1951 German Grand Prix

The 1951 German Grand Prix was the sixth race of the 1951 Formula One World Championship and was held at the Nürburgring Nordschleife on July 29th 1951. Reg Parnell won the race, his second career victory. He led a Ferrari 1-2, completed by Toulo de Graffenried. Rudi Fischer completed the podium for Motorsport Bleu.

This race was the first German Grand Prix to count for the World Championship and was notable for being the final competitive race in pre-war champion Rudolf Caracciola's career.

Background

Coming to Germany, defending champion Giuseppe Farina led the championship after taking his first win of the year and the fourth of his career. Incidentally, he was the only driver ever to have more than one career win at that point, the others to have won being Chiron, Mauro, Fangio, Serafini, Manzon, Bira and de Graffenried. Second in the championship was Consalvo Sanesi, thanks to two second places, while the other driver to have scored multiple podiums, Maurice Trintignant, was in third. The season was so unprdictable that Peter Whitehead was the only other driver to have scored points more than once.

Again, there were some changes in the lineup. Scuderia Maremmana decided not to keep Tony Rolt after his DNQ at his home race, and reverted to a two-car team for the usual drivers. After driving the new BRM in Britain, David Hampshire returned to his own team. BRM tried to sign the Hampshire driver in Britain for Germany, Peter Walker, but after the absence of a reply from HRA, BRM instead signed David Murray for the race. After hiring Chico Landi and Brian Shawe-Taylor for the French and British Grands Prix, without much success, Platé-Varzi deicded to fall back on Hans Stuck for the veteran's home race. The team originally intended for Onofre Marimon to drive a second car, but with the Argentine having his entry refused, the team delayed his début to the Italian Grand Prix, where Marimon will drive alongside André Pilette.

Despite an other points finish from Whitehead in Britain, Ferrari decided to continue their driver rotation programme, and Reg Parnell will drive the third Ferrari around the twisty Nürburgring. Peter was therefore without a drive, but his half-brother Graham was not, as the Daily Express newspaper had financed an entry for the plucky Brit, the first sponsored car in a World Championship race. After failing to make the trip to Silverstone, Ecurie Nationale Belge lost the lead in the entrants' championship, but returned in Germany with the usual Trintignant and Pilette in the Alfa Romeo, coupled to a Ferrari for Roger Laurent, who therefore made his Formula 1 début. The Belgian was relatively unkown, but was accepted by the race organisers after a good performance at the Eifelrennen the previous month and an impressive showing in the Grand Prix des Frontières at Chimay.

Following the tragic passing of Yves Giraud-Cabantous in the British Grand Prix, Alexander Racing Team only entered two cars for Bettenhausen and Sanesi, with Robert Manzon deciding to sit out the race. Following his decent pace at Silverstone, Tony Gaze had been granted a second entry for this race, while Mike Hawthorn wasn't so lucky. The young Brit would get his chance in 1952 thanks to his domination over the Brooklands Memorial trophy, however.

Motorsport Bleu, for the first time that season, had entered two cars, one for the inevitable Bira, the other for the Swiss Rudi Fischer. He drove for the team the previous year in Switzerland, but with his home race off the calendar and replaced by Germany, where he was certain of qualification, he accepted to drive again. Jaguar-Aston Martin were still overjoyed by their podium at Silverstone, and wanted to continue on their good performance. But with Trintignant returning to ENB, they'd have to settle with Mauri Rose and new signing Paul Pietsch. They'd have to see whether they could live up to Maurice's performance or not.

There was also a new team in the paddock, Team Bentley. The British manufacturer of the Speed-Six had decided to make the jump to Formula 1 with two British drivers: Bob Gerard, recently released from his JAMR contract, and Geoff Richardson, who was suggested by the Daily Express and was more than happy to sign with a works racing team. But the big news for the German Grand Prix was the return of a legend. At the age of 50, Rudolf Caracciola, three-time European Champion before the war, returned in a private Alfa Romeo, looking for a glorious farewell to the motor racing world.

