Lancia D50


The Lancia D50 was a Formula One racing car designed by Vittorio Jano for Lancia in 1954. The car's design made use of many innovative features, such as the use of the engine as a stressed chassis member, the off-centre positioning of the engine to allow a lower overall height, and pannier fuel cells for better weight distribution and aerodynamics. Six of the cars were built, and two of them are displayed in Italian museums.

Description

The D50 made its race debut toward the end of the 1954 Formula One season in the hands of two-time and reigning World Champion, Italian driver Alberto Ascari. In its very first event Ascari took both pole position in qualifying and fastest race lap, although his car's clutch failed after only ten laps. Following Ascari's death, and in increasing financial trouble, the Lancia family sold their controlling share in the Lancia company, and the assets of Scuderia Lancia were given to Scuderia Ferrari. Ferrari continued to develop the car, although they removed many of Jano's most innovative designs, and the car was rebadged as the "Lancia-Ferrari D50" and later simply the "Ferrari D50". Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1956 World Championship of Drivers with this car modified by Ferrari. During their competition lifespan D50s were entered into 14 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, winning five.

Ferrari 801

The D50s lived on into the 1957 season, much modified as "Ferrari 801s" but were largely uncompetitive against the latest generation of Maserati 250Fs.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

YearDesignationEngineTyresDrivers123456789
Lancia D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8ARG500BELFRAGBRGERSWIITAESP
Lancia D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8Alberto AscariRet
Lancia D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8Luigi VilloresiRet
Lancia D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8ARGMON500BELNEDGBRITA
Lancia D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8Alberto AscariRetRet
Lancia D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8Luigi VilloresiRet15
Lancia D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8Eugenio CastellottiRet12Ret
Lancia D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8Louis Chiron6
Ferrari D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8Giuseppe FarinaDNS
Ferrari D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8Eugenio CastellottiDNS
Ferrari D50Lancia DS50 2.5 V8Luigi VilloresiDNS
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
ARGMON500BELFRAGBRGERITA
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
Juan Manuel Fangio1/
Ret
2/4Ret4112/8
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
Eugenio CastellottiRet4/
Ret
Ret210Ret
/Ret
8/
Ret
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
Luigi Musso1RetRetRet
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
Peter Collins2112/
Ret
Ret
/Ret
2
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
Olivier GendebienRetDNA
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
Paul Frère2
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
André Pilette6
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
Alfonso de PortagoRet2/
10
RetRet
Ferrari D50Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8
Wolfgang von TripsDNS
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8ARGMON500FRAGBRGERPESITA
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8Peter Collins61/
Ret
Ret3Ret3Ret
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8Luigi MussoRet224Ret8
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8Eugenio CastellottiRet
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8Mike HawthornRetRet14326
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8Wolfgang von Trips61713
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8Cesare Perdisa61
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8Alfonso de Portago51
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8José Froilán González51
Ferrari D50A
Ferrari 801
DS50 2.5 V8Maurice Trintignant5Ret4DNS

Shared drive