Maserati 250F

The Maserati 250F was a Formula 1 racing car, which was built by Maserati from 1954 to 1958, and came into the World Cup for use. Juan Manuel Fangio in 1957 250F on a Formula 1 World Champion

Basics

The Maserati 250F was one of the best and most durable Formula 1 cars of the Grand Prix history. The planning Maserati originally provided to develop the car only for use by privateers. Since these teams acted with limited financial and technical resources, just had to be constructed of the bolide.

Initially, the 250F was designated as 6C2500. After the first test drives he was designated 250F. The number " 250 " stood for the engine capacity of 2500 cc and the "F" for the formula. The base of the Maserati 250F was A6GCM. So of the 33 units had been built five were derived from this model and the A6GCM to 250F rebuilt. 22 units were planned from the beginning and were also prepared, six 250F were conversions of existing cars, which were only renumbered.

Technology

Vittorio Bellentani and Gioacchino Colombo agreed on the outline of the car. The six-cylinder engine was derived from the engine of the A6GCM. The cast iron cylinder liners are inserted in a, in an oil bath heated to 160 degrees aluminum engine block. The compression was 12:1. Two overhead camshafts moving two valves per cylinder. The four-speed gearbox fitted at the rear in order to achieve an optimal weight distribution. The tube frame wore a front axle with coil springs and lever shock absorbers. Rear had the 250F a De Dion axle with transverse leaf springs and lever shock absorbers. The body with a cockpit, which also gave the driver more space than comparable race cars of the era, delivered Fantuzzi.

1954

The 250F made ​​his debut at the Grand Prix of Argentina in 1954 with Juan Manuel Fangio at the wheel. Fangio, Maserati soon afterwards left to switch to Mercedes Benz, drove the 250F as an unofficial unit carriage and made for a perfect first victory. Also at the second race in Belgium Fangio was successful. These successes led Maserati to launch an official works team into life what it made ​​the work difficult, however, to fulfill all customer orders within the stipulated time. Therefore, recourse was had to the five A6GCM and this converted into 250F. These cars were, mainly because of the outdated chassis, but inferior to the new 250F. Recognize you could see the converted A6GCM to the outside of the body extending tie rods. Stirling Moss drove a privateer almost the entire season a 250F in the World Cup. To work team was next to Luigi Musso, Roberto Mieres and Onofre Marimon and Harry Schell.

1955

Even before 1955 Maserati Mercedes-Benz tested a Bosch injection. Although the injection initially was not used, the findings incorporated in the injection systems that were installed in Maserati sports car. The gearbox received a fifth gear and the outer dimensions were slightly reduced. Fantuzzi constructed a new, more favorable body fluid that came with the chassis number 2518 in the car for use. The new works driver Jean Behra was so fourth in the Italian Grand Prix. Against the racing car from Mercedes- Benz, the 250F remained throughout the season but without a win.

1956

The experiments with the fuel injection in 1956 showed the first fruits. A by a chain driven by the pump cam shaft is incorporated into the 250F. The chassis was modified. The engine was mounted rotated by six degrees, which allows the propeller shaft past the left of the driver's seat and the driver's seating position could be lowered. Stirling Moss, now works driver at Maserati, won the Monaco Grand Prix and the Grand Prix of Italy on the high- speed track in Monza.

1957

For the 1957 season Maserati designed a new space frame made ​​from thin steel tubes. The exhaust pipes were left out of the driver's windshield over backwards and united that led there to a single tube, to behind the rear wheels. The drum brakes have been revised. These improvements made ​​the 250F to the extraordinary vehicle with which Juan Manuel Fangio import his fifth world title. Maserati was already working on a V12 engine, which should extend the life of the 250F further than the team management announced after winning the title by Fangio for financial reasons, the resolution of the factory teams.

1958

1958 Maserati built three 250F with the six-cylinder engine, which were delivered to customers. Without the professional support of the Maserati racing department, these cars were the competition now but inferior. The U.S. Temple Buell team with Carroll Shelby and Masten Gregory had no more success with the 250F.