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Farina engine blow hands race to Taruffi

May 18, 1952 Piero Taruffi, who would be the winner of the last Mille Miglia in 1957, in conversation on the starting grid © Getty Images

The opening race of the 1952 season saw a massive change resulting from Alfa Romeo's withdrawal. With major worries costs would mean there would not be sufficient entries under the Formula One regulations, the FIA revamped the championship and switched to 2-litre Formula 2 for the season. Ferrari, as expected, still dominated but at least they had some opposition.

The season opener in Switzerland was missing world champion Juan Manuel Fangio who had been left on the sidelines by Alfa's departure, but 1950 champion Nino Farina was present after switching to Ferrari.

It was Farina who looked the man to beat as he took pole and led the early stages of the race but then his engine blew up, and he was forced to sit and wait in the pits to take over Andre Simon's car, and even when he did that too broke down.

Piero Taruffi took the lead in a Ferrari and thereafter the only real opposition came from the Frenchman Jean Behra in the Gordini before he too slowed with an exhaust problem and stopped in the pits. So Taruffi raced to a three-minute victory from local man Rudi Fischer in his Ferrari - the only man not lapped - with the talented Behra a lap behind.

Britain's Ken Wharton driving a Frazer-Nash finished fourth ahead of fellow countryman Alan Brown. Baron de Graffenreid was in the points again with sixth place.

 
Swiss Grand Prix 1952

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