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Scuderia Ferrari driver José Froilan Gonzalez behind the wheel... (source: Autosport.com) |
Although I suppose it’s lurking around somewheres in the dark nether regions of trivial information... I’ll admit I’d forgotten ‘bout la Scuderia’s (Scuderia Ferrari) debutant Grand Prix victory having occurred exactly sixty years ago – no less then at BLOODY Silverstone a Fortnight ago, albeit a very different Silverstone layout indeed - when a very fresh faced ‘Hobbo, aka David Hobbs raced ‘round Hay bales; Hya! But I digress...
Yet what I do recall is that in what would become his continual temperament throughout his career, "il Commendatore," nee Enzo Ferrari went against the grain at the time – when everyone was running Supercharged 1.5-liter powerplants, Enzo opted for the 4.5-liter Normally aspirated engine route instead. As I’ve read that Enzo believed that the chassis served as nothing more then a platform to carry his powerful ‘lumps! (Engines)
José Froilan Gonzalez – who was nicknamed “ElCabezon” (Fat Head) and “The Pampus Bull”due to his girth – so stunned Ferrari team leader Alberto Ascari with his speed, who’d fallen out during the British Grand Prix, stood down in order to let Gonzalez continue leading fellow Argentinean countryman Juan Manuel Fangio, instead of requiring Froilan to pit and hand over his car – which was common practice back in the day...
Gonzalez’s girth aside, as Enzo bemoaned how such a jolly man could drive a racecar so fast, obviously was pleasantly surprised by Froilan’s win, whilst Ascari’s friend and la Scuderia teammate Luigi Villoresi finished third – with Fangio the meat in a Ferrari F1 sandwich some sixty years ago…
And I’ve read somewhere’s that ‘ElCabezon was also reputedly piloting an older Ferrari 375 that day and was unaware that his prized Ferrari is owned by none other than Uncle Bernaughty (Bernard Ecclestone) who prior to having Ferdi-the-Putz (Alonso) chauffer said historic Grand Prix racecar around Silverstone, had allowed Der TERMINATOR, aka M. Schumacher the privledge ten years prior on the 50th Anniversary of said victory...