Lancia Tipo D.50 case history
Author
- Don Capps
Date
- 8W Special, April 6, 2000
Related articles
- Maserati 250F - Classic Red, the Maserati 250F series, by Don Capps
- Alberto Ascari - Cursed natural talent, by Mattijs Diepraam/Felix Muelas/Leif Snellman
- Eugenio Castellotti - The dashing Milanese that stayed young forever, by Mattijs Diepraam/Felix Muelas
- Luigi Villoresi - Ascari's mentor, by Leif Snellman/Robert Blinkhorn
Who?Alberto Ascari What?Lancia D50 Where?Monte Carlo When?1955 Monaco GP |
 |
Why?
For Alberto Ascari things took a nose dive when he famously ploughed his Lancia into the Monaco harbour at this event. A few days later Alberto got killed at Monza during a test drive in Castellotti's new Ferrari sportscar. His civvies did nothing to protect him. At the end of the season Gianni Lancia handed over his cars to Enzo Ferrari and the Lancia-Ferraris triumphed in the 1956 season.
Lancia D.50
Engine: DS.50
Designer: Vittorio Jano
Engine specialist: Ettore Zaccone Mina
Manager of Scuderia Lancia: Attilio Pasquarelli
Lancia e Cia
Lancia Corse, Scuderia Lancia
Via Caraglia, Torino
D.50 and DS.50 specifications
- 73.6mm x 73.1mm for a displacement of 2,497cc (or is it 2,489cc?).
- 90-degree vee-8.
- Dual overhead camshafts.
- Ignition by twin Magneti Marelli magnetos.
- Fours twin-choke, downdraft Solex type 40PII carburetors.
- Mobilgas racing fuel and Mobiloil lubricants.
- Engine set at an angle in the chassis.
- Five speed gearbox in unit with the final drive.
- Space frame chassis with the engine as a stressed member.
- Driveshaft to the left of the driver using offset transaxle input gears.
- Fuel originally carried in sponsons between the wheels, but moved to a fuel tank in the tail by Scuderia Ferrari during the 1956 season.
- Fuel capacity 200 litres (originally 160 litres).
- Front suspension: double wishbones, transverse leaf spring with the upper wishbones having a rocker arm extension operating the in-board shock absorbers.
- Rear suspension: de Dion tube with transverse leaf spring.
- Original weight was 620kg.
- Estimated horsepower estimated at 260bhp.
- Cars designated as the D.50A (for ameliorato, 'improved') for the 1956 season.
- In 1956, new dimensions of 76mm x 68.5mm (2,490cc) used.
- Suspension modified for 1956, with Houdaille lever-arm shock absorbers replacing the original tubular ones front and rear with an anti-roll bar added to the front suspension.
- In 1957, dimensions revised to 80mm x 62mm (2,499cc), estimated 285bhp.
D.50 milestones
- First testing appearance in January 1954 at Casella Aerodrome.
- Lancia e Cia in very serious financial troubles in the Summer of 1955, and the Lancia family sold out to an investment group headed by Carlo Presenti and Fiat owner Agnelli.
- Lancia Corse turned over the D.50 cars of Scuderia Lancia to Scuderia Ferrari of Ferrari Automobili on 26 July 1955. This included six chassis (all but one - some say two - which was retained by Gianni Lancia) and all spares, castings, the transporters, and Jano…
- Fiat guaranteed a five-year subsidy of Scuderia Ferrari racing activities.
- At the 1956 GP de la Republica Argentina at Buenos Aires, Olivier Gendebien drove a Ferrari 555 (chassis 555/4) fitted with a Lancia DS.50 engine.
- Scuderia Ferrari internal designation for 1957 was the Tipo 801, which first appeared at Siracusa.
