F1 Champions: Giuseppe Farina; F1’s first world champion

Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina was Formula One’s first world champion in 1950. Farina, an Italian driver, took the title driving for the dominant Italian constructor that season, Alfa Romeo.

Giuseppe was both an athlete and an intellect, the Italian driver holding a doctorate in engineering from the University of Turin. Ahead of his career in Formula One, Farina became the Italian driving champion for three consecutive years in 1937,1939 and 1939.

 

Early days:

 

On the day of his birth, Giuseppe’s father Giovanni, established a bodywork shop for cars, Stabilimente Farina. The factory was located in the famous manufacturing city of Turin, Italy. It was always assumed that Farina would have a part in the family business.

 

Growing up with his dad owning a car bodywork shop, Farina got his first bit of experience behind the wheel at the age of nine, while driving his dad’s car around the company’s factory. Farina’s appetite for cars and racing continued to grow as he got older, when his uncle Pinin asked him to accompany him as a co-drover at road raced when Farina was 16 years old. At 19 years of age, Giuseppe begun racing alone, at the start of his journey, Farina survived an enormous accident in a hill climb, which would become a trend throughout his career.

 

Formula One

Farina fought hard in the Alfa Romeo, against his teammate Juan Manual Fangio to take the title for the 1950 season. Farina took the title by winning 3 out of 7 races of the season, Fangio winning 3 races himself, but Farina walked away with the title of world champion. Fangio would come back fighting the next season to claim his title.

Farina opened the season, taking the opening win at Silverstone, taking his next two wins of the season in Switzerland, mid-season, and Italy, the season finale.

 

Farina survived a career of serious accidents, but unfortunately passed away in 1966 after a rad accident. Farina was driving to the French Grand Prix, to film some scenes of John Frankenheimer’s 1966 film, Grand Prix, when he was involved in an accident. Farina had a long list of achievements in an impressive career in motorsports, leaving a legacy that will always be remembered.