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Though his name is Dr.
Emilio Giuseppe Farina, he will always be remembered in the racing world as
'Nino', His claim to fame in Formula 1 is securing the first ever F1 World
Championship, which he accomplished in 1950, though he did so in the twilight of
a career that started in the late 1930's. He was the son of a wealthy
Italian coach building family that gave him the financial backing necessary for
both a career in racing and a doctorate in engineering (though some sources say
political science).
His straight-arm driving style was distinctive, and served as a model to a later
generation of drivers like the great
Stirling Moss. His career, however, would always be
overshadowed by the stars of the day, whether it be
Tazio Nuvolari
and Jean-Pierre
Wimille in 1940's, to
Alberto Ascari and
Juan Manuel Fangio in the 50's. He would
start
Unfortunately, Farina would continue to race on past his prime, and
after his world championship title year of 1950 race wins would be few and far
between. He finally retired in 1955, but ten years later he would be
killed in a road accident while driving to the 1966 French Grand Prix in which
he was to act as a stunt driver for the classic John Frankenheimer film Grand
Prix.
(click
here to see Farina's Pre-F1 profile)
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