Chassis available for 1954: 0001, 0002, 0003
Chassis available for 1955: 0002, 0003, 0004, 0005, 0006
Chassis available for 1956: 0001, 0002, 0003, 0005, 0006, 0007, 0008, 0009, 0010
Chassis available for 1957: 0001, 0005, 0006, 0007, 0008, 0009, 0010
Telaio 0001
Scuderia Lancia
- 1954/10/24 Alberto Ascari, GP d'España/ Pedralbes, # 34, retired - clutch
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1956/01/22 T-car for Eugenio Castellotti, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 32T, not used in race
- 1956/02/05 Luigi Musso, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Mendoza, # 34, retired - crash
- 1956/04/15 Luigi Musso, GP di Siracusa/ Siracusa, # 26, 2nd
- 1956/05/05 Peter Collins, International Trophy/ Silverstone, # 2, clutch
- 1956/05 Eugenio Castellotti, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 22, clutch
- 1956/08 T-car, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 1T, not used in practice or the race
- 1957/01/13 Cesare Perdisa/ Wolfgang von Trips/ Peter Collins, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 18, 6th
- 1957/01/27Cesare Perdisa, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 20, Heat 1, 8th
- 1957/01/27 Cesare Perdisa, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 20, Heat 2, 5th
- 1957/0127 Cesare Perdisa, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 20, Overall, 7th
- 1957/07 Luigi Musso, GP de Reims/ Reims, # 2, 1st
Telaio 0002
Scuderia Lancia
- 1954/10/24 Luigi Villoresi, GP d'España/ Pedralbes, #36, retired - brakes
- 1955/01/16 Alberto Ascari, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 32, retired - crash (Sheldon)
- 1955/01/16 Luigi Villoresi, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 34, retired - fuel pipe (Nye)
- 1955/03/27 T-car for Alberto Ascari, GP del Valentino/ Torino, # 6T, not used in race
- 1955/05/22 T-car for Alberto Ascari, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 26T, not used in race
- 1955/06/05 T-car for Eugenio Castellotti, GP de Belgique/ Spa-Francorchamps, # 30T, not used in race
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1956/05/13 Juan Fangio/ Eugenio Castellotti, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 20, 4th
Telaio 0003
Scuderia Lancia
- 1954/10/24 T-car for Ascari and Villoresi, GP d'España/ Pedralbes, # 34T, not used in race
- 1955/01/16 T-car for Alberto Ascari, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 32T, not used in race (Sheldon)
- 1955/01/16 Luigi Villoresi, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 34, retired - fuel pipe (Nye)
- 1955/03/27 Luigi Villoresi, Gran Premio del Valentino/ Torino, # 30, 3rd
- 1955/04/11 Luigi Villoresi, GP de Pau/ Pau, # 8, 4th
- 1955/05/08 Alberto Ascari, GP di Napoli, # 6, 1st
- 1955/05/22 Eugenio Castellotti, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 30, 2nd
- 1955/06/05 Eugenio Castellotti, GP de Belgique/ Spa-Francorchamps, # 30, retired - gearbox
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1955/09/24 Eugenio Castellotti, International Gold Cup/ Oulton Park, # 2, 7th
- 1956/01/22 Luigi Musso/ Juan Fangio, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 34, 1st
- 1956/04/15 Eugenio Castellotti, GP di Siracusa/ Siracusa, # 16, retired - crash
- 1956/05/06 Eugenio Castellotti, GP di Napoli/ Posillipo, retired - oil pump
- 1956/05/13 Luigi Musso, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 24, retired - crash
- 1956/06/03 Eugenio Castellotti, GP de Belgique/ Spa-Francorchamps, # 4, retired - transmission
- 1956/08/05 Luigi Musso/ Eugenio Castellotti, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 4, retired - crash
Telaio 0004
Scuderia Lancia
- 1955/01/16 Luigi Villoresi, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 34, retired - fuel pipe (Sheldon)
- 1955/01/16 Alberto Ascari, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 32, retired - crash (Nye)
- 1955/03/27 Alberto Ascari, GP del Valentino/ Torino, # 6, 1st
- 1955/04/11 Alberto Ascari, GP de Pau/ Pau, # 6, 5th
- 1955/05/08 Luigi Villoresi, GP di Napoli/ Posillipo, # 12, 3rd
- 1955/05/22 Luigi Villoresi, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 28, 5th
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1955/09/11 Luigi Villoresi, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 10, did not start - withdrawn due to tire problems (Englebert tires)
Telaio 0005
Scuderia Lancia
