1950 Alfa Romeo 158

This car competed in the HGPCA Pre-61 Front Engine Grand Prix Cars race at the Silverstone Classic meeting in July 2010.

It's not shown in the entry list for that race, but it's Carlo Vögele's 1939 Alfa Romeo 158. At around that time I went to a meeting at Donington Park where this car appeared and a note in the programme of that meeting said this about the car:

'The 158 Alfetta, a voiturette, of Carlo Vögele with its Columbo designed straight-eight engine first appeared in 1938 at the Coppa Ciano where the three cars entered and came first, second and seventh. With only a single stage supercharger, the engine was said to develop 195bhp at 7500rpm. A Formula One Grand Prix car from 1948, in its final form in 1951 the engine had two-stage supercharging, developed something like 400bhp plus after the superchargers had taken some 135bhp, and did 1.6mpg, according to David Hodges. This car had independent suspension all round with trailing links at the front.'

1950 Alfa Romeo 158

The Coys International Historical Festival meeting of July 2000 marked 50 years of the Formula 1 World Championship for Drivers with a display of cars covering that period, this car being one of those representing the 1950s.

It's a 1950 Alfa Romeo 158, a car that dominated the first season of the Championship, winning 6 of the 7 races - the exception being the Indianapolis 500 race which was included in the Championship from 1950 to 1960. Giuseppe Farina won three of the races and the World Championship with 30 points, ahead of his team mate Juan Fangio with 27 points. In 1951 Juan Fangio won the World Championship with the Alfa Romeo 159, an updated version of the 158.

Juan Manuel Fangio

The Coys International Historic Festival meeting of July 1994 at Silverstone featured a tribute to Juan Manuel Fangio and had a display of some of the cars with which he was associated.

On the left is the Mercedes Benz 300SLR with which Stirling Moss, accompanied by Denis Jenkinson, won the 1955 Mille Miglia – his team mate Fangio finished in second place in a solo drive. The red car is an Alfa Romeo 158, representing the later Alfa Romeo 159 with which Fangio won his first World Championship in 1951 and next to that is one of the cars with which he won two of his World Drivers’ Championship victories, the Mercedes Benz W196 which he drove in 1954 and 1955, although he started the 1954 season with a Maserati 250F. When Mercedes Benz withdrew from racing at the end of the 1955 season Fangio moved to the Ferrari team where he won the 1956 Championship driving a Lancia-Ferrari, but at the time of this tribute there were none left in existence, although since then several of the earlier Lancia D50s and the Lancia-Ferrari have been recreated. In 1957 he moved to the Maserati team where he won his last title with a 250F, one of which featured in this display, but was taking part in a track display when I took this photograph. Behind the W196 is a car from his earlier exploits in Argentina before he came to Europe. This blue and yellow car is a 1949 Ferrari 166 F2 car, Enzo Ferrari's first single seat racing car. It is thought to be one of the cars that Fangio drove early in his career before he came to Europe and joined the Alfa Romeo F1 team, and had been fully restored by Tony Merrick in the 4 years before this appearance.

1939 Alfa Romeo 158

This car competed in the HGPCA Pre-61 Front Engine Grand Prix Cars race at the Silverstone Classic meeting in July 2010.

It's not mentioned in the programme of the event, but it's Carlo Vögele's 1939 Alfa Romeo 158. At around that time I went to a meeting at Donington Park where this car appeared and a note in the programme of that meeting said this about the car:

'The 158 Alfetta, a voiturette, of Carlo Vögele with its Columbo designed straight-eight engine first appeared in 1938 at the Coppa Ciano where the three cars entered and came first, second and seventh. With only a single stage supercharger, the engine was said to develop 195bhp at 7500rpm. A Formula One Grand Prix car from 1948, in its final form in 1951 the engine had two-stage supercharging, developed something like 400bhp plus after the superchargers had taken some 135bhp, and did 1.6mpg, according to David Hodges. This car had independent suspension all round with trailing links at the front.'

1948 Alfa Romeo 158

This car took part in the HGPCA Pre-1952 Grand Prix Car Race at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1998.

