He endured Ferrari’s lowest point – then won two Formula 1 titles. Alberto Ascari brought Ferrari its first F1 world titles—but also holds the team's worst-ever classified result.

Alberto Ascari: The Ferrari Legend Who Claimed Titles and Recorded the Team’s Worst-Ever F1 Result

Ferrari stands as the most iconic and successful team in Formula 1 history. Over the sport’s 75-year existence, no other constructor has amassed more drivers’ or constructors’ world championships than the Prancing Horse. Yet despite the legacy, recent years have seen the team striving to recapture former glories, with the 2025 season proving more challenging than many had anticipated.

Team principal Fred Vasseur currently leads the charge to bring Ferrari back to the top. However, so far, the results have fallen short of expectations. Neither Lewis Hamilton nor Charles Leclerc has managed to secure a single Grand Prix victory this season, and qualifying at Imola marked a historic low for the team, as both drivers failed to make it into the top ten—something rarely seen at their home race.

Ferrari’s history is full of triumphs and setbacks, but few drivers embody both sides of that journey as much as Alberto Ascari. A key figure during the early years of Formula 1, Ascari experienced glory and frustration in equal measure while wearing the famous red overalls.

The Rise of Alberto Ascari: Ferrari’s First F1 Champion
Born in Milan in 1918, Alberto Ascari was part of the pioneering generation of drivers who defined Formula 1’s earliest era. He started his career racing for Maserati and quickly made a name for himself even before Formula 1’s official inception in 1950.

Ascari switched to Ferrari soon after, just as the team was preparing to enter the fledgling championship. Although Ferrari skipped the inaugural race at Silverstone, they joined the grid at the second round in Monaco, entering three cars. Ascari was accompanied by compatriot Luigi Villoresi and Frenchman Raymond Sommer.

While Alfa Romeo’s Juan Manuel Fangio claimed victory that day, Ascari made an immediate impression by finishing second, kickstarting Ferrari’s journey in the sport with a strong result. The Italian went on to win his first race near the end of the 1951 season, setting the stage for two dominant years that would follow.

In 1952, Ascari won the final six races of the season in a row and continued his supremacy into 1953 by claiming five more victories. These achievements made him the first driver in history to win multiple Formula 1 world championships—establishing his place among the sport’s elite.

Stirling Moss, one of the greatest drivers never to win a title, once reflected on Ascari’s brilliance. According to an ESPN interview, Moss remarked that Ascari was more than just good—he was exceptional. He believed Ascari could match Fangio in terms of speed, though he noted the Italian perhaps lacked the refined touch that so famously distinguished the Argentine.

A Record Nobody Wants: Ferrari’s Worst Classified Finish
Despite Ascari’s undeniable talent and success, he also holds an infamous place in Ferrari’s history books. In a strange twist, he is credited with the worst classified finish the Scuderia has ever recorded in Formula 1.

This unlikely record was set at the 1952 Indianapolis 500, which—unlike today—was officially part of the Formula 1 World Championship between 1950 and 1960. Though the event had little crossover with the rest of the F1 calendar, its inclusion meant results counted toward the championship standings.

Ferrari made the rare decision to send a car to compete that year, choosing Alberto Ascari as their representative. He qualified 19th but was forced to retire on lap 40 due to a mechanical issue with the car’s wheel.

Because of the unique rules at Indianapolis, however, every driver who starts the race is officially classified—regardless of whether they finish. As a result, Ascari’s 31st-place finish stands as the worst in Ferrari’s Formula 1 history. Even drivers often criticized for underwhelming performances, such as Luca Badoer, never posted such a low result in red.

Honoring the Legacy of a Champion
Alberto Ascari’s legacy continues to resonate in the world of motorsport. In 2022, James Wood drove a Ferrari 375—Alberto Ascari’s car from that era—at the Goodwood Revival. Wood noted that the car was a masterpiece of engineering, praising the engine’s smoothness and the torque it delivered. He described how, once the power kicked in, the sound transformed into something sharp and powerful—an experience that left anyone who had driven the car completely captivated.

After securing the 1953 world championship, Alberto Ascari left Ferrari to race for Maserati. However, following two disappointing retirements, he briefly returned to Ferrari for the 1954 Italian Grand Prix. Although he started the race from second on the grid, an engine failure forced him to retire, bringing his final Ferrari appearance as a race driver to a premature end.

He would go on to compete for Lancia in the last three Grand Prix races of his career. Tragically, his life and career were cut short in 1955 during a private test session for Ferrari at Monza. Ascari was just 36 years old.

Remembering Ascari’s Place in Ferrari History
Alberto Ascari remains a towering figure in Ferrari’s past—a driver who embodied the passion, ambition, and unpredictability of the Scuderia. He brought the team its first world titles and helped establish Ferrari as a force in Formula 1. Yet, through a unique turn of events, he also holds a record that no other Ferrari driver has matched.

His story is a powerful reminder of both the brilliance and the brutality of motorsport: a world where glory and disappointment often go hand in hand. Ascari’s dual legacy of triumph and infamy makes him one of the most fascinating and unforgettable figures in Ferrari’s illustrious history.