Alberto Ascari

Ascari was born in Milan, the son of Antonio Ascari, a renowned Grand Prix motor racing legend who raced Alfa Romeos in the 1920s.

Alberto Ascari in a file photo. (Image: Twitter)
By Nilavro Ghosh | Jun 2, 2022 | 4 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

Alberto Ascari was an Italian racing driver who won the Formula One World Championship twice. He was born on July 13, 1918, and died on May 26, 1955. He was a multitalented racer who began his career on motorcycles before moving on to cars. Scuderia Ferrari’s Ascari won two world championships in a row in 1952 and 1953. He was the team’s first World Champion, as well as the last Italian to do so. This was followed with a run in the Indianapolis 500 in 1952. In 1954, Ascari won the Mille Miglia. Until his death, Ascari was known for his meticulous precision and finely-judged accuracy, which made him one of the safest drivers in a deadly age.

Ascari is Ferrari’s only back-to-back World Champion, along with Michael Schumacher. He is also Ferrari’s lone Italian champion. He held the record for most World Championship championships in 1952–54 as the first driver to win multiple World Championship titles; as a result, he is one of only four drivers to have held the record for most World Championship titles.

Alberto Ascari before F1

Ascari was born in Milan, the son of Antonio Ascari, a renowned Grand Prix motor racing legend who raced Alfa Romeos in the 1920s. Antonio Ascari was killed just a fortnight before Alberto’s seventh birthday while leading the French Grand Prix at the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhery in 1925, but the younger Ascari was still interested in racing. He ran away from school twice because he wanted to be a race driver like his father. In his younger years, he used to race motorcycles. At the age of 19, Ascari was contracted by the Bianchi team to ride for them. It was after he competed in the famed Mille Miglia in an Auto Avio Costruzioni 815 given by Enzo Ferrari, his father’s close friend.

F1 debut and teams

Alberto Ascari resumed racing in Grands Prix with the Maserati 4CLT after WWII ended. The FIA introduced Formula One regulations in 1946, with the goal of gradually replacing the pre-war Grand Prix organisation. Ascari was at the height of his game for the next four transitional years, winning numerous events across Europe. The Ferrari team made their World Championship début at Monte Carlo in 1950, with Ascari, Villoresi, and the famed French driver Raymond Sommer on the squad.

For the 1952 World Championship season, the 2-litre Formula Two regulations were implemented, with Ascari driving Ferrari’s Tipo 500 chassis. He was the first European driver to race at Indy during its 11-year stint on the World Championship calendar, but a wheel failure halted his race after 40 laps, leaving him with little to show for his efforts. After returning to Europe, he went on to win the last six rounds of the series, clinching the world championship (along with five non-championship victories) and setting the fastest lap in each race. Because only the best four of eight scores counted towards the World Championship, he earned the maximum number of points a driver could achieve.

To begin the 1953 season, Ascari won three more races in a row, giving him nine straight championship victories (excluding Indy) before his streak came to an end when he placed fourth in France, albeit a close fourth in a highly competitive race. Later in the year, he added two more victories to his tally, giving him a second consecutive World Championship and becoming him the first two-time champion in Formula One history.

Career Stats

Races33
Wins13
Podiums17
Pole positions14
Points107

Alberto Ascari wife

Alberto Ascari was married to Mietta Ascari and the couple had two children together. Alberto was a family man by the end of WWII, having married Mietta and given birth to Patrizia and Antonio, who were named after his famous grandpa. Alberto was planning on not racing again due to his family obligations, but Villoresi encouraged him to do so. They became teammates in Enzo Ferrari’s team in 1949, and Ascari’s dominance earned him the title of Formula One’s first back-to-back champion. He won six of the seven championship races in 1952 with his Ferrari 500. In 1953, he dominated the competition once more, winning five races and strolling to his second consecutive driving championship. Ascari was not only a terrific driver who was recognised by his peers, but he was also a fascinating man who was idolised by a legion of admirers.

Alberto Ascari net worth

Alberto was one of the wealthiest race car drivers and one of the most popular. Alberto Ascari’s net worth is estimated to be over USD 1.5 million, according to sources. He once again dominated the competition, winning five races and cruising to his second consecutive driving title. Ascari was a fascinating character who was idolised by a legion of admirers. He was not only a fantastic driver who was recognised by his peers, but he was also a fascinating human being.