1950 Belgian A1 Grand Prix

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The 1950 Belgian A1 Grand Prix was the sixth round of the inaugural A1 Grand Prix season. Alberto Ascari took pole position for his series debut with Italy.

Classification

Qualifying

Pos No. Driver Time Gap
1 16 Flag of Italy svg.png Alberto Ascari 2:59.133 Leader
2 27 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Toulo de Graffenried 2:59.954 +0.821
3 11 Flag of England svg.png Reg Parnell 2:59.956 +0.823
4 18 Flag of Monaco svg.png Louis Chiron 3:00.090 +0.957
5 29 Flag of the United States svg.png Harry Schell 3:00.380 +1.247
6 15 Flag of Ireland svg.png Joe Kelly 3:00.503 +1.370
7 2 Flag of Australia svg.png Tony Gaze 3:00.513 +1.380
8 1 Flag of Argentina svg.png José Froilán González 3:00.603 +1.470
9 9 Flag of the Dominican Republic svg.png Porfirio Rubirosa 3:00.662 +1.529
10 13 Flag of France svg.png Robert Manzon 3:00.704 +1.571
11 28 Flag of Thailand svg.png B. Bira 3:00.773 +1.640
12 3 Flag of Belgium svg.png Johnny Claes 3:00.843 +1.710
13 25 Flag of Spain 1945-1977 svg.png Paco Godia 3:00.863 +1.730
14 19 Flag of the Netherlands.svg.png Dries van der Lof 3:00.940 +1.807
15 33 Flag of Wales svg.png Jack Niell 3:01.047 +1.914
16 26 Flag of Sweden svg.png Erik Lundgren 3:02.094 +2.961
17 23 Flag of Scotland svg.png Comish Hunter 3:02.464 +3.331
18 24 Flag of South Africa 1928-1994 svg.png Arthur Mackenzie 3:02.542 +3.409
19 21 Flag of Northern Ireland svg.png Desmond Titterington 3:02.644 +3.511
20 20 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Jack Tutton 3:02.933 +3.800
21 30 Flag of Uruguay svg.png Eitel Cantoni 3:03.609 +4.476
22 17 Flag of Mexico svg.png Leo Almanza 3:08.259 +9.126
23 7 Flag of the Czech Republic svg.png Eliška Junková 3:08.503 +9.370
24 5 Canadian Red.svg.png Al Pease 3:10.000 +10.867
25 4 Flag of Brazil svg.png Chico Landi 3:10.204 +11.071
26 6 Flag of Colombia svg.png Gabriel Herrera 3:10.273 +11.140
27 14 Flag of Germany svg.png Paul Pietsch 3:11.092 +11.959
28 31 Flag of the Soviet Union svg.png Mikhail Metelev 3:47.458 +48.325
29 10 Flag of East Germany svg.png Willy Lehmann 3:55.489 +56.356
30 8 Flag of Denmark svg.png Robert Nellemann No Time
31 12 Flag of Finland svg.png Asser Wallenius No Time
32 22 Flag of Peru.png Luis Asteñgo Albizuri No Time
33 32 Flag of Venezuela svg.png Ramón López No Time

Race

Lap 1 through Eau Rouge.

Italy's Alberto Ascari managed to hold off an early challenge from Toulo de Graffenried in the Switzerland car during the opening lap. However the largest crash of the series history so far occurred further along lap 1 down in the midfield when France's Robert Manzon and Spain's Paco Godia both switched to the opposite side of the track at the same time coming out of the Masta corners, resulting in the Spaniard clipping the back of the French car and pitching both into the barriers at high speed. Manzon would barrell roll twice while Godia was collected by some of the cars behind including a hard hit into the passenger side door from Mexico's Leo Almanza. Altogether seven cars were out of the race as a result of the pile up while Manzon and Godia were both rushed to hospital with serious but luckily not life threatening injuries.

This wouldn't be the last of the chaos during this race as on lap two, Mikhail Metelev in the Soviet Union car ran wide and crashed out at Blanchimont and collecting Germany's Paul Pietsch in the process while Peru's Luis Albizuri would have a similar incident to Metelev just behind them. This was only the first of many incidents at Blanchimont.

Meanwhile at the front Ascari was still leading from de Graffenried, who was in a close scrap with England's Reg Parnell, Monaco's Louis Chiron, Australia's Tony Gaze and the United States' Harry Schell. In the group behind was Argentina's José Froilán González, Porfirio Rubirosa for the Dominican Republic, Belgium's Johnny Claes and Thailand's Prince Bira rounded out the top 10. However de Graffenried would be the next to go off at Blanchimont, damaging his car and forcing him to pit for repairs, eventually leading to his first retirement of the season. Rubirosa unfortunately picked up a puncture which meant that he spent most of lap three crawling around back to the pits, costing him over a lap.

Schell was next to go off at Blanchimont on lap five which dropped him down to eighth behind the next group while Chiron, Parnell and Gaze had managed to catch up to Ascari by working together in each other's slipstream. Chiron managed to get past Ascari just before the end of the lap only to loose it to Gaze in the same spot on the following lap, the Aussie making great use of the slipstream to get by both Ascari and Chiron at the same time. Parnell was the next to fall victim at Blanchimont on lap seven putting him out of the race and continuing his less than stellar stint in the England car.