Race weekend

Qualifying

Giuseppe Farina took an expected pole position, surprisingly only the second of his career after France in 1950. Compared to expectations, von Brauchitsch surprised everyone again by qualifying well inside the top ten, as did Rudi Fischer. Claes Racing Developments put both their cars into the top ten for the first time in a while. Other pleasant surprises were Gonzalez in 12th position, 12 seconds faster than his team mate Ascari, and David Murray, who took the hopeless BRM up to 24th place on the grid! At the other end of the grid, the Bentleys were massively disappointing, no doubt helped by Gerard and Richardson failing to get a good lap in. They'd have their work cut out for them on race day.

Race

Farina got a good start, and while Parnell didn't get a good getaway, blocking the other drivers somewhat, he could pull out a good lead over Fischer, Parnell and de Graffenried. The driver who had the best first lap of them all, however, was Stirling Moss, who was up to 15th position after starting 20th, therefore setting the fastest lap of the race thus far. Two drivers didn't make it to the start-finish line to start lap 2, with André Pilette and Mauri Rose both stopped by the side of the road, betrayed by their machines.

On lap 2, Farina had such a decent lead that he started to ease up a little, and was caught by Fischer, with Parnell, de Graffenried and Serafini following. But Farina couldn't see them, and neither could his team when he crossed the line to start lap 3. With Farina not knowing that he was slowing down, Fischer easily caught and passed the Italian to take the race lead. In the meantime, the race witnessed its third retirement in three laps, when the engine let go in Graham Whitehead's ERA, a premature end to the first race for the sponsored car. Fischer surprisingly started building on his lead over Serafini, who had quite simply passed three cars in a single lap, setting the new fastest lap in the process. Louis Chiron and Roger Laurent then retired, both with mechanical failures.

But Fischer's lead couldn't last, and by the end of lap 5, he was under threat by a group led by Farina, followed by Serafini, de Graffenried and Parnell. But lap 5 would be remembered for one of the most unusual incidents in the series' short history. Around Flugplatz, André Simon, Hans Stuck and Maurice Trintignant all suffered different mechanical failures within metres of each other. Surprised by the scene, Bob Gerard lost concentration, and while he could brake to avoid a large crash, he still couldn't avoid clipping the front of Simon's Maserati, rupturing the Bentley's rear suspension in the process. Four retirements in a single lap.

But the battle for the lead continued, and while Farina easily passed Fischer for the lead on lap 6, Parnell and Serafini all got stuck behind the Talbot-Lago, with de Graffenried further back, having run wide at the Karussel after being caught out by an early braking from Fischer. However, not only was Fischer's blocking fair, but it was also very effective. Parnell was the only one who stayed behind, as Serafini also made a mistake trying to pass Fischer, and ended up getting passed by Manfred von Brauchitsch, who was making his way up into the points. At this point, it was looking like another Farina victory, but the true enthusiasts looking for an exciting championship battle rejoiced as the defending champion and championship leader retired from the lead on lap 7 with gearbox failure, leaving Rudi Fischer and Reg Parnell to fight for the lead, a very unlikely scenario in any other case.

Fischer's lead could only last for so long, though, and on lap 8, Reg Parnell barged his way through at the first corner, pushing Fischer wide in a rough but fair manoeuvre. Fischer lost enough time in the incident to be caught by von Brauchitsch, now in third position. Serafini and de Graffenried followed, rounding out the points. While one Talbot-Lago was fighting for the podium, the other was broken down by the side of the road, with the fuel pump on Bira's car failing on lap 8. The Thai prince was in seventh place at the time. Fischer was unable to keep his position safe, and he dropped to third on lap 9 when Toulo de Graffenried made his way past. Serafini passed von Brauchitsch, but momentarily stumbled on the Swiss once more. Consalvo Sanesi then retired from the race, seriously hampering his shot at the title. He was in tenth at that point.

The race continued, but the battle for the win was all but over, as Reg Parnell scored a new fastest lap to further extend his lead. On lap 10, de Graffenried was second, with Fischer still holding on to third place with von Brauchitsch, Serafini and now Villoresi lined up behind the Talbot-Lago. Claes, Bettenhausen, a charging Fangio and Schell rounded out the top ten. They were followed by Gonzalez, Moss, Taruffi, Pietsch, Landi, Biondetti, Murray, Gaze, Ascari, Hampshire, Caracciola and Richardson, leaving 22 cars in the race. On lap 11, Serafini finally passed Fischer, making for a Ferrari 1-2-3, which became a 1-2-3-4 when Villoresi also passed Fischer on lap 12. This lap saw two retirements, Alberto Ascari and, again, Juan Manuel Fangio, the Argentine's fourth retirement of the season. Both were the victims of car trouble. Fischer, meanwhile, wasn't going down without a fight, and he managed to find more speed in the Talbot-Lago, passing Villoresi to retake fourth position.

