The Ferrari 500 was a Formula 2 racing car designed by Aurelio Lampredi and used by Ferrari in 1952 and 1953, when the drivers’ world championship was run to Formula 2 regulations. Alberto Ascari won his two world titles with it.
Ferrari Tipo 500 at a glance
| Used | 1952 and 1953 (625 from 1954) |
|---|---|
| Designer | Aurelio Lampredi |
| Formula | Formula 2, then Formula One |
| Engine | inline four-cylinder |
| Engine position | behind the front axle |
| Titles | Ascari, 1952 and 1953 |
| Win streak | seven consecutive championship races |
| 625 F1 | 2.5-litre version from 1954 |
| 625 wins | two, one each in 1954 and 1955 |
based on one source (English Wikipedia); the video attached to the old record is no longer available, so the article has none.
History of the Ferrari Tipo 500
For 1952 the FIA announced that Grands Prix counting towards the World Championship of Drivers would be run to Formula 2 specification rather than Formula 1, after Alfa Romeo withdrew from the sport. Ferrari were the only team to have a car specifically designed for the new formula. The 500 was powered by an inline four-cylinder engine mounted behind the front axle, which improved weight distribution.
Ascari’s titles
Alberto Ascari used the car to win his first world championship, winning all but one race with the simple 500. He missed that race because he was driving the 4.5-litre Ferrari at the Indianapolis 500, and Ferrari won it anyway. The following season Ascari took his second world championship and Ferrari won all but the final race, which went to Juan Manuel Fangio after his return from the accident that had damaged his neck. Ascari won seven consecutive World Championship races in the 500, a record that stood until Sebastian Vettel broke it in 2013; if the 1953 Indianapolis 500, run to a different formula and with Ascari not entered, is discounted, the run extends to nine.
The 625 F1
For 1954, with the return to Formula One engine regulations, Ferrari 500 chassis were modified for the new rules with the 2.5-litre 625 engine, and the cars won two more races, one each in 1954 and 1955. The 625 was not quite fast enough against the Mercedes-Benz W196, which dominated those seasons. The 500 and 625 together mark the high point of Lampredi’s four-cylinder design in Grand Prix racing and the years in which Ascari was the driver to beat.
Design and features
- Lampredi four: an inline four-cylinder engine placed behind the front axle for balance.
- Built for the rules: the only car designed specifically for the 1952 Formula 2 championship.
- Ascari’s two titles: 1952 and 1953, with almost every race won.
- Seven wins in a row: a record that lasted until 2013.
- 625 F1: the 2.5-litre development that won twice more in 1954 and 1955.
Ferrari Tipo 500 versions
- 500 (1952–1953): the Formula 2 car.
- 625 F1 (1954–1955): the 2.5-litre Formula One version.
The four-cylinder racing line continued with the Ferrari 750 Monza, and its era overlapped with the 250 series.
Sources
- Ferrari Tipo 500, English Wikipedia: design, 1952–1953 seasons, Ascari, 625 F1
