From Ferrari Wiki
Ferrari 125 F1
| Automotive industry | Ferrari |
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| Production | 1948–1950 |
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| Successor | Ferrari 275 F1 |
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| Car classification | Formula One car |
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| Internal combustion engine | 1.5 L Colombo 125 V12 |
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| Wheelbase | 2160 mm (85 in)
2320 mm (91 in) |
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| Length | 3685 mm (145 in) |
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| Width | 1400 mm (55 in) |
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| Height | 1025 mm (40 in) |
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| Curb weight | 710 kg (1565 lb) |
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| Automotive design | Gioacchino Colombo |
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- See also the 125 S, a sports racer sharing the same engine
The 125 F1 was Ferrari's first Formula 1 car. It shared its engine with the 125 S sports racer which preceded it by a year, but was developed at the same time by Enzo Ferrari and famed designer, Gioacchino Colombo.
The 125 F1 used a Supercharged 1.5 L V12 engine and sported a steel tube-frame chassis with longitudinal and cross members[1]. It had a Double wishbone suspension with a transverse Leaf spring in front and a Torsion bar in the rear which was upgraded to a De Dion tube for 1950. Worm and sector steering and four-wheel Drum brake were the norm for the time. The 2160 mm (85 in) wheelbase was uprated to 2320 mm (91 in) in the 1949 redesign.
The 125 F1 was powered by Gioacchino Colombo's 1.5 L (1497 cc/91 in³) 60° V12. It had a Single overhead camshaft on each bank of cylinders with a 60° angle between the two banks. The engine had two valves per cylinder fed through one Weber 40DOC3 or 50WCF Carburettor. With just a 6.5:1 Compression ratio, the supercharged engine still produced 230 hp (172 kW) at 7000 rpm. However, the Roots-type single-stage supercharger was incapable of producing the high-end power required to compete with the strong eight-cylinder Alfa Romeo 158 and four-cylinder Maserati 4CLT. Strong driving and a nimble chassis, however, allowed the company to place third in its first outing, at the Valentino Grand Prix on September 5, 1948, and the company persevered in racing.
For 1949, the engine was further modified with Dual overhead camshaft (though still two valves per cylinder) and a two-stage supercharger. This combination gave the car better top-end performance and the resulting 280 hp (209 kW) gave it five Grand Prix wins. Development continued the following year, but the problematic superchargers were dropped in favor of larger displacement and Lampredi's 275 engine superseded the original Ferrari engine.
Racing
The 125 F1 debuted at the Valentino Grand Prix on September 5, 1948. Three cars were fielded, with drivers Prince Bira of Siam, Nino Farina, and Raymond Sommer who placed third in the race.
Victories
| Date | Location | Driver
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| October 24, 1948 | Garda Circuit, Salò | Giuseppe Farina
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| July 3, 1949 | Switzerland Grand Prix, Bern | Alberto Ascari
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| July 31, 1949 | Zandvoort Grand Prix | Luigi Villoresi
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| August 20, 1949 | Daily Express Trophy, Silverstone Circuit | Alberto Ascari
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| September 11, 1949 | Italian Grand Prix, Autodromo Nazionale Monza | Alberto Ascari
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| September 25, 1949 | Masaryk Circuit, Brno | Peter Whitehead
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| July 13, 1950 | Jersey Road Race | Peter Whitehead
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| August 12, 1950 | Ulster Trophy, Dundrod | Peter Whitehead
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| October 1, 1950 | Interstate Race, Autódromo José Carlos Pace | Francisco Landi
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| January 25, 1951 | São Paulo Grand Prix | Francisco Landi
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| May 20, 1951 | Governador Noguera Garcez Race, Autódromo José Carlos Pace | Francisco Landi
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| June 28, 1951 | Bõa Vista Grand Prix, Rio de Janero | Francisco Landi
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References
- Ascerbi, Leonardo (2006). Ferrari: A Complete Guide to All Models. Motorbooks. ISBN 0-7603-2550-2.
Sources
| Cars that competed in the 1950 Formula One season (ex. Indianapolis 500) |
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| Alfa Romeo 158/159 Alfetta • Alfa Romeo 158/159 Alfetta • Alta GP • Cooper T12 • ERA A-type • ERA B-type • ERA E-type • Ferrari 125 • Ferrari 166 F2 • Ferrari 275 F1 • Ferrari 375 • Maserati 4CL • Maserati 4CLT • Maserati 4CL and 4CLT • Simca-Gordini T15 • Talbot-Lago T26C |
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| Cars that competed in the 1951 Formula One season (ex. Indianapolis 500) |
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| Alfa Romeo 158/159 Alfetta • Alta GP • BRM P15 • ERA B-type • Ferrari 125 • Ferrari 212 • Ferrari 375 • Hersham and Walton Motors • Maserati 4CL • Maserati 4CLT • OSCA 4500G • Simca-Gordini T11 • Simca-Gordini T15 • Talbot-Lago T26C • Vanwall • Veritas (automobile) |
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| Cars that competed in the 1952 Formula One season (ex. Indianapolis 500) |
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| Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau • Alta F2 • Aston Butterworth • BMW Eigenbau • Cisitalia D46 • Connaught Type A • Cooper T20 • ERA G-type • Ferrari 125 • Ferrari 166 F2 • Ferrari 212 • Ferrari 500 • Frazer-Nash FN48 • Frazer-Nash 421 • Gordini T16 • Hersham and Walton Motors • Maserati 4CLT • Maserati A6GCM • OSCA 20 • Simca-Gordini T11 • Simca-Gordini T15 • Veritas (automobile) • Veritas (automobile) |
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