Juan Manuel Fangio - Ferrari D50 - Monaco 1956

[Steve Holmes]

Bruce Thompson posted this on Facebook, I had to run the link through to here. This is amazing, and has been edited for maximum effect. Turn the sound up:

[video=youtube;k9-BZ0NbriI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9-BZ0NbriI[/video]

[928]

Real driver Real car Real circuit
nothing else to be said
928

[Oldfart]

There is something else! Cars parked on the side, pedestrians crossing, and still fabulous!

[Bruce302]

It is an intriguing clip. There are multiple camera angles, lots of takes seemingly all in the same corners, so it obviously isn't a quick "attach a camera and go for a drive". It is a very well scripted and choreographed piece of film.

Fangio always looked totally relaxed. The best driver of the era without doubt.

Bruce.

[David McKinney]

Yes, great footage

I believe it was shot some years after 1956

[John B]

I'm very impressed by the safety equipment!

[kiwi285]

A real race car. And a glorious looking and sounding machine well handled by the master.

[Oldfart]

Yes, great footage

I believe it was shot some years after 1956

Agreed, glimpse of Armco very early in, Peugeot 404 at 3.14 (introduced 1960) Renault 4(introduced 1961) at about 30 seconds.
Still the master at work, in one of the great cars of all time.
I know what the goggles, gloves and helmet(!) are, what is the chest protector?

[Steve Holmes]

I just assumed this was done either before or after the event. The streets are almost as normal everyday Monaro. It doesn't look like a race track. David, why do you think this was made some years after 1956? Weren't the D50s broken up when they finished racing?

[jamie]

Hi guys WHAT A AWSOM clip .There is A D50 in In the Museum at Manarllo I have A photo of it taken on my trip two years Ago
Jamie A

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Jamie. I must have got that wrong, I thought for some reason Ferrari had all the D50s broken up after their careers had finished. Thanks for clarifying this.

[David McKinney]

That was what was believed at the time

However, one went to the Biscaretti Museum in Turin, and Lancia built one up from parts

Then in 1999/2000 Guido Rosani and Jim Stokes built four replicas

I believe one of the replicas is in Scuderia Ferrrai configuration (top of side-pods fared into the body) but the other five are all as built by Lancia, including the one in the Monaco film

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks David, I knew about the four replicas, at least one of these competes in historic events. I assumed these were built because the originals were all gone. Great to know there are a couple of originals.

[David McKinney]

They were built because the originals were unavailable, rather than gone

And I'm not sure if I'd call the car built up by Lancia as much more "original" than the four replicas

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks David. Yes, agreed re the car built up by Lancia.

[stubuchanan]

I'm interested to know why the film was made. But an interesting piece of 'history' anyway.

Fangio's memories of the 1956 Monaco GP would not have been very positive ones. He was not happy with the deal and the cars he felt he was getting from Ferrari, he spun on the third lap, and in fighting his way back up the field had a few brushes with walls and pitted when he bent a wheel around lap 40. As was allowed under the rules he then took over Peter Collins' D50 about 15 laps later and ended up second to Moss's 250F Maserati.

[EType]

I own three motorsport photos's and this is one of them described as Fangio 1956, looks like a D50?

Stewart

[stubuchanan]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]14234[/ATTACH]

I own three motorsport photos's and this is one of them described as Fangio 1956, looks like a D50?

Stewart

Yes, and the car behind it, too. Possibly 1956 British GP at Silverstone, won by Fangio. After Lancia's financial meltdown in mid-1955, the entire Lancia racing team was presented to Ferrari (by new owner Fiat). Ferrari modified the cars over the next 2 seasons, and you will note that on the cars in your picture, the side-tanks between the front/rear wheels are faired on to the body, unlike the replica(?) original 1955 Lancia D50 in the film clip(as pointed out by Dave McKinney). By 1957 these structures had gone and the fuel tanks were part of the body, chassis and suspension changes were made,but probably the cars weren't significantly quicker. The hybrid Ferrari 625 built up for Pat Hoare 2 or 3 years later had the headrest and tail section from a Lancia-Ferrari D50, not sure if it was original Lancia or not.

Stu

[Steve Holmes]

Great stuff guys. Really good info. Any thoughts on when the film might have been created? Or why?

[ElCoyote]

Thanks Jamie. I must have got that wrong, I thought for some reason Ferrari had all the D50s broken up after their careers had finished. Thanks for clarifying this.

Yo fella's, Jamie asked me to upload this for him which I did in the wrong forum and he has been particularly scathing of my efforts. Ungrateful sod!!

So here it is in the rightful place I hope.[ATTACH=CONFIG]14480[/ATTACH]