The 1950 Monaco Grand Prix marked Ferrari's Formula One debut and was won by Juan Manuel Fangio from pole position in the second race of the inaugural F1 World Championship.
Key Facts
- Race date
- 21 May 1950
- Race distance
- 318.1 km (197.1 mi) over 100 laps
- Winner
- Juan Manuel Fangio (Alfa Romeo)
- Second place
- Alberto Ascari (Ferrari)
- Third place
- Louis Chiron (Maserati)
- Championship round
- Race 2 of 7 in 1950 World Championship
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 1950 Formula One World Championship of Drivers, the inaugural season of the FIA's new world championship, required a second round after the opening race at Silverstone. Monaco's street circuit, with its long Grand Prix history, was selected as the venue for the follow-up event on 21 May 1950.
The 1950 Monaco Grand Prix, formally the Prix de Monte-Carlo et XIe Grand Prix Automobile, was contested over 100 laps of the Monaco street circuit. Juan Manuel Fangio started from pole position and won for Alfa Romeo, with Alberto Ascari finishing second for Ferrari and Louis Chiron third for Maserati, in what was also Ferrari's first-ever Formula One entry.
Fangio's victory added to Alfa Romeo's dominance in the early 1950 championship season. More significantly, Ferrari's debut at Monaco established the team as a competitor in Formula One, beginning a rivalry with Alfa Romeo that would shape the sport's first years and laying the foundation for Ferrari's long presence in the championship.