The 1951 Swiss Grand Prix opened the 1951 World Championship of Drivers season, with Juan Manuel Fangio winning by 55 seconds at Bremgarten.
Key Facts
- Date
- 27 May 1951
- Circuit
- Bremgarten Circuit
- Laps
- 42 laps
- Winner
- Juan Manuel Fangio
- Winning margin
- 55 seconds
- Championship round
- Opening race of 1951 World Championship of Drivers
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 1951 Formula One World Championship of Drivers season required an opening round, and the Bremgarten Circuit in Bern, which had hosted the Swiss Grand Prix on ten previous occasions, was selected as the venue for the first race of the calendar year.
On 27 May 1951, Argentine driver Juan Manuel Fangio claimed pole position and won the 42-lap race at Bremgarten by 55 seconds over Piero Taruffi driving for Ferrari. Nino Farina completed the podium in the second Alfa Romeo, marking a dominant performance by Alfa Romeo at the season opener.
Fangio's commanding victory at the Swiss Grand Prix gave him an early lead in the 1951 World Championship of Drivers standings and demonstrated Alfa Romeo's competitiveness against Ferrari, setting the tone for the championship battle that would unfold across the rest of the season.