Alfa Romeo in Formula One
 |
|
| Full name | Alfa Romeo SpA, Autodelta, Marlboro Team Alfa Romeo, Benetton Team Alfa Romeo |
|---|---|
| Base |
 Milan, Italy
|
| Founder(s) |
 Alexandre Darracq Ugo Stella Nicola Romeo
|
| Noted staff |
Gioacchino Colombo Carlo Chiti Robert Choulet Gérard Ducarouge Mario Tollentino Luigi Marmiroli John Gentry |
| Noted drivers |
Nino Farina Juan Manuel Fangio Bruno Giacomelli Mario Andretti Andrea de Cesaris Eddie Cheever Riccardo Patrese
|
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| First entry | 1950 British Grand Prix |
| Races entered | 110 |
| Engines | Alfa Romeo |
| Drivers' Championships |
2 (1950, 1951) |
| Race victories | 10 |
| Podiums | 26 |
| Points | 50 |
| Pole positions | 12 |
| Fastest laps | 14 |
| Final entry | 1985 Australian Grand Prix |
Alfa Romeo participated in Formula One, as both a constructor and engine supplier, from 1950 to 1988.
Alfa Romeo had often been a force in Grand Prix racing before World War II. Cars like the P2 and the P3 were winners on a regular basis until the German Mercedes and Auto Union cars came around in 1934; Alfa by this time had withdrawn temporarily as a manufacturer from racing, but continued to give direct support to privateers like Enzo Ferrari and his Scuderia Ferrari team. From 1934 to the start of World War II in 1939, Alfa rarely won and their cars looked rather outdated and badly built compared to the high-tech Silver Arrows. Alfa was able to make the 158 for the 1938 season, although this car was not really competitive against the Silver Arrows; but was to become totally dominant later on; Alfa continued to use this car at Grand Prixs in 1946 to 1949. When the new Formula One World Championship had come around, Alfa had absolutely dominated post-WWII racing from 1946 to 1949- winning every Grand Prix they entered with the exception of 3.
In 1950 Nino Farina won the inaugural World Championship of Drivers in a 158 with supercharger, in 1951 Juan Manuel Fangio won while driving an Alfetta 159 (an evolution of the 158 with a two-stage compressor). The Alfetta's engines were extremely powerful for their capacity: in 1951 the 159 engine was producing around 420 bhp (310 kW) but this was at the price of a fuel consumption of 125 to 175 litres per 100 km (1.5 mpg–U.S. / 3 mpg–imp). In 1952, facing increased competition from their former employee, Ferrari; Alfa Romeo, a state-owned company, decided to withdraw after a refusal of the Italian government to fund the expensive design of a new car to replace their 13-year old workhorse. Surprisingly, Alfa Romeo involvement in racing was made with a very thin budget, using mostly pre-war technology and material during the two seasons. For instance the team won two championships using only nine pre-war built engine blocks.
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