The Maserati 4CL and its derived sister model the Maserati 4CLT are single-seat open-wheel Grand Prix racing cars that were designed and built by Maserati . The 4CL was introduced at the beginning of the 1939 season, as a rival to the Alfa Romeo 158 and various ERA models in the voiturette class of international Grand Prix motor racing . Although racing ceased during World War II , the 4CL was one of the front running models at the resumption of racing in the late 1940s. Experiments with two-stage supercharging and tubular chassis construction eventually led to the introduction of the revised 4CLT model in 1948. The 4CLT was steadily upgraded and updated over the following two years, resulting in the ultimate 4CLT/50 model, introduced for the inaugural year of the Formula One World Championship in 1950. In the immediate post-war period, and the first two years of the Formula One category, the 4CLT was the car of choice for many privateer entrants, leading to numerous examples being involved in most races during this period.
109-551: Alberto Ascari (13 July 1918 – 26 May 1955) was an Italian racing driver , who competed in Formula One from 1950 to 1955 . Ascari won two Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles , which he won in 1952 and 1953 with Ferrari , and won 13 Grands Prix across six seasons. In endurance racing , Ascari won the Mille Miglia in 1954 with Lancia . Noted for careful precision and finely-judged accuracy, Ascari
218-402: A chicane while leading, reportedly distracted by either the crowd's reaction to Stirling Moss ' retirement or the close attentions of the lapped Cesare Perdisa behind. Whatever distracted him, he approached the chicane too quickly, and chose the only way out and took his D50 through the barriers into the sea, missing a substantial iron bollard by about 30 cm. Although his car sank, Ascari
327-406: A transformative shift, echoing past pivots. The industry, much like the cars it champions , has had to navigate through a global pandemic and a persistent chip shortage, each threatening to derail production schedules . At the same time, a new course is being charted towards an electric future, a dramatic change in direction that is challenging the old guard of gasoline engines. There is also
436-631: A "manufacturer's" logo and "vehicle name", yet use components produced by another automobile manufacturer. There are also other stock car governing bodies, most notably the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA). In the UK, British Stock car racing is also referred to as "Short Circuit Racing". UK Stock car racing started in the 1950s and grew rapidly through the 1960s and 1970s. Events take place on shale or tarmac tracks – usually around 1/4 mile long. There are around 35 tracks in
545-509: A Grand Chelem, of which there had been 66 in total. Ascari is one of three drivers (Clark and Vettel) to have achieved this feat, meaning taking pole, fastest lap, race win, and leading every lap, in consecutive races. Ascari holds the records of most consecutive hat-tricks (4), most consecutive Grand Chelems (2, jointly held with Clark and Vettel), highest number of Grand Chelems in a season (3, jointly held with Clark, Mansell, and Hamilton), most consecutive fastest laps (7), most consecutive laps in
654-408: A Milanese baker more than the lean, pinched athletes of the modern age. Yet this was a man who, for a period, dominated grand prix racing like no other has before or since." In his profile about Ascari, Benson further wrote that "Ascari was a ruthless winning machine. He was a phlegmatic character who approached his racing with an analytical style. With his pale blue shirt and matching helmet, Ascari cut
763-446: A Scarlet Sky . In 34 entries and 32 race starts, Ascari had 13 wins, 17 podiums, 14 pole positions, and 12 fastest laps, and won two World Championships, making him the first double World Champion and the first back-to-back winner; it was not until Michael Schumacher 's fourth World Championship (the second with Ferrari) in 2001 , the only other to do so, that a Ferrari driver won back-to-back titles. His rivalry with Juan Manuel Fangio
872-410: A distance of 8 mi (13 km). It was won by the carriage of Isaac Watt Boulton . Internal combustion auto racing events began soon after the construction of the first successful gasoline -fueled automobiles. The first organized contest was on April 28, 1887, by the chief editor of Paris publication Le Vélocipède , Monsieur Fossier. It ran 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Neuilly Bridge to
981-448: A distinctive figure in the scarlet Ferraris of the early 1950s. He sat upright, hunched slightly forward, closer to the large steering wheel than many of his rivals, his elbows forming sharper angles." About Ascari's driving style, Enzo Ferrari said: "Ascari had a precise and distinctive driving style, but he was a man who had to lead from the start. In that position he was hard to overtake, almost impossible to beat, in my estimation. Alberto
1090-473: A factory team, the opposition was hardly world class. On the resumption of competition in 1946 the Maserati 4CL proved the class of the field. Luigi Villoresi immediately returned to winning ways, taking victory in the first race following the cessation of hostilities: the 1946 Nice Grand Prix . Tazio Nuvolari and Giorgio Pelassa both took wins in 4CLs, but it was Raymond Sommer and his 4CL who dominated
1199-514: A fast curve on the third lap, the car inexplicably skidded, turned on its nose, and somersaulted twice. Thrown out onto the track, Ascari suffered multiple injuries and died a few minutes later. The crash occurred on the Curva del Vialone , one of the track's challenging high-speed corners. The corner where the accident happened was renamed in his honour, and was subsequently replaced with a chicane called Variante Ascari . The reasons and circumstances of
SECTION 10
#17327731364301308-734: A growing number of events for electric racing cars, such as the Formula E , the Eco Grand Prix or the Electric GT Championship . In single-seater ( open-wheel ) racing, the wheels are not covered, and the cars often have aerofoil wings front and rear to produce downforce and enhance adhesion to the track. The most popular varieties of open-wheel road racing are Formula One (F1), the IndyCar Series and Super Formula . In Europe and Asia, open-wheeled racing
