1951 German Grand Prix
| 1951 Formula One Season | |
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 1951 German Grand Prix
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| Date | July 29, 1951 |
| Round | 6 |
| Track | Nurburgring |
| Laps | 20 |
| Weather | Hot & Sunny |
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| Time | |
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For the first time, the World Championship went to Germany. Germany was about to reenter on the world stage after the war, and its' Grand Prix at the Nurburgring was introduced to the World Championship calendar.
Alfa Romeo had four cars, Juan Manuel Fangio, Giuseppe Farina as ever, but they also had newcomer and local driver Paul Pietsch. Felice Bonetto kept his seat having impressed in the previous race. There were four Ferrari's in the works team, along with an independent Ferrari. Alberto Ascari and Jose Froilan Gonzalez would lead the team.
Ferrari were 1-2 with Ascari on pole. Alfa Romeo took third and fourth, with Fangio ahead of the reigning champion, Giuseppe Farina. Ferrari now had the superior car for the first time since the World Championship begun.
Alfa Romeo got off to the better start, with Giuseppe Farina taking the lead. By the end of the first lap though, Fangio, Ascari and Gonzalez went past him.
The Alfa Romeo's soon had problems with overheating, causing retirements for all but Fangio. The Ferrari's lay 1 to 6 bar Fangio, such was their reliability and dominance.
Fangio and Ascari kept swapping for the lead, but it looked like Fangio would win when he lead near the end. But by then he was having engine problems too, and Ascari caught and overtook him.
Ascari looked like he had the race won, but he chose to stop for new tyres unexpectedly towards the end. Fangio looked to take full advantage, but such were his engine troubles that Ascari still led when he rejoined the track, eventually winning by half a minute from Fangio. Jose Froilan Gonzalez was behind in third, and behind him were the other two works' Ferrari's. Rudi Fischer finished sixth in the previous year's Ferrari - but still beat the Talbot-Lago's and Simca cars.
Fangio still led the World Championship, but with two rounds left, and in a worse car, it was wondered if he was going to hold on with the Ferrari's closing in.
Results
Bold type denotes bonus point for setting the fastest lap.
| Pole Position - Alberto Ascari, Ferrari, 9:55.8 |
| Fastest Lap - Alberto Ascari, Ferrari, 9:55.8 |
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| Tracks: AVUS • Hockenheim • Nurburgring |
