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| Juan Manuel Fangio |
1951 Drivers Championship
1. Juan Manuel Fangio - 31
2. Alberto Ascari - 25
3. Jose Froilan Gonzales - 24
(Constructors title not introduced until 1958)
Despite the excellent 1950 season, there were already signs that Alfa would not have the same hold in 1951. Ferrari's Ascari had only 12 points in the inaugural year, coming a distant fourth to the three Alfa drivers, but there had been signs that this would change at Monza.
"Fangio sets the pace"
Switzerland saw the opening round of the 1951 championship, and Fangio won. Ascari finished in sixth place; he had a badly burnt arm, an injury from a Formula Two race. In eighth position was an Englishman driving an HWM - Stirling Moss.
Farina took the honours in the Belgian Grand Prix but Fangio, his Alfa team-mate, had a jammed wheel during a routine pit stop which nearly 15 minutes to fix, and finished ninth - he did pick up a point for setting the fastest lap, though. Ascari and Villoresi's Ferraris were well adrift of Farina, who led them by 3 minutes.
The next round was on the fast circuit at Reims. Ascari was chasing Fangio when his gearbox failed; a new Ferrari driver, Jose Froilan Gonzales, was called into the pits and Ascari, as senior driver, returned to the race in his car. Fangio, too, needed to switch cars, taking over Fagioli's Alfa early in the race. Fangio crossed the line first, a minute ahead of Ascari, with Villoresi again third. The Ferraris were getting closer to defeating Alfa.
"Italian rivals"
The finally happened in the next race at Silverstone. Ascari retired with gearbox trouble and when Gonzales came in for a routine stop, Ascari realised that his team-mate was in excellent form, so didn't pull rank. Fangio had tried to establish a healthy lead, knowing that his Alfa required two refuelling stops to the Ferraris one, but he couldn't shake Gonzales off. Gonzales pulled clear, coming home nearly a minute ahead. There was some British success: Reg Parnell and Peter Walker's BRMs both completed the 90 -lap race, finishing fifth and seventh respectively.
Recognising the threat posed by Ferrari, Alfa Romeo rushed to make last-minute repairs and adjustments to the cars during practice for the German Grand Prix. Fangio realised his car's shortcomings and drove at a fast, regular pace; he led for a time, but fell back to second after his extra stop for fuel. He maintained that position to the end and Ascari won. Fangio beat the other Ferrari drivers, Gonzales, Villoresi and Taruffi, who finished in that order after him. His second place, together with the fastest lap, meant that he left Germany with 7 more points. A new, faster version of the Alfetta was introduced at Monza, but Fangio was forced out with mechanical trouble, and Ascari and Gonzales finished first and second.
"Fangio by 6 points"
The last round of the season was at Barcelona. The Ferraris had enough fuel for the entire distance but had changed to smaller- diameter rear wheels than usual, and the rough Pedrables circuit tore their tyres apart; they needed changing every few laps. Fangio won, giving him the championship by 6 points, and Ascari's chance was gone.
By the end of the season Alfa Romeo knew that the ageing 158 model, dating back to 1938, needed to be replaced. This needed government money, but it was not forthcoming, leaving Alfa with no alternative but to withdraw from Grand Prix racing. This would have resulted in an uncompetitive championship, dominated by Ferrari, and the FIA announced that the 1952 Grand Prix series would be held to 2-litre, Formula Two rules.