1951 Swiss Grand Prix: Full Weekend Report & Highlights

Juan Manuel Fangio delivered a brilliant drive in appallingly wet conditions to win the 1951 Swiss Grand Prix, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest drivers of all time.

Autosport wrote, “His fearless passage through the circuit’s innumerable fast bends gained him the sincere admiration of all, elevating him still higher in the ranks of Grand Prix drivers.” Fangio had been haunted by running over a black cat during a reconnaissance drive the night before the race. “I had resisted the temptation to let myself be dragged down by superstition,” he said.

Italian driver Piero Taruffi, who drove for Ferrari, finished second and fellow Italian driver, Nino Farina rounded out the podium in third, in the second Alfa Romeo car.

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Time
1	24	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	2:35.900
2	22	Nino Farina	Alfa Romeo	2:37.800
3	18	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	2:39.300
4	28	Consalvo Sanesi	Alfa Romeo	2:40.300
5	26	Toulo de Graffenried	Alfa Romeo	2:41.800
6	44	Piero Taruffi	Ferrari	2:45.200
7	20	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	2:46.000
8	8	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	2:52.700
9	16	Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	2:52.900
10	38	Rudi Fischer	Ferrari	2:54.100
11	10	Henri Louveau	Talbot-Lago	2:56.200
12	4	Philippe Etancelin	Talbot-Lago	2:57.300
13	42	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	Talbot-Lago	2:57.300
14	14	Stirling Moss	HWM Alta	2:58.400
15	6	Yves Giraud-Cabantous	Talbot-Lago	3:00.300
16	52	Peter Hirt	Veritas	3:01.600
17	32	Harry Schell	Maserati	3:02.400
18	2	Johnny Claes	Talbot-Lago	3:02.500
19	30	Louis Chiron	Maserati	3:03.100
20	12	George Abecassis	HWM Alta	3:03.800
21	40	Guy Mairesse	Talbot-Lago	3:12.000

1951 Swiss Grand Prix Starting Grid

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Time
1	24	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	2:35.900
2	22	Nino Farina	Alfa Romeo	2:37.800
3	18	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	2:39.300
4	28	Consalvo Sanesi	Alfa Romeo	2:40.300
5	26	Toulo de Graffenried	Alfa Romeo	2:41.800
6	44	Piero Taruffi	Ferrari	2:45.200
7	20	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	2:46.000
8	8	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	2:52.700
9	16	Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	2:52.900
10	38	Rudi Fischer	Ferrari	2:54.100
11	10	Henri Louveau	Talbot-Lago	2:56.200
12	4	Philippe Etancelin	Talbot-Lago	2:57.300
13	42	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	Talbot-Lago	2:57.300
14	14	Stirling Moss	HWM Alta	2:58.400
15	6	Yves Giraud-Cabantous	Talbot-Lago	3:00.300
16	52	Peter Hirt	Veritas	3:01.600
17	32	Harry Schell	Maserati	3:02.400
18	2	Johnny Claes	Talbot-Lago	3:02.500
19	30	Louis Chiron	Maserati	3:03.100
20	12	George Abecassis	HWM Alta	3:03.800
21	40	Guy Mairesse	Talbot-Lago	3:12.000

1951 Swiss Grand Prix Race Results

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Laps	Time/retired	Pts
1	24	Juan Manuel Fangio	Alfa Romeo	42	2:07:53.640	9
2	44	Piero Taruffi	Ferrari	42	+55.240s	6
3	22	Nino Farina	Alfa Romeo	42	+79.310s	4
4	28	Consalvo Sanesi	Alfa Romeo	41	+1 lap	3
5	26	Toulo de Graffenried	Alfa Romeo	40	+2 laps	2
6	20	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	40	+2 laps	0
7	30	Louis Chiron	Maserati	40	+2 laps	0
8	14	Stirling Moss	HWM Alta	40	+2 laps	0
9	8	Louis Rosier	Talbot-Lago	39	+3 laps	0
10	4	Philippe Etancelin	Talbot-Lago	39	+3 laps	0
11	38	Rudi Fischer	Ferrari	39	+3 laps	0
12	32	Harry Schell	Maserati	38	+4 laps	0
NC	16	Peter Whitehead	Ferrari	36	DNF	0
13	2	Johnny Claes	Talbot-Lago	35	+7 laps	0
14	40	Guy Mairesse	Talbot-Lago	31	+11 laps	0
NC	10	Henri Louveau	Talbot-Lago	30	DNF	0
NC	12	George Abecassis	HWM Alta	23	DNF	0
NC	6	Yves Giraud-Cabantous	Talbot-Lago	14	DNF	0
NC	18	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	12	DNF	0
NC	42	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	Talbot-Lago	10	DNF	0
NC	52	Peter Hirt	Veritas	0	DNF	0

1951 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Juan Manuel Fangio	9
2	Piero Taruffi	6
3	Nino Farina	4
4	Consalvo Sanesi	3
5	Toulo de Graffenried	2

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Ben is a staff writer specialising in F1 from the 1990s to the modern era. Ben has been following Formula 1 since 1986 and is an avid researcher who loves understanding the technology that makes it one of the most exciting motorsport on the planet. He listens to podcasts about F1 on a daily basis, and enjoys reading books from the inspirational Adrian Newey to former F1 drivers.