Italian Grand Prix 1951 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Alberto Ascari dominated the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 16, 1951, delivering a commanding performance before the passionate tifosi to complete Ferrari's hat-trick of victories and keep his fading championship hopes alive. The Italian ace led from start to finish at the cathedral of speed, his Ferrari 375 F1's superior power allowing him to control the race on Monza's long straights and fast corners. The victory sent the home crowd into raptures, celebrating Ferrari's complete reversal of fortune after two years of playing second fiddle to Alfa Romeo.

José Froilán González secured another Ferrari 1-2 finish with a strong drive to second place, though he finished nearly a minute behind his inspired teammate. Giuseppe Farina and Felice Bonetto shared third place for Alfa Romeo after swapping cars during the race, salvaging some pride for the Italian manufacturer on home soil. However, the day belonged entirely to Ferrari, whose dominance at Monza demonstrated how far they had progressed since González's breakthrough victory at Silverstone. Alfa Romeo's era of supremacy was clearly ending, with their aging 159 model now comprehensively outpaced by Ferrari's more modern design.

Fangio's championship challenge suffered a devastating blow when his Alfa Romeo suffered mechanical failure early in the race, forcing him into an agonizing retirement. The Argentine could only watch from the pits as Ascari closed the points gap, setting up a tense finale at the Spanish Grand Prix. However, Fangio's earlier consistency had built a comfortable cushion, and he arrived at the final round as favorite to claim his first title. The race also marked the end of an era for Alfa Romeo, who announced they would withdraw from Formula 1 after the Spanish Grand Prix, unable to justify the enormous costs required to develop a new car competitive with Ferrari. Their brief but glorious championship campaign had produced two titles and established the benchmark for Grand Prix excellence, but the financial realities made continuation impossible.