But while Parnell's victory was near certain, the battle for second was heating up again, as Dorino Serafini was bridging the gap between himself and de Graffenried. By lap 14, the Italian was right behind his team mate. Meanwhile, there were two more retirements, as David Hampshire suffered a transmission failure, with Paul Pietsch skidding on the oil and ending up lightly striking a bank on the side of the circuit, stalling the car. But back to the battle everyone was keeping their eyes on. On lap 15, Serafini passed de Graffenried to take second position. The race was then down to 17 drivers, when Geoff Richardson's engine failed out of last place.

With three laps to go, it looked like the points positions were all but decided, with Reg Parnell surely going to win the race, Serafini and de Graffenried in a fair battle for second, with Fischer a distant fourth and Villoresi fifth. 22.8km later, this had all changed with the almost simultaneous retirements of Dorino Serafini and Luigi Villoresi, Stirling Moss also retiring from the race. With Serafini and Moss suffering oil pump issues for one and an engine failure for the other, Villoresi lost control of his car at the Karussel and hit the banking side on, knocking a wheel off of the Ferrari.

This left Parnell still in the lead ahead of de Graffenried, Fischer, von Brauchitsch and a hard-charging Harry Schell, who was looking good to become the first American to score points that season not counting Indianapolis. But he wasn't the only driver with a shot, as while his pace wasn't showing any sign of letting up, von Brauchitsch's was, leaving not only hope for Schell of taking fourth, but also of the two battling for sixth, Claes and Bettenhausen, to take fifth place, which would do a whole world of good to the both of them.

Indeed, with one lap to go, Schell had already passed von Brauchitsch for fourth, and Bettenhausen and Claes were about to do the same, which they did on the final lap. However, Claes was once again bitterly disappointed as a chance at points had ended up with sixth position for the third time of the season. Bettenhausen, meanwhile, was over the moon at scoring his first points since Switzerland 1950. Even better, he managed to take Schell's slipstream on the final straight and pip his countryman for fourth place on the finish line!

Classification

Entry list

No	Driver	Entrant	Chassis	Engine
71	Clemente Biondetti	Scuderia Maremmana	Ferrari 166S	Jaguar XK 3.4 L6
72	Manfred von Brauchitsch		Ferrari 166S	Jaguar XK 3.4 L6
73	Graham Whitehead	Daily Express	ERA C-Type	ERA 1.5 L6s
74	Rudolf Caracciola	Rudolf Caracciola	Alfa Romeo 158/50	Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8
75	Alberto Ascari	Phoenix Racing Organisation	Phoenix P-02	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
76	José Froilan Gonzalez		Phoenix P-02	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
77	David Hampshire	Hampshire Racing Alliance	Alta GP	Alta 1.5 L4s
78	Hans Stuck	Scuderia Platé-Varzi	Maserati 4CL	Maserati 4CL 1.5 L4s
79	Dorino Serafini	Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari 375	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
80	Toulo de Graffenried		Ferrari 375	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
81	Reg Parnell		Ferrari 375	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
82	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari America	Ferrari 375	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
83	Maurice Trintignant	Scuderia Belgio	Alfa Romeo 158/50	Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8
84	Tony Bettenhausen	/ Alexander Racing Team	Gordini T15	Gordini 1.5 L4s
85	Consalvo Sanesi		Gordini T15	Gordini 1.5 L4s
86	Johnny Claes	Claes Racing Developments	Maserati 4CLT/48	Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s
87	André Simon		Maserati 4CLT/48	Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4s
88	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo SpA	Alfa Romeo 158/50	Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s
89	Juan Manuel Fangio		Alfa Romeo 158/50	Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s
90	Stirling Moss		Alfa Romeo 158/50	Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s
91	Tony Gaze	Tony Gaze	Alfa Romeo 158/50	Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s
92	Chico Landi	Scuderia Commesso	Maserati 4CLT/48	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
93	B. Bira	Motorsport Bleu	Talbot-Lago T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6
94	Piero Taruffi	Team Metcalf GP	Metcalf MET1	Metcalf
95	André Pilette	Scuderia Belgio	Alfa Romeo 158/50	Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8
96	Roger Laurent	Garage Francorchamps	Ferrari 375	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
97	Louis Chiron	Scuderia Commesso	Maserati 4CLT/48	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
98	Harry Schell	Ferrari America	Ferrari 375	Ferrari 375 4.5 V12
99	Mauri Rose	Jaguar - Aston Martin Racing	Aston Martin AM-02	Jaguar XK 3.4 L6
100	Rudi Fischer	Motorsport Bleu	Talbot-Lago T26C	Talbot 23CV 4.5 L6
101	David Murray	British Racing Motors	BRM 15	BRM 1.5 V16s
102	Paul Pietsch	Jaguar - Aston Martin Racing	Aston Martin AM-02	Jaguar XK 3.4 L6
103	Bob Gerard	Team Bentley	Bentley Speed 1	Bentley 4.5 L6
104	Geoff Richardson		Bentley Speed 1	Bentley 4.5 L6
n/a*	Mike Hawthorn*	Mike Hawthorn	Alfa Romeo 158/50	Alfa Romeo 158 1.5 L8s