1417-707: A lap at 388 km/h (241 mph). The series' biggest race is the Indianapolis 500 , which is commonly referred to as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" due to being the longest continuously run race in the series and having the largest crowd for a single-day sporting event (350,000+). The other major international single-seater racing series is Formula 2 (formerly known as Formula 3000 and GP2 Series ). Regional series include Super Formula and Formula V6 Asia (specifically in Asia), Formula Renault 3.5 (also known as
1526-620: A local girl. When Italy entered World War II , the family garage, by now run by Ascari, was conscripted to service and maintain vehicles of the Italian military. During this period, he and his partner fellow racing driver Luigi Villoresi established a lucrative transport business, supplying fuel to army depots in North Africa. The pair survived a ship they were aboard carrying lorries capsizing in Tripoli harbour. As their business supported
1635-541: A million people took to the streets in Milan for his funeral. His distraught wife Mietta Ascari told Enzo Ferrari that were it not for their children she would have taken her life. Three days before he died, Ascari had told a friend: "I never want my children to become too fond of me because one day I might not come back and they will suffer less if I don't come back." Upon Ascari's death, his friend and rival Juan Manuel Fangio lamented: "I have lost my greatest opponent. Ascari
1744-482: A much easier time following and passing than in open-wheel racing . It often features full-contact racing with subtle bumping and nudging due to the small speed differentials and large grids. The major touring car championships conducted worldwide are the Supercars Championship (Australia), British Touring Car Championship , Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), World Touring Car Championship and
1853-450: A practical mode of transport, but soon became an important way for automobile makers to demonstrate their machines. By the 1930s, specialist racing cars had developed. There are now numerous different categories, each with different rules and regulations. The first prearranged match race of two self-powered road vehicles over a prescribed route occurred at 4:30 A.M. on August 30, 1867, between Ashton-under-Lyne and Old Trafford , England,
1962-603: A ratio of 48%, the highest win ratio for a Ferrari driver. Despite his short career, having fewer Grand Prix starts than any other World Champion, Ascari is generally considered among the greatest Formula One drivers. In 2009, an Autosport survey taken by 217 Formula One drivers saw Ascari voted as the 16th-greatest Formula One driver of all time. In 2012, the BBC listed Ascari as the 9th-greatest Formula One driver. In 2020, Carteret Analytics used quantitative analysis methods to rank Formula One drivers. According to this ranking, Ascari
2071-426: A small, low-cost machine on small tracks. Many of the current top drivers began their careers in karts. Formula Ford represents the most popular first open-wheel category for up-and-coming drivers stepping up from karts. The series is still the preferred option, as it has introduced an aero package and slicks, allowing the junior drivers to gain experience in a race car with dynamics closer to F1. The Star Mazda Series
2180-426: A streamlined version of the 4CL from the outset. Continued engine development, in response to Alfa Romeo's post-war introduction of two-stage supercharging, began to expose weaknesses in the chassis design. In an attempt to improve torsional rigidity Maserati began to experiment with tubular section chassis members. These experimental models ran alongside conventional 4CLs throughout the 1947 season, and eventually led to
2289-823: Is NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing). NASCAR's premier series is the NASCAR Cup Series , its most famous races being the Daytona 500 , the Southern 500 , the Coca-Cola 600 , and the Brickyard 400 . NASCAR also runs several feeder series, including the Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series (a pickup truck racing series). The series conduct races across the entire continental United States . NASCAR also sanctions series outside of
SECTION 20
#17327731364302398-399: Is Formula One's fourth-best driver of all time. Similar objective mathematical models , such as Eichenberger and Stadelmann (2009, 12th when the 40 races started criteria is dropped), original F1metrics (2014, 9th), FiveThirtyEight (2018, 19th), and updated F1metrics (2019, 5th), consistently put Ascari among the top 20 greatest Formula One drivers ever. Although Fangio did not take part in
2507-448: Is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non-racing disciplines. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various types were organized, with the first recorded as early as 1867. Many of the earliest events were effectively reliability trials , aimed at proving these new machines were
2616-719: Is a worldwide series that runs only street circuit and race tracks . These cars are heavily based on technology and their aerodynamics. The speed record was set in 2005 by Juan Pablo Montoya hitting 373 km/h (232 mph). Some of the most prominent races are the Monaco Grand Prix, the Italian Grand Prix , and the British Grand Prix . The season ends with the crowning of the World Championship for drivers and constructors. In
2725-650: Is another entry-level series. Indy Lights represent the last step on the Road to Indy , being less powerful and lighter than an IndyCar racer. Students at colleges and universities can also take part in single-seater racing through the Formula SAE competition, which involves designing and building a single-seater car in a multidisciplinary team and racing it at the competition. This also develops other soft skills, such as teamwork, while promoting motorsport and engineering. The world's first all-female Formula racing team
2834-615: Is commonly referred to as 'Formula', with appropriate hierarchical suffixes. In North America, the 'Formula' terminology is not followed (with the exception of F1). The sport is usually arranged to follow an international format (such as F1), a regional format (such as the Formula 3 Euro Series), and/or a domestic, or country-specific, format (such as the German Formula 3 championship, or the British Formula Ford). F1