It's the 1948 Alfa Romeo 158 of Carlos Monteverde and was driven in the race by Willie Green. The Alfa Romeo 158 was originally designed in 1938 to compete in the pre-war Voiturette class of racing and has a 1,479cc supercharged straight-8 engine. It also competed at the Coys meeting at Silverstone in 1997 when a note in the programme said this:

'The final two seasons of pre-war voiturette racing were dominated by Alfa Romeo's Tipo 158, a scaled-down version of one of its GP designs. Whenever it ran it won, leaving the Maserati and ERA opposition to fight over the pickings. Alfa carried on in the 1940s where it had left off before the war, for the 'Alfetta', as it was known, now complied with the new Grand Prix regulations. It retired in one 1946 race, but from then on was unbeatable until, famously, an unblown 4.5 litre Ferrari dealt the death blow here at Silverstone in 1951.'

This is the only Alfa Romeo 158/159 in private hands, and it was given by Alfa Romeo to Michel Poberejsky (who had raced under the name Mike Sparken) in exchange for the ex-Lord Doune 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta which had competed in the Le Mans 24 Hour race that year. Michel Poberejsky later sold the car to Carlos Monteverde, and later went to Carlo Vöegele.

Three each of the Alfa Romeo 158 and 159 cars still exist, and this one is chassis 158.107 and has engine 159.227 - the others are as follows:

158

Chassis 158.005 on display in the Alfa Romeo Museum at Arese with engine 158.102.

Chassis 158.109 on display in the Biscaretti Museum, Turin.

 

159

Chassis 159.109 on display in the Alfa Romeo Museum as a chassis without bodywork, with engine 159.211.

Chassis 159.111 on display in Alfa Romeo Museum.

Chassis 159.112 on display in Alfa Romeo Museum and used in events.

1948 Alfa Romeo 158

This was one of the competitors in the HGPCA Pre-1952 Grand Prix Car Race at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1998.

It's the 1948 Alfa Romeo 158 of Carlos Monteverde and was driven in the race by Willie Green. The Alfa Romeo 158 was originally designed in 1938 to compete in the pre-war Voiturette class of racing and has a 1,479cc supercharged straight-8 engine. It also competed at the Coys meeting at Silverstone in 1997 when a note in the programme said this:

'The final two seasons of pre-war voiturette racing were dominated by Alfa Romeo's Tipo 158, a scaled-down version of one of its GP designs. Whenever it ran it won, leaving the Maserati and ERA opposition to fight over the pickings. Alfa carried on in the 1940s where it had left off before the war, for the 'Alfetta', as it was known, now complied with the new Grand Prix regulations. It retired in one 1946 race, but from then on was unbeatable until, famously, an unblown 4.5 litre Ferrari dealt the death blow here at Silverstone in 1951.'

This is the only Alfa Romeo 158/159 in private hands, and it was given by Alfa Romeo to Michel Poberejsky (who had raced under the name Mike Sparken) in exchange for the ex-Lord Doune 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta which had competed in the Le Mans 24 Hour race that year. Michel Poberejsky later sold the car to Carlos Monteverde, and it has since been purchased by Carlo Voegele.

Three each of the Alfa Romeo 158 and 159 cars still exist, and this one is chassis 158.107 and has engine 159.227 - the others are as follows:

158

Chassis 158.005 on display in the Alfa Romeo Museum at Arese with engine 158.102.

Chassis 158.109 on display in the Biscaretti Museum, Turin.

159

Chassis 159.109 on display in the Alfa Romeo Museum as a chassis without bodywork, with engine 159.211.

Chassis 159.111 on display in Alfa Romeo Museum.

Chassis 159.112 on display in Alfa Romeo Museum and used in events.

1948 Alfa Romeo 158

This car competed in the Magneti Marelli UK Race for Pre-1952 Grand Prix Cars at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1997.

It's the 1948 Alfa Romeo 158 of Carlos Monteverde and was driven in the race by Willie Green. The Alfa Romeo 158 was originally designed in 1938 to compete in the pre-war Voiturette class of racing and has a 1,479cc supercharged straight-8 engine. A note in the Silverstone programme said this:

'The final two seasons of pre-war voiturette racing were dominated by Alfa Romeo's Tipo 158, a scaled-down version of one of its GP designs. Whenever it ran it won, leaving the Maserati and ERA opposition to fight over the pickings. Alfa carried on in the 1940s where it had left off before the war, for the 'Alfetta', as it was known, now complied with the new Grand Prix regulations. It retired in one 1946 race, but from then on was unbeatable until, famously, an unblown 4.5 litre Ferrari dealt the death blow here at Silverstone in 1951.'