• Mike Hawthorn's entry was turned down due to a lack of experience.

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Time	Gap
1	88	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	9:53.7	-
2	81	Reg Parnell	Ferrari	10:00.8	+ 7.1
3	100	Rudi Fischer	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	10:01.4	+ 7.7
4	79	Dorino Serafini	Ferrari	10:02.0	+ 8.3
5	80	Toulo de Graffenried	Ferrari	10:03.2	+ 9.5
6	72	Manfred von Brauchitsch	Ferrari-Jaguar	10:03.3	+ 9.6
7	86	Johnny Claes	Maserati	10:03.8	+ 10.1
8	82	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	10:06.2	+ 12.5
9	84	Tony Bettenhausen	Gordini	10:06.5	+ 12.8
10	87	André Simon	Maserati	10:07.4	+ 13.7
11	93	B. Bira	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	10:07.9	+ 14.2
12	76	José Froilan Gonzalez	Phoenix-Ferrari	10:08.0	+ 14.3
13	95	André Pilette	Alfa Romeo	10:08.2	+ 14.5
14	98	Harry Schell	Ferrari	10:08.5	+ 14.8
15	94	Piero Taruffi	Metcalf	10:08.6	+ 14.9
16	85	Consalvo Sanesi	Gordini	10:08.7	+ 15.0
17	78	Hans Stuck	Maserati	10:08.8	+ 15.1
18	89	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	10:08.9	+ 15.2
19	99	Mauri Rose	Aston Martin-Jaguar	10:09.7	+ 16.0
20	90	Stirling Moss	Alfa Romeo	10:09.8	+ 16.1
21	92	Chico Landi	Maserati-Ferrari	10:09.9	+ 16.2
22	71	Clemente Biondetti	Ferrari-Jaguar	10:10.0	+ 16.3
23	102	Paul Pietsch	Aston Martin-Jaguar	10:10.9	+ 17.2
24	101	David Murray	BRM	10:11.5	+ 17.8
25	83	Maurice Trintignant	Alfa Romeo	10:11.7	+ 18.0
26	97	Louis Chiron	Maserati-Ferrari	10:12.1	+ 18.4
27	96	Roger Laurent	Ferrari	10:12.7	+ 19.0
28	91	Tony Gaze	Alfa Romeo	10:14.5	+ 20.8
29	75	Alberto Ascari	Phoenix-Ferrari	10:20.4	+ 26.7
30	73	Graham Whitehead	ERA	10:21.6	+ 27.9
31	77	David Hampshire	Alta	10:23.4	+ 29.7
32	74	Rudolf Caracciola	Alfa Romeo	10:26.9	+ 33.2
33	103	Bob Gerard	Bentley	10:29.3	+ 35.6
34	104	Geoff Richardson	Bentley	10:35.3	+ 41.6

