Maserati 250F

Mechanical details

The 250F principally used the SSG, 220 bhp (at 7400rpm) 2493 cc capacity 84 x Maserati A6 straight-six engine, ribbed 13.4" drum brakes, wishbone independent front suspension, a De Dion tube axle, Borrani 16" & 17" wheels and Pirelli Stella Bianca tyres. It was built by Gioacchino Colombo, Vittorio Bellentani and Alberto Massimino; the tubular work was by Valerio Colotti. A streamlined version with bodywork which partially enclosed the wheels (similar to the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 "Typ Monza") was used in the 1956 French Grand Prix.

Images

Maserati 250 F, Bj. 1958, re. hi. (2011-08-13 Sp).JPG|Maserati 250F Maserati 250F engine.jpg|straight 6 Maserati 250 F Maserati 250 F, Bj. 1958, Cockpit (2011-08-13 Sp).JPG|Cockpit Maserati works team Aintree 1957.jpg|Works team at Aintree, 1957 Fangio & Maserati 250F.jpg|Fangio and 250F Maserati 250F Monoposto Competizione - 52029916773.jpg|Maserati 250F v12 at the Umberto Panini museum

Racing history

The 250F first raced in the 1954 Argentine Grand Prix where Juan Manuel Fangio won the first of his two victories before he left for the new Mercedes-Benz team. Fangio won the 1954 Drivers' World Championship, with points gained with both Maserati and Mercedes-Benz; Stirling Moss raced his own privately owned 250F for the full 1954 season. Prince Bira was another driver favouring the 250F.

In 1955 a 5-speed gearbox; SU fuel injection (240 bhp) and Dunlop disc brakes were introduced. Jean Behra drove this in a five-member works team which included Luigi Musso.

In 1956 Stirling Moss won the Monaco and Italian Grands Prix, both in a works car.

In 1956 three 250F T2 cars first appeared for the works drivers. Developed by Giulio Alfieri using lighter steel tubes they sported a slimmer, stiffer body and sometimes the new 315 bhp V12 engine of 2491 cc capacity 68.7 x, although it offered little or no real advantage over the older straight 6. It was later developed into the 3 litre V12 that won two races powering the Cooper T81 and T86 from 1966 to 1969, the final "Tipo 10" variant of the engine having three valves and two spark plugs per cylinder.

In 1957 Juan Manuel Fangio drove to four more championship victories, including his final win at German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring (Aug. 4, 1957), where he overcame a 48-second deficit in 22 laps, passing the race leader, Mike Hawthorn, on the final lap to take the win. In doing so he broke the lap record at the Nürburgring, 10 times.

By the 1958 season, the 250F was totally outclassed by the new rear engined F1 cars. However, the car remained a favourite with the privateers, including Maria Teresa de Filippis, and was used by back markers through the 1960 F1 season, the last for the 2.5 litre formula.

In total, the 250F competed in 46 Formula One championship races with 277 entries, leading to eight wins. Success was not limited to World Championship events with 250F drivers winning many non-championship races around the world.

Stirling Moss later said that the 250F was the best front-engined F1 car he drove.

World Championship wins

Non-World Championship wins

References

Notes

Bibliography

• David McKinney, Maserati 250F,

References

1. Grand Prix Data Book, David Hayhoe & David Holland, 2006
2. https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4752/Cooper-T81-Maserati.html
3. bitsmartuk. (13 May 2008). "Martin Brundle drives a Maserati 250f".