- 1955/01/16 Eugenio Castellotti/ Luigi Villoresi, GP de la Republica Argentina, # 36, retired - crash
- 1955/03/27 Eugenio Castellotti, GP del Valentino/ Torino, # 22, 4th (Sheldon)
- 1955/04/11 Eugenio Castellotti, GP de Pau/ Pau, # 10, 2nd
- 1955/05/22 Louis Chiron, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 32, 6th
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1955/09/11 Giuseppe Farina, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 2, did not start - withdrawn due to tire problems (Englebert tires)
- 1955/09/24 Mike Hawthorn, International Gold Cup/ Oulton Park, # 1, 2nd
- 1956/01/22 Juan Fangio/ Luigi Musso, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 30, retired - fuel pump
- 1956/02/05 Juan Fangio, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Mendoza, # 30, 1st
- 1956/05/13 T-car, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, used in practice by all team drivers, not used in race
- 1957/01/13 Eugenio Castellotti, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 14, retired - hubshaft
- 1957/01/27 Eugenio Castellotti, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 14, Heat 1, 3rd
- 1957/01/27 Eugenio Castellotti/ Luigi Musso, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 14, Heat 2, 7th
- 1957/01/27 Eugenio Castellotti/ Luigi Musso, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 14, Overall, 5th
- 1957/04/07 Luigi Musso, GP di Siracusa/ Siracusa, # 22, 2nd
- 1957/04/28 Mike Hawthorn, GP di Napoli/ Posillipo, 2nd
- 1957/05/19 Mike Hawthorn, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 28, retired - crash
- 195707/07 Mike Hawthorn, GP de l'Automobile Club de France/ Rouen-les-Essarts, # 14, 4th
- 1957/07/14 Olivier Gendebien, GP de Reims/ Reims, # 8, retired - engine
Telaio 0006
Scuderia Lancia
- 1955/05/22 Alberto Ascari, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 26, retired - crashed
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1956/07/01 T-car for Juan Fangio and Peter Collins, GP de l'Automobile Club de France/ Reims, not used in race
- 1956/09/02 Luigi Musso, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 28, retired - steering
- 1957/01/13 Froilan Gonzalez/ Alfonso de Portago, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 20, 5th
- 1957/01/27 Wolfgang von Trips/ Peter Collins, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 22, Heat 1, 9th
- 1957/01/27 Wolfgang von Trips, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 22, Heat 2, 8th
- 1957/01/27 Wolfgang von Trips/ Peter Collins, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 22, Overall, 8th
- 1957/05/19 Maurice Trintignant, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 30, 5th
- 1957/07/07 Maurice Trintignant, GP de l'Automobile Club de France/ Rouen-les-Essarts, # 16, retired - magneto
- 1957/07/14 T-car for Mike Hawthorn, GP de Reims/ Reims, # 6T, not used in race
- 1957/07/20 Maurice Trintignant/ Peter Collins, R.A.C. British GP/ Aintree, # 16, 4th
- 1957/08/05 T-car for Luigi Musso, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 6T, not used in race
- 1957/09/08 Wolfgang von Trips, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 36, 3rd
Telaio 0007
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1956/04/15 Juan Fangio, GP di Siracusa/ Siracusa, # 4, 1st
- 1956/05/05 Juan Fangio, International Trophy/ Silverstone, # 1, retired - clutch
- 1956/05/13 Peter Collins/ Juan Fangio, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 26, 2nd
- 1956/06/03 Paul Frere, GP de Belgique/ Spa-Francorchamps, # 6, 2nd
- 1956/07/01 Alfonso de Portago, GP de l'Automobile Club de France/ Reims, # 16, retired - gearbox
- 1956/07/14 Alfonso de Portago/ Peter Collins, R.A.C. British GP/ Silverstone, # 14, 2nd
- 1956/08/05 Alfonso de Portago/ Peter Collins, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 5, retired - crash
- 1956/09/02 Alfonso de Portago, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 30, retired - tire problem, puncture
- 1957/07/14 Peter Collins, GP de Reims/ Reims, # 4, retired - engine
Telaio 0008
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1956/01/22 Eugenio Castellotti, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 32, retired - gearbox; also used during practice by Juan Fangio
- 1956/02/05 Eugenio Castellotti, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Mendoza, # 32, retired - oil cooler
