The 1950 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 2 July 1950 at Reims-Gueux. It was race 6 of 7 in the 1950 World Championship of Drivers. The 64-lap race was won by Alfa Romeo driver Juan Manuel Fangio after he started from pole position. His teammate Luigi Fagioli finished second and Peter Whitehead took third in a privateer Ferrari.
Report A total of 22 cars entered the event, four of which did not start the race. Franco Comotti did not attend the event; Eugène Chaboud did not start in his own car, instead sharing Philippe Étancelin's Talbot-Lago; and the two Scuderia Ferrari entries of Luigi Villoresi and Alberto Ascari withdrew in practice.
Fangio put in a stunning display with a 187 km/h (116 mph) practice lap. With Ferrari not starting their 3-litre cars, the main opposition was to come from the Talbots, complete with dual ignition engines with 12 spark plugs. However, they suffered from radiator problems and overheated, allowing Fangio and Fagioli to lead home another Alfa demonstration run, whilst Farina succumbed to fuel pump trouble. Peter Whitehead finished third despite a fractured head gasket in the last two laps.
Entries No Driver Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre 2 Nino Farina Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 158 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s 4 Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 158 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s 6 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 158 Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s 8 Luigi Villoresi Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 275 Ferrari 275 F1 3.3 V12 10 Alberto Ascari Ferrari Ferrari 275 Ferrari 275 F1 3.3 V12 12 Raymond Sommer Automobiles Talbot-Darracq Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-GS Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 14 Peter Whitehead Peter Whitehead Ferrari Ferrari 125 Ferrari 125 F1 1.5 V12s 16 Philippe Étancelin Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 18 Yves Giraud-Cabantous Automobiles Talbot-Darracq Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 20 Louis Rosier Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C-DA Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 22 Pierre Levegh Pierre Levegh Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 24 Eugène Chaboud Ecurie Lutetia Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 26 Charles Pozzi Charles Pozzi Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 28 Franco Rol Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 30 Louis Chiron Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 32 Reg Parnell Scuderia Ambrosiana Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 34 David Hampshire Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 36 José Froilán González Scuderia Achille Varzi Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 38 Franco Comotti Maserati Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s 40 Felice Bonetto Scuderia Milano Maserati-Milano Maserati 4CLT/50 Milano 1.5 L4s 42 Johnny Claes Ecurie Belge Talbot-Lago Talbot-Lago T26C Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6 44 Robert Manzon Equipe Gordini Simca-Gordini Simca-Gordini T15 Simca-Gordini 15C 1.5 L4s Sources:
Classification Qualifying Pos No Driver Constructor Time 1 6 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 2:30.6 2 2 Nino Farina Alfa Romeo 2:32.5 3 4 Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo 2:34.7 4 16 Philippe Étancelin Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:39.0 5 18 Yves Giraud-Cabantous Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:42.7 6 20 Louis Rosier Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:46.0 7 28 Franco Rol Maserati 2:46.7 8 36 José Froilán González Maserati 2:48.0 9 22 Pierre Levegh Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:49.0 10 24 Eugène Chaboud Talbot-Lago-TalbotUnknown 11 40 Felice Bonetto Maserati-Milano 2:51.0 12 32 Reg Parnell Maserati 2:54.0 13 44 Robert Manzon Simca-Gordini 2:55.5 14 30 Louis Chiron Maserati 2:55.9 15 42 Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:57.4 16 26 Charles Pozzi Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:58.0 17 12 Raymond Sommer Talbot-Lago-Talbot 2:59.3 18 34 David Hampshire Maserati 2:59.5 19 14 Peter Whitehead Ferrari 3:01.0 8 Luigi Villoresi Ferrari– 10 Alberto Ascari Ferrari– 38 Franco Comotti Maserati–
Race Pos No Driver ConstructorLapsTime/Retired Grid Points 1 6 Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 64 2:57:52.8 1 9 2 4 Luigi Fagioli Alfa Romeo 64 + 25.7 3 6 3 14 Peter Whitehead Ferrari 61 + 3 Laps 18 4 4 44 Robert Manzon Simca-Gordini 61 + 3 Laps 12 3 5 16 Eugène Chaboud Talbot-Lago-Talbot 59 + 5 Laps 4 1 Philippe Étancelin1 6 26 Charles Pozzi Talbot-Lago-Talbot 56 + 8 Laps 15 Louis Rosier 7 2 Nino Farina Alfa Romeo 55 Fuel Pump 2 8 18 Yves Giraud-Cabantous Talbot-Lago-Talbot 52 + 12 Laps 5 22 Pierre Levegh Talbot-Lago-Talbot 36 Engine 9 40 Felice Bonetto Maserati-Milano 14 Engine 10 42 Johnny Claes Talbot-Lago-Talbot 11 Overheating 14 20 Louis Rosier Talbot-Lago-Talbot 10 Overheating 6 32 Reg Parnell Maserati 9 Engine 11 28 Franco Rol Maserati 6 Engine 7 30 Louis Chiron Maserati 6 Engine 13 34 David Hampshire Maserati 5 Engine 17 12 Raymond Sommer Talbot-Lago-Talbot 4 Overheating 16 36 José Froilán González Maserati 3 Engine 8 24 Eugène Chaboud Talbot-Lago-Talbot Practice only 8 Luigi Villoresi Ferrari Withdrawn 10 Alberto Ascari Ferrari Withdrawn Notes – Includes 1 point for fastest lap
Championship standings after the race Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 2 1 Juan Manuel Fangio 26 2 Luigi Fagioli 24 2 3 Giuseppe Farina 22 4 Louis Rosier 10 5 Johnnie Parsons 9Source:
Notes
References
Further reading
Sheldon and Rabagliati, A Record of Grand Prix and Voiturette Racing, Volume 5, 1950–1953, 1988