Nino Emilio Guiseppe Farina

Name: Giuseppe Farina

Nationality: Italy

Date of birth: October 30, 1906 - Turin

Date of death: June 30, 1966 - Chambery, France

Giuseppe Farina was a cold and rather emotionless competitor who was 44-years old when it fell to him to win the first official World Championship in 1950 at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 158. This Italian doctor of engineering - son of one of the founders of the famous Farina coach building company - started racing in 1932 at the wheel of an Alfa Romeo. He soon switched his allegiance to Maserati and eventually drove the Scuderia Ferrari-entered Alfa 158s in the 1938 and 39 seasons, more than a decade before their derivatives carried him to his title glory. Farina was widely credited with having pioneered the relaxed, arm-stretched driving style which would later be emulated by Stirling Moss. In the immediate postwar period he drove an independent Maserati, winning the 1948 Monaco Grand Prix before rejoining Alfa as team leader two years later and winning three Grands Prix. By 1951 Farina, who was one of the more accident-prone drivers of his era, found himself now consistently eclipsed by Fangio and, although he soldiered on to the end of 1955, there were precious few more victories ahead. The veteran Italian was killed in a road accident on his way to visiting the 1966 French Grand Prix a few months before his 60th birthday.

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