2943-923: Is the FIA World Endurance Championship . The main series for GT car racing is the GT World Challenge Europe , divided into two separate championships: the GT World Challenge Europe Sprint Cup and the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup . This series has formed after the folding of the various FIA GT championships. The prevailing classes of GT cars are GT3 , GT4 and GT2 class cars. GT2 cars have powerful engines, often exceeding 600 horsepower. However, they have less downforce than GT3 cars and also have less driver aids. GT3 cars are far and away
3052-522: Is undergoing a period of transition, but is still the longest-running road racing series in the U.S. The National Auto Sport Association also provides a venue for amateurs to compete in home-built factory-derived vehicles on various local circuits. In sports car racing, production-derived versions of two-seat sports cars , also known as grand tourers (GTs), and purpose-built sports prototype cars compete within their respective classes on closed circuits. The premier championship series of sports car racing
3161-467: The 1950 Monaco Grand Prix , the second race of the season, with Ascari, Villoresi, and the famous French driver Raymond Sommer on the team. At Monaco, Ascari became the youngest driver to score points and a podium position in Formula One at 31 years, 312 days, finishing second one lap behind Juan Manuel Fangio . The team had a mixed year as the supercharged Ferrari 125 F1 was too slow to challenge
3270-445: The 1953 season, giving him nine straight championship wins (not counting Indy) before his streak ended when he finished fourth at the 1953 French Grand Prix , which proved to be highly competitive. He won twice more later in the year for a second consecutive World Championship, becoming Formula One's first two-time champion. Aged 35, he was also the youngest two-time champion and the youngest back-to-back champion, both records beaten by
3379-422: The 1954 Mille Miglia . As of 2024, Ascari and Michael Schumacher are Ferrari's only back-to-back World Champions, and Ascari remains Ferrari's sole Italian champion. As the first driver to win multiple World Championship titles, he held the record for most World Championship titles from 1952 to 1954, becoming one of four drivers to have held the record for most World Championship titles. Juan Manuel Fangio held
Alberto Ascari - Misplaced Pages Continue
3488-440: The 1955 Italian Grand Prix . For 1949, minor modifications to the brake drums, switching from vanes to slits for cooling, along with small changes to the cockpit control layout and a repositioned oil header-tank resulted in a car sometimes referred to as the 4CLT/49. It was never known as such by the factory. The Ascari/Villoresi/Parnell trio, joined by Juan Manuel Fangio and Toulo de Graffenried , took up where they had left off
3597-733: The 24 Hours of Le Mans , begun in 1923. It is run by the Automobile Club of the West (ACO). Team Ferrari won the race in 2023. With auto construction and racing dominated by France, the French automobile club ACF staged a number of major international races, usually from or to Paris, connecting with another major city, in France or elsewhere in Europe. Aspendale Racecourse , in Australia,
3706-634: The 24 Hours of Le Mans , the Rolex 24 at Daytona , 24 Hours of Spa -Franchorchamps, the 12 Hours of Sebring , the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen , and the 1,000-mile (1,600 km) Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta . There is also the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring on the famed Nordschleife track and the Dubai 24 Hour , which is aimed at GT3 and below cars with a mixture of professional and pro-am drivers. Production-car racing, otherwise known as "showroom stock" in
3815-659: The Autodromo Nazionale Monza in 1955. Born in Milan , Alberto Ascari was the son of Antonio Ascari , a talented Grand Prix motor racing star in the 1920s, racing Alfa Romeos . A fortnight before Ascari's seventh birthday, his father was killed while leading the 1925 French Grand Prix at the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry ; the younger Ascari had an interest in racing in spite of this, and later came to dominate Grand Prix racing like no other before him. Such
3924-505: The Formula Two Ramparts Grand Prix , at Angoulême , in a 4CLT chassis fitted with an A6GCM engine. The Milano team modified a 4CLT for use in 1950 and 1951, but without success. Also for 1951 B. Bira modified his '49-spec 4CLT to accept a more powerful, 4,450 cc (271.6 cu in), naturally aspirated OSCA V12 engine. This engine developed around 300 bhp (224 kW). With it Bira won
4033-510: The Mille Miglia that year, driving a Lancia sportscar, surviving the dreadful weather and the failure of a throttle spring, which was temporarily replaced with a rubber band. When the Lancia D50 was ready, Ascari took pole position on its debut, the 1954 Spanish Grand Prix , and led impressively early on and set fastest lap before retiring with a clutch problem, meaning a full season of competing against Fangio's previously dominant Mercedes
4142-624: The Silverstone Circuit . With Maserati he won the first 1949 Buenos Aires Grand Prix . His biggest success came when he and Villoresi signed for Scuderia Ferrari . The team boss Enzo Ferrari had been a great friend and teammate to Ascari's father, and had taken a keen interest in his successes. In 1949, he won three more races, all with Ferrari. Driving a Ferrari, he also won the third 1949 Buenos Aires Grand Prix . The first Formula One World Championship season took place in 1950 . The Ferrari team made its World Championship debut at
4251-553: The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starting in 2014. These races are often conducted over long distances, at least 1,000 km (621 mi), and cars are driven by teams of two or more drivers, switching every few hours. Due to the performance difference between production-based sports cars and purpose-built sports prototypes, one race usually involves several racing classes, each fighting for its own championship. Famous sports car races include
4360-653: The World Touring Car Cup . The European Touring Car Cup is a one-day event open to Super 2000 specification touring cars from Europe's many national championships. While Super GT traces its lineage to the now-defunct JGTC , the cars are much more similar to GT3 race cars than proper touring cars, and also have much more aggressive aerodynamics. The Sports Car Club of America 's SPEED World Challenge Touring Car and GT championships are dominant in North America. America's historic Trans-Am Series
