Giuseppe Farina

Early years

Born in Turin, Farina was the son of Giovanni Carlo Farina, who founded the Stabilimenti Farina coachbuilder. At age nine he began driving a two-cylinder Temperino. He earned a Doctor of Political Science, though some sources say engineering, and excelled in skiing, football, and athletics. He left a cavalry officer career with the Italian army to pursue motor racing.

While still a university student, Farina bought a second-hand Alfa Romeo and entered the 1925 Aosta-Gran San Bernardo Hillclimb. Attempting to beat his father, he crashed, breaking his shoulder and receiving facial cuts; his father finished fourth. During 1933 and 1934, he raced Maseratis and Alfa Romeos for Gino Rovere and Scuderia Subalpina, befriending Tazio Nuvolari, who guided his early career. In 1935 he drove for the factory Maserati team, impressing Enzo Ferrari, who recruited him for Scuderia Ferrari.

Driving an Alfa Romeo 8C, Farina finished second in the Mille Miglia after driving through the night without lights. He also raced in the U.S. for Alfa Romeo in the Vanderbilt Cups of 1936 and 1937. He won his first Grand Prix at the 1937 Grand Prix of Naples. Farina was noted for his driving style and intelligence but had a petulant streak and disregard for competitors.

He was involved in two fatal accidents: in 1936 at the Grand Prix de Deauville, his collision with Marcel Lehoux caused Lehoux's death; in 1938 at the Gran Premio di Tripoli, a collision with László Hartmann resulted in Hartmann's death the following day.

Post-World War II career

After World War II, Farina returned to Alfa Corse to drive the 158, winning the 1946 Grand Prix des Nations. He left Alfa Corse after a disagreement over team leadership and sat out the 1947 season. In 1948 he drove a privately entered Maserati and a works Ferrari, marrying Elsa Giaretto; three days after their wedding, he flew to Argentina and won the Gran Premio Internacional del General San Martín in his Maserati 8CL. Returning to Europe, he won the Grand Prix des Nations and the 1948 Monaco Grand Prix.

Using the Ferrari 125, he won the Circuito di Garda and then the Copa Acción San Lorenzo in February 1949. The rest of 1949 he raced Maseratis for Scuderia Milano and Scuderia Ambrosiana, and in his own 4CLT/48, winning the Lausanne Grand Prix before being re-signed by Alfa Corse. In 1950 he returned to Alfa Romeo for the inaugural FIA World Championship of Drivers. He won the opening race at Silverstone, with teammates Luigi Fagioli and Reg Parnell completing an Alfa Romeo 1–2–3 finish.

At Monaco eight days later, a first-lap pile-up saw Farina spin out. He won the Swiss Grand Prix, beating Fagioli, then finished fourth at Spa-Francorchamps with transmission problems. At that stage, Farina led the championship with 22 points, ahead of Fagioli on 18 and Juan Manuel Fangio on 17.

Death

After hanging up his helmet, Farina worked with Alfa Romeo and Jaguar dealerships and later lent a hand at the Pininfarina workshop. He died instantly when his Lotus Cortina skidded off the road near Aiguebelle in the Savoy Alps, striking a telegraph pole while en route to the 1966 French Grand Prix. He was heading there not only to watch the race but also to serve as a driving double and advisor for actor Yves Montand, who played a former World Champion in the film Grand Prix.