Ascari and Chiron both made their first stops after lap seven along with Claes from the group behind, leaving Gaze, Gonzalez and Bira as the top three. Bira pitted the lap after while Gaze and Gonzalez came in after lap nine but Ascari's and Chiron's earlier switch to fresh tyres meant that they would retake the lead while Gonzalez even dropped behind Claes and Bira.

Lap 10 saw Bira come back in again only this time he would head straight to the garage to exit the race. Schell would be the final retirement of the race on lap 13 after again going off at Blanchimont, a disapointing end to what had started out as another promising race. This promoted South Africa's Arthur Mackenzie into sixth among the ten remaining cars.

There would be no more changes in position amongst the leaders other than Gonzalez re passing Claes for fourth place on lap 16. Ascari eventually took a fairly convincing win as his Italian team expected of him, just over fifteen seconds ahead of Chiron who has closed the gap back to the top 4 in the Nations Standings. Gaze would complete the podium having finally had a clean weekend, Gonzalez fourth to keep Argentina in the championship hunt, Claes his best result in fifth, Mackenzie likewise for South Africa in sixth. Canada's Al Pease managed to stay on the road while faster cars fell apart to finish seventh while Northern Ireland's Desmond Titterington and Uruguay's Eitel Cantoni recovered to eighth and ninth after being delayed in the first lap pile up. Rubirosa managed to make to the finish in tenth after his earlier puncture and while he easily should have been at least in the top six, he'll be glad to finally get some points for the Dominican Republic.

As for Manzon and Godia's conditions. Reports from hospital are that Manzon has suffered a broken ankles from his impact with the barrier while Godia, a broken leg from the barrier and concussion and a dislocated shoulder from the impact with Almanza. Both will be out of action for the rest of the season but doctors are confident that they both will be fully recovered by next season.

Race Classification

Pos Grid No. Driver Laps Behind Points
1 1 16 Flag of Italy svg.png Alberto Ascari 23 1:12:45.065 25
2 4 18 Flag of Monaco svg.png Louis Chiron 23 +15.574 20
3 7 2 Flag of Australia svg.png Tony Gaze 23 +25.647 16
4 8 1 Flag of Argentina svg.png José Froilán González 23 +36.049 13
5 12 3 Flag of Belgium svg.png Johnny Claes 23 +1:13.819 11
6 18 24 Flag of South Africa 1928-1994 svg.png Arthur Mackenzie 23 +1:39.735 10
7 24 5 Canadian Red.svg.png Al Pease 22 +1 lap 9
8 19 21 Flag of Northern Ireland svg.png Desmond Tittertington 22 +1 lap 8
9 21 30 Flag of Uruguay svg.png Eitel Cantoni 22 +1 lap 7
10 9 9 Flag of the Dominican Republic svg.png Porfirio Rubirosa 21 +2 laps 6
Ret 5 29 Flag of the United States svg.png Harry Schell 12 Accident
Ret 11 28 Flag of Thailand svg.png B. Bira 10 Engine
Ret 25 4 Flag of Brazil svg.png Chico Landi 9 Engine
Ret 6 15 Flag of Ireland svg.png Joe Kelly 8 Accident
Ret 3 11 Flag of England svg.png Reg Parnell 7 Accident
Ret 33 32 Flag of Venezuela svg.png Ramón López 6 Gearbox
Ret 2 27 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Toulo de Graffenried 5 Accident Damage
Ret 31 12 Flag of Finland svg.png Asser Wallenius 4 Handling
Ret 20 20 Flag of New Zealand svg.png Jack Tutton 4 Collision Damage
Ret 23 7 Flag of the Czech Republic svg.png Eliška Junková 3 Collision, Nelleman, Tutton
Ret 30 8 Flag of Denmark svg.png Robert Nelleman 3 Collision, Junková, Tutton
Ret 29 10 Flag of East Germany svg.png Willy Lehmann 2 Puncture Damage
Ret 16 26 Flag of Sweden svg.png Erik Lundgren 2 Suspension
Ret 28 31 Flag of the Soviet Union svg.png Mikhail Metelev 1 Collision, Pietsch
Ret 27 14 Flag of Germany svg.png Paul Pietsch 1 Collision, Metelev
Ret 32 22 Flag of Peru.png Luis Asteñgo Albizuri 1 Accident
Ret 14 19 Flag of the Netherlands.svg.png Dries van der Lof 1 Collision Damage
Ret 17 23 Flag of Scotland svg.png Comish Hunter 1 Collision Damage
Ret 15 33 Flag of Wales svg.png Jack Niell 1 Collision Damage
Ret 10 13 Flag of France svg.png Robert Manzon 0 Collision, Godia, Almanza, Herrera,
Niell, van der Lof, Hunter
Ret 13 25 Flag of Spain 1945-1977 svg.png Paco Godia 0 Collision, Manzon, Almanza, Herrera,
Niell, van der Lof, Hunter
Ret 22 17 Flag of Mexico svg.png Leo Almanza 0 Collision, Godia, Manzon, Herrera,
Niell, van der Lof, Hunter
Ret 26 6 Flag of Colombia svg.png Gabriel Herrera 0 Collision, Godia, Almanza, Manzon,
Niell, van der Lof, Hunter

Fastest Lap Flag of Australia svg.png Tony Gaze 3:02.507 Lap 5

Penalty Report

No penalties were given after this round.