4469-538: The fastest lap in each race. He scored the maximum number of points a driver could earn, since only the best four of eight scores counted towards the World Championship. Aged 34, Ascari became Formula One's new youngest champion until the 29-year-old Mike Hawthorn won it in 1958 ; Hawthorn had been Ascari's teammate in 1951. Meanwhile, Fangio had missed most of the season after a crash in the 1952 Italian Grand Prix in June. Ascari won three more consecutive races to start
Alberto Ascari - Misplaced Pages Continue
4578-547: The 1948 season's remaining races. In the first year of the Formula One World Championship, a Sanremo scored what was to be the Maserati's best Championship finish, when Louis Chiron took third place at his home Grand Prix: the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix . The last 4CLT variant to compete in the World Championship was a 4CLT/48 modified by the Arzani-Volpini team, that failed to even qualify for
4687-484: The 1952 season, Ascari's performance during that season is considered one of the best single-year performance of all time; he overwhelmingly beat several strong Ferrari teammates, including Giuseppe Farina , whom he beat 53.5 to 27 in total points. Based on a 2019 adjusted scoring-rate calculation, 1952 had the all-time largest margin between first and second in the championship standings, with 8.90 points per race for Ascari and 4.36 points per race for Mike Hawthorn . Into
4796-472: The 1980s and 1990s all over the United States. In North America, stock car racing is the most popular form of auto racing. Primarily raced on oval tracks , stock cars vaguely resemble production cars, but are in fact purpose-built racing machines that are built to tight specifications and, together with touring cars, also called Silhouette racing cars . The largest stock car racing governing body
4905-513: The 21st century, Ascari continues to hold several Formula One records, some of which have since been equalled by fellow World Champions, such as Clark, Nigel Mansell , Sebastian Vettel , and Lewis Hamilton . During his career, Ascari had seven hat-tricks (pole positions, fastest lap, and race win) and five Grand Chelems ( 1952 French Grand Prix , 1952 German Grand Prix , 1952 Dutch Grand Prix , 1953 Argentine Grand Prix , and 1953 British Grand Prix ); as of July 2023, only 26 drivers had secured
5014-462: The 24 hours of Le Mans (held annually since 1923) and in the (European) Le Mans series , Asian Le Mans Series and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship . These cars are referred to as LMP (Le Mans prototype) cars with LMH and LMDh cars being run mainly by manufacturers and the slightly less powerful LMP2 cars run by privateer teams. All three Le Mans Series run GT cars in addition to Le Mans Prototypes; these cars have different restrictions than
5123-552: The 34-year-old Jack Brabham in 1960 , as the average age of a Formula One driver significantly decreased. The 1953 season is considered Ascari's career high point as he had faced the returning Fangio for the opening race of the season, the 1953 Argentine Grand Prix in Buenos Aires, attended by Fangio's home crowd. Additionally, it was widely expected that Ferrari was to be challenged by a resurgent Maserati, with Fangio at its helm. Instead, Ascari took pole position and achieved
5232-523: The 4CL's first taste of victory came in the hands of privateer Johnnie Wakefield at the Naples Grand Prix , two races later. Through the remainder of 1939 voiturette races Wakefield took two further victories, and the works' 4CLs picked up another two, before the outbreak of war curtailed international competition. Villoresi took the 4CL to victory in the 1940 Targa Florio , but with entry restricted to Axis countries, and only Maserati fielding
5341-456: The 4CLT/50; although that name is sometimes also applied to the 1950-specification Formula One cars, the Temporada cars are the only ones that were referred to as such by the factory. The modifications were mostly restricted to enlargement of the engine capacity to 1,719 cc (104.9 cu in). Despite these improvements the series was dominated by Ferrari, and following the final race
5450-524: The Alfa 158 and the already competitive Ferrari and Talbot, Maserati again upgraded the 4CLT's engine. A multi-part crankshaft, lightened and balanced rods, a more powerful pair of superchargers and changes to the ignition timing took engine output up to a claimed 280 bhp (209 kW). Coupled to shedding 10 kg (22 lb) from the car's weight, this brought the Maserati up to near-Alfa levels of performance. Although moderately competitive in short runs,
5559-612: The Bois de Boulogne. On July 22, 1894, the Parisian magazine Le Petit Journal organized what is considered to be the world's first motoring competition, from Paris to Rouen. One hundred and two competitors paid a 10- franc entrance fee. The first American automobile race is generally considered to be the Thanksgiving Day Chicago Times-Herald race of November 28, 1895. Press coverage of
SECTION 50
#17327731364305668-592: The FIA GT cars. Another prototype and GT racing championship exists in the United States; the Grand-Am , which began in 2000, sanctions its own endurance series, the Rolex Sports Car Series , which consists of slower and lower-cost Daytona Prototype race cars compared to LMP and FIA GT cars. The Rolex Sports Car Series and American Le Mans Series announced a merger between the two series forming
5777-547: The FIA in 1946, with the aim of eventually replacing the pre-war Grand Prix structure. During the next four transitional years, Ascari was at the top of his game, winning numerous events around Europe. The 1948 San Remo Grand Prix was his first win. He also took second place at the 1948 British Grand Prix , which was organised by the Royal Automobile Club and is generally considered the first British Grand Prix , at
5886-576: The Goodwood race early in the season, but in its only World Championship appearance, at the 1951 Spanish Grand Prix , it retired on the first lap. In late 1949 a number (two or three, depending on source) of the remaining Sanremo cars were converted for use in the Temporada series Formula Libre races in Buenos Aires , Argentina, in the 1949 to 1950 summer season. This model was referred to as