This is the only Alfa Romeo 158/159 in private hands, and it was given by Alfa Romeo to Michel Poberejsky (who had raced under the name Mike Sparken) in exchange for the ex-Lord Doune 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta that had competed in the Le Mans 24 Hour race that year. Michel Poberejsky later sold the car to Carlos Monteverde, and it has since been purchased by Carlo Voegele.

Three each of the Alfa Romeo 158 and 159 cars still exist, and this one is chassis 158.107 and has engine 159.227 - the others are as follows:

158

Chassis 158.005 on display in the Alfa Romeo Museum at Arese with engine 158.102.

Chassis 158.109 on display in the Biscaretti Museum, Turin.

159

Chassis 159.109 on display in the Alfa Romeo Museum as a chassis without bodywork, with engine 159.211.

Chassis 159.111 on display in Alfa Romeo Museum.

Chassis 159.112 on display in Alfa Romeo Museum and used in events.

1948 Alfa Romeo 158

This car was one of the competitors in the Magneti Marelli UK Race for Pre-1952 Grand Prix Cars at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1997.

It's the 1948 Alfa Romeo 158 of Carlos Monteverde and was driven in the race by Willie Green. The Alfa Romeo 158 was originally designed in 1938 to compete in the pre-war Voiturette class of racing and has a 1,479cc supercharged straight-8 engine. A note in the Silverstone programme said this:

'The final two seasons of pre-war voiturette racing were dominated by Alfa Romeo's Tipo 158, a scaled-down version of one of its GP designs. Whenever it ran it won, leaving the Maserati and ERA opposition to fight over the pickings. Alfa carried on in the 1940s where it had left off before the war, for the 'Alfetta', as it was known, now complied with the new Grand Prix regulations. It retired in one 1946 race, but from then on was unbeatable until, famously, an unblown 4.5 litre Ferrari dealt the death blow here at Silverstone in 1951.'

Alfa Romeo 158

On 3 April 2016 I showed photographs of a 1950 Alfa Romeo 158 that featured in a display of cars marking a tribute to Juan Manuel Fangio at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1994. Here's a photograph of the car being wheeled out to join that display.

The 1950 Alfa Romeo 158 was designed by Gioacchino Columbo and had a 1,479cc straight-8 engine with a single stage Roots type supercharger. The updated 1951 Alfa Romeo 159 had the same engine, but with a two stage supercharger.

Friday's Ferrari

This is a photograph taken at Redgate Corner on the opening lap of a Shell Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge race at the SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in September 2004.

The Ferrari in second place is the 1952/54 Ferrari 625, #0482, of Alexander Boswell, originally a Ferrari 500 that raced in the World Championship races of 1952 and 1953 when there was a 2-litre capacity limit. When this was increased to 2½ litres in 1954 the cars were lengthened, the engines replaced by 2½ litre units, and it was re-designated a Ferrari 625. On 28 July 2017 I showed a photograph of this car at the HGPCA meeting at Donington Park earlier in 2004. The car on the outside leading the race is the 1937 Maserati 6CM of Stefan Schollwöck and is chassis #1547, a car originally belonging to Austin Dobson. Behind Alexander Boswell is the 1939/50 Alfa Romeo 158 of Carlo Vögele, being driven by Willie Green, and on 24 May 2018 I featured three other photographs of the car at this meeting. Just visible at the rear is the 1958 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa of Carlos Monteverde, #0738TR, which I pictured in the pit lane at this meeting on 29 January 2016.

Alfa Romeo 158

This car took part in a Shell Historic Ferrari Maserati Challenge race at the VSCC's Richard Seaman Memorial Trophies race meeting at Donington Park in June 2003.

It's Carlo Vögele's 1939 1,479cc Alfa Romeo 158, in the pit lane during a practice session, and the programme of the event said this about the car:

'The 158 Alfetta, a voiturette, of Carlo Vögele (14) with its Columbo designed straight-eight engine first appeared in 1938 at the Coppa Ciano where the three cars entered and came first, second and seventh. With only a single stage supercharger, the engine was said to develop 195bhp at 7500rpm. A Formula One Grand Prix car from 1948, in its final form in 1951 the engine had two-stage supercharging, developed something like 400bhp plus after the superchargers had taken some 135bhp, and did 1.6mpg, according to David Hodges. This car had independent suspension all round with trailing links at the front. You may have asked how the Alfa Romeo cars feature in a Ferrari Maserati challenge, well the competition Alfas  were prepared by the Scuderia Ferrari in the 1930s.'