Race

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Pts
1	81	Reg Parnell	Ferrari	18	3:02:45.0	2	9
2	80	Toulo de Graffenried	Ferrari	18	+ 2:22.5	5	6
3	100	Rudi Fischer	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	18	+ 4:56.1	3	4
4	84	Tony Bettenhausen	Gordini	18	+ 7:40.5	9	3
5	98	Harry Schell	Ferrari	18	+ 7:40.7	14	2
6	86	Johnny Claes	Maserati	18	+ 8:13.4	7
7	72	Manfred von Brauchitsch	Ferrari-Jaguar	18	+ 8:46.3	6
8	76	José Froilan Gonzalez	Phoenix-Ferrari	17	+ 1 lap	12
9	94	Piero Taruffi	Metcalf	17	+ 1 lap	15
10	71	Clemente Biondetti	Ferrari-Jaguar	17	+ 1 lap	22
11	92	Chico Landi	Maserati-Ferrari	17	+ 1 lap	21
12	91	Tony Gaze	Alfa Romeo	17	+ 1 lap	28
13	101	David Murray	BRM	17	+ 1 lap	24
14	74	Rudolf Caracciola	Alfa Romeo	16	+ 2 laps	32
Ret	79	Dorino Serafini	Ferrari	15	Oil pump	4
Ret	82	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	15	Accident	8
Ret	90	Stirling Moss	Alfa Romeo	15	Engine	20
Ret	104	Geoff Richardson	Bentley	13	Engine	34
Ret	102	Paul Pietsch	Aston Martin-Jaguar	12	Spin	23
Ret	77	David Hampshire	Alta	12	Transmission	31
Ret	89	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	11	Suspension	18
Ret	75	Alberto Ascari	Phoenix-Ferrari	10	Engine	29
Ret	85	Consalvo Sanesi	Gordini	8	Overheating	16
Ret	93	B. Bira	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	7	Fuel pump	11
Ret	88	Giuseppe Farina	Alfa Romeo	6	Gearbox	1
Ret	87	André Simon	Maserati	4	Gearbox	10
Ret	78	Hans Stuck	Maserati	4	Engine	17
Ret	83	Maurice Trintignant	Alfa Romeo	4	Steering	25
Ret	103	Bob Gerard	Bentley	4	Accident	33
Ret	97	Louis Chiron	Maserati-Ferrari	3	Suspension	26
Ret	96	Roger Laurent	Ferrari	3	Transmission	27
Ret	73	Graham Whitehead	ERA	2	Engine	30
Ret	95	André Pilette	Alfa Romeo	0	Engine	13
Ret	99	Mauri Rose	Aston Martin-Jaguar	0	Gearbox	19
DNA		Mike Hawthorn	Alfa Romeo		Refused entry

Notes

Drivers

• First victory for Reg Parnell.
• First podium for Reg Parnell and Rudi Fischer (only podium for Fischer).
• First points for Rudi Fischer and Harry Schell (only points for Fischer).
• First fastest lap for Reg Parnell.
• Final start for Chico Landi, David Murray, Graham Whitehead, and Hans Stuck.
• First start for Geoff Richardson and Roger Laurent (only start for Laurent).
• Final entry for Graham Whitehead.
• Only entry and start for Rudolf Caracciola.

Constructors

• First entry and start for Bentley.

Entrants

• Final start for Scuderia Platé-Varzi before becoming the works Maserati team.
• Only start and entry for Rudolf Caracciola and Daily Express.

Lap leaders

• Giuseppe Farina: 3 laps (1-2, 6)
• Rudi Fischer: 4 laps (3-5, 7)
• Reg Parnell: 11 laps (8-18)

Records broken

Drivers

• Most career starts: 6 drivers (11)
• Most career entries: 8 drivers (12)

Constructors

• Most total podiums: Ferrari (12)
• Most total points: Ferrari (97)
• Most total starts: Ferrari (76)
• Most total entries: Ferrari (86)

Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Giuseppe Farina	19
2	Toulo de Graffenried	14
3	Consalvo Sanesi	12
4	Reg Parnell	11
5	Maurice Trintignant	10

Pos	Constructor	Points
1	Ferrari	34
2	Alfa Romeo	26
3	Gordini	18
4	Talbot-Lago-Talbot	12
5	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	9

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Scuderia Ferrari	26
2	Alfa Romeo SpA	25
3	/ Alexander Racing Team	18
4	Ecurie Nationale Belge	16
5	Motorsport Bleu	12

• Only the top five positions are listed.

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