5995-599: The Italian war effort, it made them exempt from being called up for military service during the war. Following the end of World War II, Ascari began racing in Grands Prix with the Maserati 4CLT . His teammate was Villoresi, who became a mentor and friend to Ascari. The pair were successful on the circuits in Northern Italy. He was nicknamed Ciccio , meaning "Tubby". Formula One regulations were introduced by
6104-572: The Lancia taking victories at the non-championship races in Turin ( Parco del Valentino ) and at the Naples Grand Prix , where the Lancias took on and beat the hitherto all-conquering Mercedes. In a world championship event, the 1955 Argentine Grand Prix , he retired. During the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix on 22 May, Ascari crashed into the harbour through hay bales and sandbags late in the race after missing
6213-656: The UK and upwards of 7000 active drivers. The sport is split into three basic divisions – distinguished by the rules regarding car contact during racing. The most famous championship are the BriSCA F1 Stock Cars . Full-contact formulas include Bangers , Bombers, and Rookie Bangers – and racing features Demolition Derbies, Figure of Eight, and Oval Racing. Semi Contact Formulas include BriSCA F1, F2, and Superstox – where bumpers are used tactically. Non-contact formulas include National Hot Rods, Stock Rods, and Lightning Rods. Maserati 4CLT In
6322-604: The UK, the major club series are the Monoposto Racing Club , BRSCC F3 (formerly ClubF3, formerly ARP F3), Formula Vee and Club Formula Ford. Each series caters to a section of the market, with some primarily providing low-cost racing, while others aim for an authentic experience using the same regulations as the professional series (BRSCC F3). The SCCA is also responsible for sanctioning single-seater racing in much of North America. There are other categories of single-seater racing, including kart racing , which employs
6431-500: The US, is an economical and rules-restricted version of touring-car racing, mainly used to restrict costs. Numerous production racing categories are based on particular makes of cars. Most series, with a few exceptions, follow the Group N regulation. There are several different series that are run all over the world, most notably, Japan's Super Taikyu and IMSA 's Firehawk Series, which ran in
6540-551: The United States, including the NASCAR Canada Series , NASCAR Mexico Series , NASCAR Whelen Euro Series , and NASCAR Brasil Sprint Race . NASCAR also governs several smaller regional series, such as the Whelen Modified Tour . Modified cars are best described as open-wheel cars. Modified cars have no parts related to the stock vehicle for which they are named after. A number of modified cars display
6649-438: The United States, the most popular series is the IndyCar Series . The cars have traditionally been similar to, though less technologically sophisticated than, F1 cars , with more restrictions on technology aimed at controlling costs. While these cars are not as technologically advanced, they are faster, in part due to their lower downforce compared to F1 cars, and also because they compete on oval race tracks, being able to average
SECTION 60
#17327731364306758-681: The World Series by Renault, succession series of World Series by Nissan ), Formula Three , Formula Palmer Audi and Formula Atlantic . In 2009, the FIA Formula Two Championship brought about the revival of the F2 series. Domestic, or country-specific, series include Formula Three and Formula Renault, with the leading introductory series being Formula Ford . Single-seater racing is not limited merely to professional teams and drivers. There exist many amateur racing clubs. In
6867-510: The accident, including why Ascari, who was well known for his attention to safety, drove another driver's car, and without his own lucky blue helmet (he had left it at home, and apparently reasoned that, after his accident in Monaco four days earlier, getting back to race driving as soon as possible was the best way to recover), never came to light. In 2001, the Swiss newspaper Rinascita published
6976-467: The cars were shipped back to Italy and reconverted to Formula One specifications. A long term campaigner of Maserati automobiles, Enrico Platé recognised the Maserati's shortcomings as a Formula One vehicle, and converted a 4CLT/48 into the Maserati-Platé 4CLT Formula Two variant. As F2 was for naturally aspirated cars, the first step was to remove the superchargers. After this, to counteract
7085-472: The dominant Alfa Romeo team, so Ferrari began working on an unblown 4.5-litre car. Much of the year was lost as the team's 2-litre Formula Two engine was progressively enlarged. When the full 4.5-litre Ferrari 375 F1 arrived for the 1950 Italian Grand Prix , the final round of the championship, Ascari gave Alfa Romeo their sternest challenge of the year before retiring; he then took over teammate Dorino Serafini 's car to finish second. The new Ferrari then won
7194-482: The event first aroused significant American interest in the automobile. The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily , Italy near the island's capital of Palermo . Founded in 1906 , it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973. The oldest surviving sports car racing event is
7303-594: The final upgrades proved to be too much for the decade-old powerplant's design and the 4CLT's Grand Prix performance was hindered by engine failures. The season's only Formula One wins came in non-Championship events. Fangio won the Pau Grand Prix on the same day as Parnell took the Richmond Trophy at Goodwood . David Hampshire won the Nottingham Trophy later in the year. Fangio also won
7412-451: The first win of a season that set him on course for his second and last World Championship. Following a dispute over his salary, Ascari left Ferrari at the end of the season and switched to Lancia for the 1954 campaign. As their car was not eventually ready for the final race of the season, Gianni Lancia allowed him to drive twice for Maserati, sharing the fastest lap at the 1954 British Grand Prix , and once for Ferrari. Ascari also won