On 22 February 2018 I showed photographs of this car at Silverstone in 1999.

Alfa Romeo 158

This car took part in two rounds of the Shell Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge race series at the SeeRed meeting at Donington Park in September 2004.

The car is described in the programme of the event as a 1939 Alfa Romeo 158, Alfa Romeo cars from 1933 to 1939 being eligible for this series as the Alfa Romeo racing team in those years was run by Scuderia Ferrari. The straight-8 1½ litre supercharged car is better known, of course, for taking Giuseppe Farina to the first Drivers World Championship in 1950. This car belonged to Carlo Vögele who was named alongside Willie Green in the programme as driver for both races.

The car is seen here leaving the pits during a practice session, and I presume the driver is Carlo Vögele as I have a photograph of him in a black helmet driving a Maserati Tipo 61 at this same meeting.

This photograph was taken at Redgate corner during the first of the two races in which it featured, and because the driver's not wearing a black helmet I assume it's Willie Green.

Alfa Romeo 158 Alfetta

This was one of the cars taking part in the Maserati UK Race for Pre-1961 Grand Prix Cars at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1999.

It's Carlo Vögele's 1948 straight-8 supercharged 1½ litre Alfa Romeo 158 Alfetta. The car was originally designed in 1938 to take part in the pre-war Voiturette class of racing, and when the rules for the new Formula 1 were drawn up in 1947 they allowed engines of 4½ litres unsupercharged or 1½ litres supercharged, so the Alfetta was able to take part. When the World Championship for Drivers was introduced in 1950 it was won in the first two years by these cars, driven by Giuseppe Farina in the 158 in 1950 and Juan Fangio in 1951 in the redesigned 159.

Here's Carlo Vögele in the pit lane taking the car out during a practice session.

On 3 April 2016 I showed photographs of an Alfa Romeo 158 on display in a tribute to Juan Fangio at the 1994 Coys meeting at Silverstone.

Alfa Romeo 158

I've mentioned previously, on 30 October 2015 and 8 February 2016, the display at the Coys International Historic Tribute meeting at Silverstone in July 1994 featuring a tribute to Juan Manuel Fangio and his 5 World Championship wins. Here's another of the cars in that display, the one that gave him his first World Championship.

It's a 1950 Alfa Romeo 158, and to be strictly accurate the car with which he won his first title in 1951 was an Alfa Romeo 159.

The 1950 World Championship was won by his team-mate Giuseppe Farina in the 158.

After the 1951 season Alfa Romeo withdrew from racing, and the dearth of competitive Formula 1 cars saw the World Championship contested by Formula 2 cars for the next 2 seasons - the World Champion in both 1952 and 1953 being Alberto Ascari with the Ferrari 500.

Juan Manuel Fangio

The Coys International Historic Festival meeting of July 1994 at Silverstone featured a tribute to Juan Manuel Fangio and had a display of some of the cars with which he was associated. The photograph below shows three of the cars which are associated with his World Championship victories.

His first World Championship was won in 1951 in an Alfa Romeo and the car on the left is an Alfa Romeo 158 of 1950. Although he started 1954 driving a Maserati 250F, Mercedes Benz introduced their new car at the French Grand Prix and he won the Championship in that year and 1955 driving the W196 model, an example of which is on the right-hand side of the photograph. The car in the middle is a Maserati 250F which Fangio used in winning the 1957 Championship. He also won in 1956 driving a Lancia-Ferrari and at the time of this tribute there were none left in existence, although since then several of the earlier Lancia D50s and the Lancia-Ferrari have been recreated (or 'faked' as Denis Jenkinson would have said).

Also on display was this 1948 1.5 litre Ferrari 166, serial number 011F, thought to have been raced by Fangio in Argentina.

I was fortunate enough to have seen Fangio drive in the 1955 British Grand Prix at Aintree and the 1957 British Grand Prix, also at Aintree.