- 1956/04/15 Peter Collins, GP di Siracusa/ Siracusa, # 28, 3rd
- 1956/05/06 Luigi Musso, GP di Napoli/ Posillipo, retired - engine; also used during practice by Eugenio Castellotti
- 1956/06/03 Peter Collins, GP de Belgique/ Spa-Francorchamps, # 8, 1st
- 1956/07/01 Peter Collins, GP de l'Automobile Club de France/ Reims, # 14, 1st
- 1956/07/14 Peter Collins, R.A.C. British GP/ Silverstone, # 2, retired - oil pressure
- 1956/08/05 Peter Collins, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 2, retired - fuel leak
- 1956/09/02 Peter Collins/ Juan Fangio, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 26, 2nd
- 1957/01/13 Luigi Musso, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 12, retired - clutch
- 1957/01/27 Luigi Musso, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 18, Heat 1, 5th
- 1957/01/27 Peter Collins, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 18, Heat 2, 1st
- 1957/01/27 Luigi Musso/ Peter Collins, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 18, Overall, 3rd
- 1957/04/28 Peter Collins, GP di Napoli/ Posillipo, 1st
- 1957/05/19 Peter Collins, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 26, retired - crash
- 1957/07/07 Peter Collins, GP de l'Automobile Club de France/ Rouen-les-Essarts, # 12, 3rd
- 1957/07/20 Peter Collins, R.A.C. British GP/ Aintree, # 12, retired - radiator pipe
- 1957/08/04 Peter Collins, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 7, 3rd
- 1957/09/08 Peter Collins, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 30, retired -engine, cylinder block
Luigi Musso
- 1957/08/18 Luigi Musso, GP di Pescara/ Pescara, # 34, retired - oil tank
- Officially a private entry since Scuderia Ferrari had officially turned in its competition license to the ACI; however, team manager Amarotti and engineer Bellentani were present along with the usual mechanics from the Scuderia.
Telaio 0009
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1956/06/03 André Pilette, GP de Belgique/ Spa-Francorchamps, # 20, 6th
- 1956/07/01 Eugenio Castellotti, GP de l'Automobile Club de France/ Reims, # 12, 2nd
- 1956/07/14 Eugenio Castellotti/ Alfonso de Portago, R.A.C. British GP/ Silverstone, # 3, 11th
- 1956/08/05 Eugenio Castellotti, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 3, retired - magneto
- 1956/09/02 Eugenio Castellotti, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 24, retired - tire problem, puncture
- 1957/01/13 Peter Collins, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 10, retired - clutch
- 1957/01/27 Peter Collins/ Masten Gregory, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 12, Heat 1, 7th
- 1957/01/27 Masten Gregory, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 12, Heat 2, retired
- 1957/01/27 Peter Collins/ Masten Gregory, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 12, Overall, retired
- 1957/04/07 Peter Collins, GP di Siracusa/ Siracusa, # 32, 1st
- 1957/05/19 Wolfgang von Trips/ Mike Hawthorn, GP de Monaco/ Monte Carlo, # 24, 7th - engine
- 1957/07/14 Mike Hawthorn, GP de Reims/ Reims, # 6, retired - engine
- 1957/07/20 Mike Hawthorn, R.A.C. British GP/ Aintree, # 10, 3rd
- 1957/08/04 Mike Hawthorn, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 8, 2nd
- 1957/09/08 Mike Hawthorn, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 34, 6th
Telaio 0010
Scuderia Ferrari
- 1956/06/03 Juan Fangio, GP de Belgique/ Spa-Francorchamps, # 2, retired - transmission
- 1956/07/01 Juan Fangio, GP de l'Automobile Club de France/ Reims, # 10, 4th
- 1956/07/14 Juan Fangio, R.A.C. British GP/ Silverstone, # 1, 1st
- 1956/0805 Juan Fangio, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 1, 1st
- 1956/09/02 Juan Fangio/ Eugenio Castellotti, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 22, 8th
- 1957/01/13 Mike Hawthorn, GP de la Republica Argentina/ Buenos Aires, # 16, retired - clutch
- 1957/01/27 Mike Hawthorn, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 16, Heat 1, 4th
- 1957/01/27 Mike Hawthorn, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 16, Heat 2, 4th
- 1957/01/27 Mike Hawthorn, GP Ciudad de Buenos Aires/ Buenos Aires, # 16, Overall, 4th
- 1957/07/07 Luigi Musso, GP de l'Automobile Club de France/ Rouen-les-Essarts, # 10, 2nd
- 1957/07/20 Luigi Musso, R.A.C. British GP/ Aintree, # 14, 2nd
- 1957/08/04 Luigi Musso, GP von Deutschland/ Nürburgring, # 6, 4th
- 1957/09/08 Luigi Musso, GP d'Italia/ Monza, # 32, 8th