7521-2261: The following Formula One records : 1950 G. Farina 1951 J. M. Fangio 1952 A. Ascari 1953 A. Ascari 1954 J. M. Fangio 1955 J. M. Fangio 1956 J. M. Fangio 1957 J. M. Fangio 1958 M. Hawthorn 1959 J. Brabham 1960 J. Brabham 1961 P. Hill 1962 G. Hill 1963 J. Clark 1964 J. Surtees 1965 J. Clark 1966 J. Brabham 1967 D. Hulme 1968 G. Hill 1969 J. Stewart 1970 J. Rindt 1971 J. Stewart 1972 E. Fittipaldi 1973 J. Stewart 1974 E. Fittipaldi 1975 N. Lauda 1976 J. Hunt 1977 N. Lauda 1978 M. Andretti 1979 J. Scheckter 1980 A. Jones 1981 N. Piquet 1982 K. Rosberg 1983 N. Piquet 1984 N. Lauda 1985 A. Prost 1986 A. Prost 1987 N. Piquet 1988 A. Senna 1989 A. Prost 1990 A. Senna 1991 A. Senna 1992 N. Mansell 1993 A. Prost 1994 M. Schumacher 1995 M. Schumacher 1996 D. Hill 1997 J. Villeneuve 1998 M. Häkkinen 1999 M. Häkkinen 2000 M. Schumacher 2001 M. Schumacher 2002 M. Schumacher 2003 M. Schumacher 2004 M. Schumacher 2005 F. Alonso 2006 F. Alonso 2007 K. Räikkönen 2008 L. Hamilton 2009 J. Button 2010 S. Vettel 2011 S. Vettel 2012 S. Vettel 2013 S. Vettel 2014 L. Hamilton 2015 L. Hamilton 2016 N. Rosberg 2017 L. Hamilton 2018 L. Hamilton 2019 L. Hamilton 2020 L. Hamilton 2021 M. Verstappen 2022 M. Verstappen 2023 M. Verstappen 2024 M. Verstappen Racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing , motor racing , or automobile racing )
7630-501: The goggles, and gloves. Ascari had also promised himself, after his father's death, that he would never race on the 26th of any month, and that he would become the number one racing driver. In 2015, Ascari was included in the Walk of Fame of Italian sport . In 2016, unknown thieves stole the bronze busts, which were placed on the sides of the shrine, of Ascari and his father. Ascari's bust was the work of Michele Vedani, while that of his father
7739-498: The introduction of the 4CLT in 1948. In the hands of Luigi Villoresi the streamliner took pole position on the 4CL's race debut at the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix , ahead of Mercedes ' brand new W165s . However, both it and two of the three conventional 4CLs entered retired early in the race with engine troubles, leaving the Silver Arrows to take the victory. Embarrassingly for the works team, following this disappointing debut
7848-783: The last step up to premier GT-class racing. Other major GT championships include the GT World Challenge America , GT World Challenge Asia , Super GT , and the International GT Open . There are minor regional and national GT series using mainly GT4 and GT3 cars featuring both amateur and professional drivers. Sports prototypes, unlike GT cars, do not rely on road-legal cars as a base. They are closed-wheel and often closed-cockpit purpose-built race cars intended mainly for endurance racing. They have much lower weight, more horsepower and more downforce compared to GT cars, making them much faster. They are raced in
7957-477: The late 1930s, continued rapid development in the increasingly competitive international voiturette class, and the introduction of the Alfa Romeo 158 and ERA B- and C-type models, forced the Maserati brothers into designing a new, square-bore,inline-4-cylinder engine, with a bore and stroke of 78 mm for a total displacement of 1,490.85 cc (1.5 L). This new engine developed 30–50 bhp more than
8066-432: The lead (304), most consecutive distance led (2,075 km), highest percentage of fastest laps in a season (75%), and highest percentage of possible championship points in a season (100%, jointly held with Clark). A 51-year record for most consecutive wins (7), which was held by Ascari, was first equalled by Schumacher in 2004 , then broken by Vettel (9) in 2013 , and broken again (10) by Max Verstappen in 2023 . He also held
8175-462: The length of the car joined, ladder-fashion, by smaller cross members, although the 4CL design did incorporate more aluminium componentry than its forebear. Although near-identical in its wheelbase , the 4CL's track was a full 5 cm (1.97 in) wider than the 6CM, and sat lower thanks to repositioned spring hangers. Enveloping this rather conservative chassis was a low, curvaceous alloy-panel body, built in-house by Maserati. Maserati also built
8284-442: The most popular class of GT cars, with premier racing series such as the FIA World Endurance Championship and IMSA both using GT3 as their top class of GT car. GT3 cars have more significant aero than a GT2 car, but also have less horsepower, typically falling in between 500 and 550 horsepower. GT4 class cars have very little aerodynamics and less horsepower than GT3 machinery, typically around 450 horsepower. GT4 typically serves as
8393-464: The non-championship 1950 Penya Rhin Grand Prix . Throughout 1951 , Ascari was a threat to the Alfa Romeo team, although initially he was undone by unreliability. After winning the 1951 German Grand Prix at Nürburgring , he also won the 1951 Italian Grand Prix , and was only two points behind Fangio in the championship standings ahead of the climactic 1951 Spanish Grand Prix , where Fangio won
8502-464: The oldest car racing series still active in the world. The first TC competition took place in 1931 with 12 races, each in a different province. Future Formula One star Juan Manuel Fangio (Chevrolet) won the 1940 and 1941 editions of the TC. It was during this time that the series' Chevrolet-Ford rivalry began, with Ford acquiring most of its historical victories. Over the last few years, auto racing has seen
8611-511: The oldest existing purpose-built and still in use automobile race course in the United States is the 2.5-mile-long (4.0 km) Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana . It is the largest capacity sports venue of any variety worldwide, with a top capacity of some 257,000+ seated spectators. NASCAR was founded by Bill France Sr. on February 21, 1948, with the help of several other drivers. The first NASCAR " Strictly Stock " race ever
8720-509: The outset of the Formula One World Championship in 1950. Chassis and engine changes made to the experimental 4CLs eventually coalesced into the 4CLT, the appended T denoting its t ubular chassis. The improvements in torsional rigidity that the tubular construction brought were required to counteract the increases in torque and power resulting from the twin-supercharger upgrade of the elderly inline-4 engine. Power
8829-416: The previous inline-6, the increase mostly achieved through an increase to four valves per cylinder, coupled to the use of a more powerful supercharger and a small increase in the compression ratio . Following customary Maserati practice, the engine was mounted into a chassis design almost identical to that of the 4CL's predecessor: the Maserati 6CM . Conventional in its architecture, twin box-section spars ran
