The Ferrari 500 was a
Formula 2
Formula Two (F2 or Formula 2) is a type of open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009–2012 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The name re ...
racing car designed by Aurelio Lampredi and used by
Ferrari in and , when the World Championship was run to F2 regulations.
Racing history
For 1952, the
FIA
FIA is the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (English: International Automobile Federation), the world's governing body for all forms of motor sport where four or more wheels are used.
Fia or FIA may also refer to: People
* Fia Backs ...
announced that Grand Prix races counting towards the World Championship of Drivers would be run to Formula 2 specification rather than to
Formula 1, after the withdrawal of
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis. The company was founded on 24 June 1910, in Milan, Italy. "Alfa" is an acronym of its founding name, "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili." "A ...
from the sport. Ferrari were the only team to have a car specifically designed for the new formula. The car was powered by an inline four-cylinder engine which was mounted behind the front axle, improving
weight distribution
Weight distribution is the apportioning of weight within a vehicle, especially cars, airplanes, and trains. Typically, it is written in the form ''x''/''y'', where ''x'' is the percentage of weight in the front, and ''y'' is the percentage in the ...
.
Alberto Ascari
Alberto Ascari (; 13 July 1918 – 26 May 1955) was an Italian racing driver and a two time Formula One World Champion. He was a multitalented racer who competed in motorcycle racing before switching to cars. Ascari won consecutive world titles ...
used the car to win his first world championship, winning all but one race with the simple 500. The race he missed was because he was driving the 4.5-litre Ferrari at the
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
, however Ferrari won the race he was absent from as well. The following season, Ascari won his second world championship, and Ferrari won all but the final race, which was won by
Juan Manuel Fangio, back in racing after an accident which had damaged his neck.
Ascari won seven consecutive World Championship races in the 500, a record which stood until
Sebastian Vettel broke it in 2013. If the
1953 Indianapolis 500
The 37th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1953. The event was part of the 1953 AAA National Championship Trail, and was race 2 of 9 in the 1953 World Championship of Drivers.
Bi ...
(which was run to a different formula, and in which Ascari was not entered) is discounted, the run is extended to nine.
625 F1
For the 1954 season and the return to Formula One engine regulations, Ferrari 500 chassis were modified for the new regulations with the 2.5-litre
625 engine and would win two more races, one each in 1954 and 1955, although it was not quite fast enough compared to the
Mercedes-Benz W196
The Mercedes-Benz W196 was a Formula One racing car produced by Mercedes-Benz for the and F1 seasons. Successor to the W194, in the hands of Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss it won 9 of 12 races entered and captured the only two world ...
and
Maserati 250F
The Maserati 250F was a racing car made by Maserati of Italy used in '2.5 litre' Formula One racing between January 1954 and November 1960. Twenty-six examples were made.
Mechanical details
The 250F principally used the SSG 220 bhp (@ 7400 rpm) ...
. Despite two new models appearing during this period the 625 was not completely replaced until when Ferrari began using the
D50 chassis Ferrari purchased along with the
Lancia Formula One team.
In May 1955,
Maurice Trintignant
Maurice Bienvenu Jean Paul Trintignant (30 October 1917 – 13 February 2005) was a motor racing driver and vintner from France. He competed in the Formula One World Championship for fourteen years, between 1950 and 1964, one of the longest care ...
had won the
Monte Carlo GP for the first time for Ferrari.
The 625 F1 ''
Lampredi''
inline-four
A straight-four engine (also called an inline-four) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft.
The vast majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout (with the e ...
engine displaced 2498.32 cc and could produce between at 7000 rpm with two Weber 50DCO carburettors. The car had an independent front suspension and
de Dion axle
De Dion rear axle
A de Dion tube is a form of non-independent automobile suspension. It is a considerable improvement over the swing axle, Hotchkiss drive, or live axle. Because it plays no part in transmitting power to the drive wheels, it is ...
at the rear. Transverse leaf-springs and
Houdaille hydraulic shock absorbers were used on both ends.
File:1954 Ferrari 625 F1 front.jpg, alt=Ferrari 625 F1 front view
File:1954 Ferrari 625 F1 rear.jpg, alt=Ferrari 625 F1 rear view
File:1954 Ferrari 625 F1 interior.jpg, alt=Ferrari 625 F1 interior view
Partial Formula One World Championship results
(This table contains results of
Ferrari works cars; privateer results can be found
here
Here is an adverb that means "in, on, or at this place". It may also refer to:
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* Here WeGo (formerly Here Maps), a mobile app and map website by Here Technologies, Here
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)
(
key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
*1 – The Constructors' World Championship did not exist before 1958.
*2 – Shared Drive.
References
External links
Ferrari 500 at www.ddavid.com
Ferrari 500 F2: Ferrari HistoryFerrari 625 F1: Ferrari History
{{F1 cars 1957
Tipo 500
Formula Two cars
Formula One championship-winning cars