Nino Farina

Emilio Giuseppe "Nino" Farina (30 October 1906 - 30 June 1966) was an Italian racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1950 to 1955 and became the sport's first World Drivers' Champion. Born in Turin, Italy, into a family with motorsport connections—his uncle was the famous coachbuilder Battista "Pinin" Farina—Nino established himself as one of Italy's leading pre-war racing drivers. Farina signed for Alfa Romeo for the inaugural 1950 Formula One World Championship, joining a legendary team alongside Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli. He made his Formula One debut at the series-opening British Grand Prix at Silverstone on 13 May 1950, a race that became historic as the first World Championship Grand Prix.

Farina won that inaugural race ahead of teammate Fagioli, immediately establishing himself as a championship contender. Throughout the 1950 season, Farina and Fangio engaged in an intense battle for the championship, both driving the dominant Alfa Romeo 158 "Alfetta." Farina took further victories at the Swiss and Italian Grands Prix, demonstrating consistent speed and racecraft. Both drivers finished with three wins, but Farina's superior reliability—completing more races while Fangio retired three times—gave him the championship by three points.

Thus, Farina became the first Formula One World Champion, writing his name into motorsport history. Farina's achievement made him one of only three drivers to win on their World Drivers' Championship début, a distinction he shares with Giancarlo Fisichella and Lewis Hamilton. His driving style was distinctive and unmistakable—he sat almost upright with his arms outstretched, giving him a characteristic appearance that made him instantly recognizable on track. This style, while unorthodox, proved highly effective throughout his career.

In 1953, at age 46 years and 276 days, Farina won the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, becoming the second-oldest Formula One race winner, a record that stood for decades. This victory demonstrated his enduring competitiveness even as younger drivers like Alberto Ascari and Juan Manuel Fangio dominated the championship. Farina competed in Formula One for six seasons, winning five Grands Prix across his career and achieving numerous podium finishes. Beyond Formula One, he competed in various sports car and endurance races, contributing to Italy's motorsport dominance during the 1950s.

Farina was known for his fearlessness and commitment, characteristics that served him well on the dangerous circuits of the 1950s but also led to numerous accidents throughout his career. He suffered several serious injuries during his racing years, including burns from a fiery crash at Monza in 1954 that left permanent scarring. Following his retirement from Formula One in 1955, Farina remained connected to motorsport and continued driving occasionally in non-championship events. Tragically, Emilio "Nino" Farina died on 30 June 1966 when he lost control of his Lotus Cortina on a snow-covered Alpine pass near Chambéry in the French Alps while driving to the French Grand Prix as a spectator.

He was 59 years old. His death came ironically on a public road rather than a racing circuit, ending the life of a driver who had survived the most dangerous era of motorsport only to die in a road accident. Farina is remembered as Formula One's first champion, a driver whose name will forever be associated with the sport's inaugural season and whose upright driving style became an iconic image of 1950s motor racing.