8938-541: The previous season, winning nine of the first fifteen races of 1949, including de Graffenried's victory in the British Grand Prix . However, the second half of the season only saw three further wins, as increasingly competitive Ferrari and Talbot cars squeezed out the Maseratis in most major races. 1950 saw the introduction of the FIA World Championship of Drivers . In response to improvements to
9047-532: The race and his first title as the 33-years-old Ascari became the youngest runner-up. Although Ascari had taken pole position , a disastrous tyre choice for the race saw the Ferraris unable to challenge Fangio; Ascari finished fourth. For 1952 , the World Championship season switched to using the 2-litre Formula Two regulations, with Ascari driving the Ferrari 500 . He missed the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix as he
9156-506: The racing driver Ernesto Brambilla declared that he had seen the accident, confirming that the car spun around and overturned, excluding the hypothesis that the accident was caused by a spectator who crossed the track. Motor racing fans from all over mourned, as Ascari was buried next to the grave of his father in the Cimitero Monumentale in Milan, to be forever remembered as one of the greatest racers of all time. More than
9265-624: The record for the highest percentage of wins in a season (75) until 2023, when Verstappen broke Ascari's 71-year record. ( key ) (Races in bold indicate pole position; Races in italics indicate fastest lap) * Indicates shared drive with Dorino Serafini † Indicates shared drive with José Froilán González ‡ Indicates shared drive with Luigi Villoresi ( key ) (Races in bold indicate pole position; Races in italics indicate fastest lap) * Indicates shared drive with Luigi Villoresi † Indicates shared drive with André Simon ‡ Indicates shared drive with Sergio Sighinolfi Ascari holds
9374-404: The record from 1954 to 2002 (jointly with Ascari in 1954) and Schumacher has held the record since 2002 , although Schumacher also shares that record with Lewis Hamilton since 2020 . When Ascari was a young child, his father Antonio Ascari , also a famous racing driver, died in an accident at the 1925 French Grand Prix . Ascari himself was later killed during a test session for Ferrari at
9483-569: The reduction of the schedule from 56 to 34 races a year, established 1972 as the beginning of NASCAR's "modern era". The IMSA GT Series evolved into the American Le Mans Series , which ran its first season in 1998. The European races eventually became the closely related European Le Mans Series , both of which mix prototypes and GTs. Turismo Carretera (TC) is a popular touring car racing series in Argentina, and one of
9592-552: The resulting loss in performance, the compression ratio was more than doubled and capacity was upped to the class limit of 2.0 L (122.05 cu in). With the lower power output from the revised engine, weight was shed and handling sharpened by reducing the wheelbase. De Graffenried won the Richmond Trophy, and Giuseppe Farina the Paris Grand Prix , in 1951, but with the switch to Formula Two rules for
9701-482: The same age as his father, who was also killed in an accident at Montlhery thirty years earlier. Both Ascaris won 13 Grands Prix, drove car number 26, and were killed in similar circumstances. His father's death helped fuel Ascari's deeply superstitious nature as he avoided black cats , was concerned about unlucky numbers, and did not allow anyone to touch the briefcase that contained his racing apparel, which included what he believed to be his lucky blue helmet and T-shirt,
9810-448: The season. 1947 would prove to be the 4CL's most successful season and, despite Alfa Romeo fielding the revamped 158 and new 308 , Maserati drivers picked up 10 individual race victories. After the replacement of the factory team's 4CLs by the new 4CLT, many examples of the older cars found their way into privateer hands. It was owing to the 4CL's popularity with privateer entrants that many were still being run in top-flight competition at
9919-711: The sport, former Formula 2 champion Jonathan Palmer reopened the F2 category again; most drivers have graduated from the Formula Palmer Audi series. The category is officially registered as the FIA Formula Two championship. Most rounds have two races and are support races to the FIA World Touring Car Championship . Touring car racing is a style of road racing that is run with production-derived four-seat race cars. The lesser use of aerodynamics means following cars have
10028-554: The story of Angelo Consonni, who was seven years old at the time of Ascari's death and was with his grandfather near the Curva del Vialone . Consonni said he saw two workers intent on crossing the road to reach a shed when he heard a car approaching; if the first worker was quick, the second hesitated and stopped. Soon after, the young Consonni felt a silence and saw the Ferrari spin around and overturn. Luigi Villoresi maintained that Ascari would have been afraid of being afraid. In 2014,
10137-408: Was a driver of supreme skill and I felt my title last year lost some of its value because he was not there to fight me for it. A great man." Fellow racing driver Stirling Moss recalled Ascari as "wonderfully good... he was rather better than good, he was very good indeed. He may have been as fast as Fangio... but he had not got the polish that so distinguished Fangio." Mike Hawthorn said that "Ascari
10246-502: Was a multitalented racer who competed in motorcycle racing before switching to cars. He won consecutive Formula One world titles in 1952 and 1953 for Scuderia Ferrari , becoming the first Ferrari-powered World Champion and breaking several records across both seasons. He remains the last Italian to win the World Drivers' Championship, as of 2024. This was sandwiched by an appearance in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 , and winning
10355-429: Was chasing for the lead. For example, Enzo Ferrari said: "When he had to follow and pass an opponent, he evidently suffered, not from an inferiority complex, but from a nervousness that did not let him express his true class." In the words of BBC Sport 's chief Formula One writer Andrew Benson , Ascari did not look "much like the modern idea of a Formula 1 driver. His double chin and slightly chubby frame brought to mind
10464-418: Was created by the sculptor Orazio Grossoni. "When leading, he could not easily be overtaken – indeed it was virtually impossible to overtake him." — Enzo Ferrari Ascari was popular with fellow drivers and crowds because of his modesty and eagerness to praise the ability of his rivals; he is also considered one of the hardest drivers to pass. One criticism was the perceived lack of complete focus when he
