primotipo…

Alfa Romeo’s pre-war design in its various evolutions was the dominant Grand Prix car in the immediate post war period from 1947-1951.

The supercharged 1.5-litre straight-eight powered Voiturette – Alfa’s design team was led by Gioacchino Colombo – initially developed about 200bhp @ 7000rpm in its original 1938-1940 specifications. Postwar, in a relentless ongoing process of chassis and engine development, the engine was tickled up to circa 246bhp in 1946, then 300bhp in the 158/47 spec raced in 1948.

The Motor recognised the achievements of the cars in 1947-48 with this lovely drawing by Harold Bubb published in its April 13, 1949 issue.

Jean-Pierre Wimille won the Unofficial World Championship in 1947 with victories at Bremgarten and Spa, and second placings at Nice and Lausanne. Achille Varzi won at Bari, and Carlo Trossi at Monza in a major rout for the Portello grand-marque where they placed first-fourth; Trossi, Varzi, Consalvo Sanesi and Alessandro Gaboardi.

It was more of the same in 1948 when Wimille won the French and Italian Grands Prix, while Trossi won in Switzerland. In all three races Wimille started from pole and bagged fastest lap. Maserati interloper, Giuseppe Farina won at Monaco, the other Grand Epreuve, aboard a 4CLT. Wimille also won the minor Monza GP in October, again Alfa bagged the first four placings, with Trossi, Sanesi and Piero Taruffi this time the minor placegetters.

For more on Wimille, see here; the Bugatti revue: Remembering Jean Pierre Wimille

Etcetera…

Wimille on the way to a very soggy win at Valentino Park, Turin in September 1948. He won the Italian Grand Prix from Gigi Villoresi, Maserati 4CLT/48 and Raymond Sommer’s Ferrari 125.

The off at Turin, the front row is L>R J-PW and Carlo Trossi’s Alfa 158, Villoresi’s Maserati and Sommer’s Ferrari.

Credits…

Getty Images, Cor Draijer Collection

Tailpiece…

Giuseppe Farina’s Alfa 158 in Geneva during the GP des Nations weekend, July 1946.

Finito…