Farina's Winning First Ever Formula 1 Race

[PaulSands]

I have just attended an auction and couldn't believe my luck with what I just found.
I've attached an example of one of the photos which shows Farina crossing the line to win the GP at Silverstone in May 1950.
I think it may be an original but would love some confirmation.

[BootsOntheSide]

Did you realise that you're posting this on the anniversary of the race?

Also, is it just me who gets annoyed when Farina is constantly included in lists of debut achievements?

[Rob29]

Sorry.not the first ever F1 race,but the the first world championship race.

[PaulSands]

Sorry thats what I meant... all the same

[Vitesse]

Originally Posted by PaulSands

Sorry thats what I meant... all the same

No it b@$$dy isn't! The first race run officially to F1 regulations took place in 1947 and it can be argued that there were three forerunners to this in late 1946, since the FIA had announced the regulations before they took place but it may be pure coincidence that they were run to 1.5/4.5 regs.

Nice picture, but I can't help feeling I've seen it before.

[PaulSands]

This suggests it was
http://www.gpracing.net192.com/history/fifties01.cfm

[John Turner]

Paul, all that says is that it was 'The first World Championship race'. The comment that it was not the first race run to F1 regs doesn't make the two statements mutually exclusive, since it appears that both are strictly true. However, I'm not that hung up about Farina being credited with a debut achievement as Vitesse is, since he certainly was the first winner of the first race counting towards the first World Championship!

[David McKinney]

Originally Posted by John Turner

However, I'm not that hung up about Farina being credited with a debut achievement as Vitesse is, since he certainly was the first winner of the first race counting towards the first World Championship!

Sorry John, even that's not true
The first official World Championship for GP racing was run in the 1920s
Formula 1 was the GP formula from 1947, as Vitesse says, and covered probably 30 European races each year from then until 1951. From 1950 the placed men in a handful of the more important of those races were allocated points towards a new World Championship.
Farina did not win the first world championship race and he did not win the first Formula 1 race. He did win the first world championship Formula 1 race

[John Turner]

I should have learned to choose my words more carefully by now, with you looking over my shoulder all the time, David! I was, of course, aware of previous world championships and of previous F1 races. My 'crime' was to fail to include 'F1' in my statement vis-a-vis 'first World championship'!

[Vitesse]

Originally Posted by John Turner

Paul, all that says is that it was 'The first World Championship race'. The comment that it was not the first race run to F1 regs doesn't make the two statements mutually exclusive, since it appears that both are strictly true. However, I'm not that hung up about Farina being credited with a debut achievement as Vitesse is, since he certainly was the first winner of the first race counting towards the first World Championship!

All I'm concerned with is accuracy.

As David's pointed out, there was a previous AIACR World Championship for three years in the 1920s, but as that was purely for manufacturers the strictly accurate statement is that Farina was the winner of the first race for the FIA World Championship for Drivers. To be honest, including "F1" in the mix is just a way of further muddying the waters, since the title was awarded on the results of races run to F2 in 1952 and 1953.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by Vitesse

All I'm concerned with is accuracy.

And I think that my earliest post on this thread was supporting that view!

Originally Posted by Vitesse

To be honest, including "F1" in the mix is just a way of further muddying the waters, since the title was awarded on the results of races run to F2 in 1952 and 1953.

Not really, because that was AFTER the events discussed in this thread, took place. However, I think that is a separate discussion and I'll retire injured (self inflicted!) now! Interesting picture, anyway, Paul!

[PaulSands]

I'm quite happy for the thread title to be changed, I was just excited after getting back with a fistful of goodies

[D-Type]

I'm with Vitesse on this

Giancarlo Baghetti won on his Formula 1 debut, at Syracusa in 1961
He also won on his World championship debut, at Reims in 1961
Tony Brooks won on his Formula 1 debut, at Syracusa in 1955
Mario Andretti and Carlos Reutemann made their Formula 1 and Championship debuts from pole position.

Although technically Farina won and set pole on his World Championship debut, it is not the same achievement at all.

The terms Formula 1 race, World Championship qualifier, Grand Prix, and Grande Epreuve (do these still exist?) are simply not the same.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by PaulSands

I was just excited after getting back with a fistful of goodies

Quite right, too!

Originally Posted by D-type

I'm with Vitesse on this

Giancarlo Baghetti won on his Formula 1 debut, at Syracusa in 1961
He also won on his World championship debut, at Reims in 1961
Tony Brooks won on his Formula 1 debut, at Syracusa in 1955
Mario Andretti and Carlos Reutemann made their Formula 1 and Championship debuts from pole position.

Although technically Farina won and set pole on his World Championship debut, it is not the same achievement at all.

The terms Formula 1 race, World Championship qualifier, Grand Prix, and Grande Epreuve (do these still exist?) are simply not the same.

Well, actually, I think we are all with Vitesse on this, and whilst you have listed a number of interesting facts, they were all after the Farina achievement and have taken us into a new area of discussion, don't you think? I don't believe any of us were confusing the Farina fact with any of the later accomplishments that you have listed. Since Paul is happy for us to do so, perhaps we should retitle this thread 'Interesting firsts in World Championship, GP and F1 Racing' (if that is all embracing enough) which we could then use as a catchall.

Are we up for that?

[David McKinney]

Wouldn't it make the rest of the thread impossibly comfusing?

[PaulSands]

Yes it would wouldnt it...lets do it

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by David McKinney

Wouldn't it make the rest of the thread impossibly confusing?

You mean it's not already? However, if you think so, I guess I have no chance. Still Paul obviously feels mischievous, so I've compromised and created a 'spin off' thread. It's here; just hope somebody posts on it now!

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83466

[Corktree]

After the FISA voted in April 1980 to terminate the existing "world championship" series which had been created by the CSI in the Fall of 1949 to commence in 1950, it created a new "Formula One World Championship" effective with the 1981 season, thereby making the 1981 Long Beach Grand Prix the first actual "Formula One World Championship" event.

[D-Type]

Originally Posted by Vitesse

~
Nice picture, but I can't help feeling I've seen it before.

Richard,
You probably have, it's in Formula One Unseen Archives by Tim Hill, Page 14. So it's a Daily Mail photo.

Don,
Thanks for the FOCA/FISA/FIA reminder - I can never remember the year. A shrewd move on the part of M. Balestre.

[Corktree]

There seems to be an inability on the part of most of our part to refer to it by its correct name from 1950 until 1980: championnat du monde des conducteurs or the world championship for drivers. Doing so would reduce the likelihood of any confusion with the original CSI world championship the began in 1925 and was for manufacturers and not drivers.