10573-463: Was created in 2006. The group was an assemblage of drivers from different racing disciplines and formed for an MTV reality pilot, which was shot at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca . In December 2005, the FIA gave approval to Superleague Formula racing, which debuted in 2008, whereby the racing teams are owned and run by prominent sports clubs such as A.C. Milan and Liverpool F.C. After 25 years away from
10682-744: Was held on June 19, 1949, at Daytona Beach, Florida , U.S.. From 1962, sports cars temporarily took a back seat to GT cars , with the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) replacing the World Championship for Sports Cars with the International Championship for GT Manufacturers. From 1962 through 2003, NASCAR's premier series was called the Winston Cup Series, sponsored by R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company cigarette brand Winston . The changes that resulted from RJR's involvement, as well as
10791-646: Was his passion to become a racing driver like his father that he ran away from school twice, and sold his school books to finance his racing. Ascari raced motorcycles in his earlier years. At the age of 19 he was signed to ride for the Bianchi team. In 1940, after he entered the prestigious Mille Miglia in an Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 supplied by his father's close friend Enzo Ferrari , Ascari eventually started racing on four wheels regularly. In an interview, he famously said: "I only obey one passion, racing. I wouldn't know how to live without it." In 1940, Ascari married
10900-724: Was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame . The British supercar manufacturer Ascari Cars , founded in 1994, is named in his honour. Italian-born American racing legend Mario Andretti counts Ascari as one of his racing heroes, having watched him at the Monza circuit in his youth. Ascari was inducted into the FIA Hall of Fame in December 2017. He appears in Mark Sullivan's novel Beneath
11009-455: Was much anticipated. Ascari's decision to move to Lancia is considered his career's low point. Despite promises of a new car and more money, this did not come until the season was nearly over, by which time Fangio was unreachable. While waiting for the Lancia car, Ascari had to take guest drives for Maserati and Ferrari, and he finished the season without completing any of the four Grands Prix he entered. Ascari's 1955 season started promisingly,
11118-504: Was one of the greatest in Formula One; from 31 starts each, they combined for 27 wins, 30 pole positions, and 27 fastest laps, some of which were shared with others. Either Ascari or Fangio held the lead for at least one lap, often times it was both leading races and for more than a lap, in all except for two of the 37 Grands Prix (from the 1950 British Grand Prix to the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix ). In total, they led 66.6% of 2,508 laps. Stirling Moss believed Fangio to be better but that Ascari
11227-477: Was pulled into a boat and escaped with only a broken nose. On 26 May 1955, Ascari went to the Autodromo Nazionale Monza to watch his friend Eugenio Castellotti test a Ferrari 750 Monza sports car. They were to co-drive the car in the 1000 km Monza race, having been given special dispensation by Lancia. Ascari was not scheduled to drive that day, but decided to try a few laps. He set off in street clothes and wearing Castellotti's white helmet. As he emerged from
11336-449: Was qualifying for the 1952 Indianapolis 500 , at the time a World Championship event. He was the only European driver to race at Indy in its eleven years on the World Championship schedule; his race ended after 40 laps without having made much of an impression, as a result of a wheel collapse. Returning to Europe, he then won the remaining six rounds of the series to clinch the world title (also taking five non-championship wins) and recording
11445-766: Was secure when he was playing the hare. That was when his style was at its most superb. In second place, or further back, he was less sure." A street in Rome, in the Esposizione Universale Roma area, is named in Ascari's honour, and the Autodromo Nazionale Monza and Autodromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez have chicanes named after him. In 1972, one of the chicanes at the Monza Circuit was named in his honour Variante Ascari . In 1992, he
11554-452: Was the fastest driver I ever saw. And when I say that, I include Fangio." Ascari's death is often considered to be a contributing factor to the withdrawal of Lancia from motor racing in 1955, just three days after his funeral (although the company was also in considerable financial trouble, needing a government subsidy to survive), handing his team, drivers, cars, and spare parts over to Enzo Ferrari. He died aged 36 years and 10 months, exactly
11663-527: Was the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit , opening in January 1906. The pear-shaped track was close to a mile in length, with slightly banked curves and a gravel surface of crushed cement. Brooklands , in Surrey, England, was the first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing venue, opening in June 1907. It featured a 4.43 km (2.75 mi) concrete track with high-speed banked corners. One of
11772-580: Was up to approximately 260 bhp (194 kW), from the 4CL's 220. Other changes included the use of roller bearings for the crankshaft , forged (rather than cast) rear suspension components, and the chassis was designed to run with hydraulic dampers from the outset. The first variant of the 4CLT earned its "Sanremo" nickname from the first race for which it was entered: the 1948 San Remo Grand Prix . The name stuck, as Alberto Ascari took his 4CLT to victory in its maiden race appearance. A portent of things to come, Villoresi and Reg Parnell won five of
11881-471: Was very close, while Denis Jenkinson of Motor Sport thought Ascari was better. Ascari was also called the prototype Jim Clark , as well as the last Italian Grand Prix star, being Ferrari's sole Italian World Champion and Italy's sole back-to-back champion. Ascari's rivals thought him faster than Fangio. With a win ratio of more than 40%, Ascari was second only to Fangio at the time. With Ferrari, for which he drove from 1949 to 1953, he had 13 wins in 27 races,
#429570