1952 Ferrari Tipo 500 Rick Hall, Turn 6 Phillip Island.
Story and Photos by Vince Johnson
It has been sixty years since Alberto Ascari won not only his first Formula 1 World Championship, but Ferrari’s as well. It was fitting that the car which gave him nine straight victories during 1952-53 should fire up in Australia a week before the start of the 2012 F1 season. This was not the first time this car had run down under.
After earning Ascari his second championship, chassis number 5 (0480) was sold to Australia’s first F1 driver, ex-WW2 Spitfire Squadron Leader Tony Gaze. Gaze’s debut in the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa on 22 June had also been the first outing for this very car. The factory fitted it with a new 3-liter 750 Monza engine for Gaze and it won races in South Africa and New Zealand. In 1956 Gaze sold it to Australian Lex Davison. The Ferrari continued its winning ways with six major victories, including consecutive Australian Grand Prix successes in 1957-58 before leaving Australia in the 60’s. Its return after five decades created a hive of interest in the pits and on the track at this year’s Phillip Island Classic held in March.