grand Prix

| Next_race_in_season = 1951 Indianapolis 500

| Previous_year's_race = 1950 Swiss Grand Prix

| Next_year's_race = 1952 Swiss Grand Prix

}}

{{F1GP 50-59}}

Swiss Grand Prix

Category:Swiss Grand Prix

Grand Prix

Swiss Grand Prix