Ferrari D50

Ferrari D50

Constructor:	Lancia Scuderia Ferrari
Predecessor:	Ferrari 555 Supersqualo (chronological) Lancia D50 (technical)
Successor:	Ferrari 801
Technical specifications
Chassis:	Space frame aluminum body
Engine:	90 ° V8 2490 cc
Length:	3850 mm
Width:	1448 mm
Height:	962 mm
Wheelbase:	2280 mm
Weight:	640 kg
Tires:	Englebert Pirelli
statistics
Driver:	Juan Manuel Fangio Luigi Musso Eugenio Castellotti Peter Collins Paul Frère
Starts Victories Poles SR tba tba tba tba
World Cup points:	k. A. / tba
Podiums:	k. A. / tba
Leadership laps:	k. A. / tba

The Ferrari D50 , also known as the Lancia-Ferrari D50 , was a Formula 1 racing car from Ferrari that Scuderia used in the 1956 Formula 1 World Championship.

Development history

The Ferrari D50 resulted from Ferrari's takeover of the racing department of Lancia , which had withdrawn from Formula 1 after the death of Alberto Ascari and due to financial difficulties. Vittorio Jano designed the new Lancia D50 . At Ferrari, the cars were extensively changed and further developed up to the type 801 . However, one of the most important features of the Lancia D50 fell victim to these modifications. The two tank containers on the side, which gave the Lancia D50 a balanced driving behavior, disappeared. The tanks were now back in the stern. The V8 engine has also been revised. After the Ferrari technicians had also adjusted the chassis, almost only the exhaust system remained of the Lancias .

Racing history

Ferrari D50, still with the side tanks, which were replaced by a rear tank at the beginning of the 1956 season, and only had an aerodynamic function.

The Scuderia was able to muster a top-class driver team in 1956 . Juan Manuel Fangio had come from Mercedes-Benz , which had closed their racing department at the end of 1955 (after the accident at Le Mans ). Then there were the two Italians Luigi Musso and Eugenio Castellotti . The fourth driver on the team was the new British top driver Peter Collins .

It was a successful season, but the victories had to be worked hard. The D50 weren't the superior cars hoped for. It soon became apparent that dismantling the side tanks was a mistake. However, Enzo Ferrari could not be changed and Jano gave in. The handling of the D50 was extremely slow and the reliability only mediocre.

On the other hand, there were races that the Scuderia totally dominated with the D50. Ferrari took the first three places at the Belgian Grand Prix . Peter Collins won ahead of the "guest driver" Paul Frère and Luigi Musso. After the race, Frère, who also worked as a journalist and was highly praised for his technical expertise and objective assessment, made the "tank" the topic again. But Brother was just a substitute driver and nobody listened to him.

In the end, despite all the defects in the car, Fangio was the driver's world champion for the fourth time and Scuderia was able to celebrate five victories of the season.

Technical specifications

Ferrari D 50	Year of construction 1954; used in 1956
engine	Ferrari 90º V8 front engine, installed lengthways
Bore × stroke	76.0mm / 68.5mm
Total displacement	2485.98 cm³
Displacement per cylinder	310.75 cm³
compression	11.9: 1
power	285 hp / 213 kW at 8500 rpm
Engine control	two overhead camshafts per cylinder bank , 2 valves per cylinder
Carburetor	4 Solex 40 PII
fuel	petrol
Tank capacity	190 liters
cooling	Water (with pump)
lubrication	Dry sump
transmission	Transaxle, 5-speed, 1 reverse gear, multi-plate clutch
landing gear	Tubular frame
Suspension in front	Single, double wishbones of unequal length, transverse leaf spring, internal telescopic shock absorbers operated by rocker arms
Rear suspension	De Dion axle , transverse leaf spring, Houdaille shock absorber
Brakes	Drum brakes
steering	Worm with gear sector
wheelbase	2280 mm
track	1270 mm
External dimensions	Length: 3850 mm / width: 1448 mm / height: 962 mm
Front tire	5.50 × 16
Rear tires	7.00 × 16
Dry weight	640 kg (including water and oil)
Top speed

Complete results of the Formula 1 World Championship

This table lists the complete results of the Ferrari D50 in all its evolutionary stages.

year	designation	engine	tires	team	driver	run
1955	Ferrari D50	Lancia DS50 2.5 V8	E.	Scuderia Ferrari	Giuseppe Farina	a						DNS
					Eugenio Castellotti							DNS
					Luigi Villoresi							DNS
1956	Ferrari D50	Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8	P E.	Scuderia Ferrari	Juan Manuel Fangio	1 b / DNF	2 b / 4 b		DNF	4th	1	1	2 b / 8 b
					Eugenio Castellotti	DNF	4 b / Ret		DNF	2	10 b	DNF b / DNF	8 b / DNF
					Luigi Musso	1 b	DNF					DNF b	DNF
					Peter Collins		2		1	1	2 / b DNF	DNF b / DNF	2 b
					Olivier Gendebien					DNF	DNA
					Paul Brother				2
					André Pilette				6th
					Alfonso de Portago					DNF	2 b / 10 b	DNF b	DNF
					Wolfgang von Trips								DNS
1957	Ferrari D50A Ferrari 801	Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8	E.	Scuderia Ferrari	Peter Collins	6 b / DNF	DNF		3	DNF	3		DNF
					Luigi Musso	DNF			2	2	4th	DNF	8th
					Eugenio Castellotti	DNF
					Mike Hawthorn	DNF	DNF b		4th	3	2		6th
					Wolfgang von Trips	6 b	7 1						3
					Cesare Perdisa	6 1
					Alfonso de Portago	5 b
					José Froilán González	5 b
					Maurice Trintignant		5		DNF	4th	DNS

^a these races were contested with various previous models.

^b Points are shared by changing drivers on the same vehicle. (English: "Shared drive")

Legend
colour	abbreviation	meaning
gold	-	victory
silver	-	2nd place
bronze	-	3rd place
green	-	Placement in the points
blue	-	Classified outside the point ranks
violet	DNF	Race not finished (did not finish)
	NC	not classified
red	DNQ	did not qualify
	DNPQ	failed in pre-qualification (did not pre-qualify)
black	DSQ	disqualified
White	DNS	not at the start (did not start)
	WD	withdrawn
Light Blue	PO	only participated in the training (practiced only)
	TD	Friday test driver
without	DNP	did not participate in the training (did not practice)
	INJ	injured or sick
	EX	excluded
	DNA	did not arrive
	C.	Race canceled
		no participation in the World Cup
other	P / bold	Pole position
	SR / italic	Fastest race lap
	*	not at the finish, but counted due to the distance covered
	()	Streak results
	underlined	Leader in the overall standings

literature

• Pierre Ménard: The great encyclopedia of Formula 1. 1950–2001. 52 years of Formula 1. 2 volumes. Heel, Königswinter 2001, ISBN 3-89880-051-2 .

Web links

Commons : Ferrari D50  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Ferrari.com Articles, pictures and technical information about the Ferrari D50. Retrieved May 20, 2020
• Ultimatecarpage.com Articles, pictures and technical information about the Ferrari D50. Retrieved May 20, 2020
• Ferrari D50 - Grand Prix Nurburgring (1956) Original report about the race. Retrieved May 20, 2020 (Italian)