Great Read: Stylish daredevil was F1's first champion

The forgotten charismatic hero   ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ View in browser View in browser ARTICLES MAGAZINE SHOP DATABASE SHOP ARCHIVE Giuseppe Farina: Stylish daredevil who snatched F1's first world title September 2025 | Matt Bishop Monza was the scene of Formula 1's first climatic title showdown on this day in 1950 and the result, after 80 laps, saw Giuseppe Farina crowned as the very first world champion. But, as today's Great Read explores, the charismatic - and somewhat strange - Italian is now largely a forgotten hero. Travel back with me, if you will, to a late-summer Sunday, in northern Italy. The skies above Monza are shimmering with a metallic light, that singular Lombardy haze that blends the heat of August’s embers with a cool hint of autumn. But no-one is talking about the weather, for three men are standing on the cusp of seizing for themselves something that, although newly born, already promises them immortality: the first ever Formula 1 world championship. READ MORE MEMORABILIA Andrew Francis Why Formula 1 trophies can be harder to value than the cars that won them Racing trophies rarely follow the normal rules of collecting, with modern silverware largely locked away by teams while older pieces can acquire a very different value through their links to drivers, races and remarkable histories. READ MORE PODCAST Motor Sport F1 Show Podcast: Why no team can hold on to F1's fastest car title in 2026 F1 Show with Mark Hughes Formula 1's fastest car keeps changing - is Ferrari's Monza upgrade about to hand it over again? WATCH NOW PODCAST Motor Sport F1 Show Podcast: Why no team can hold on to F1's fastest car title in 2026 F1 Show with Mark Hughes Formula 1's fastest car keeps changing - is Ferrari's Monza upgrade about to hand it over again? WATCH NOW F1 Pablo Elizalde Free within Monza's pressure cooker: how a year changed Antonelli's mindset Two years after crashing out of his Mercedes Formula 1 debut at Monza, Antonelli returns as championship leader, and says he has a lot less to prove. READ MORE F1 Pablo Elizalde Temple of Clipping? Why Monza is F1 2026's hardest test Monza's long straights were made for speed. At the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, they will be where F1's power units are tested hardest of all. READ MORE F1 Pablo Elizalde Temple of Clipping? Why Monza is F1 2026's hardest test Monza's long straights were made for speed. At the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, they will be where F1's power units are tested hardest of all. READ MORE ADVERTISEMENT Some of the incredible offerings available at The Signature Store website Ayrton Senna, McLaren MP4/4, 1/43 Minichamps signed by Ayrton Senna BUY NOW Williams FW11, 1/18 MCG new release signed by Nigel Mansell BUY NOW Signed James Bond FDC signed by Dame Shirley Bassey BUY NOW McLaren 1/2 scale helmet 2019 signed by Carlos Sainz BUY NOW Full-size Ferrari F2007 steering wheel signed by Kimi Raikkonen BUY NOW Nigel Mansell signed 'taxi for Senna' limited photograph BUY NOW McLaren MP4/4, 1/43 Minichamps signed by Ayrton Senna BUY NOW Williams FW11, 1/18 MCG new release signed by Nigel Mansell BUY NOW Signed James Bond FDC signed by Dame Shirley Bassey BUY NOW McLaren 1/2 scale helmet 2019 signed by Carlos Sainz BUY NOW Update your content preferences UPDATE NOW Connect with us We now accept © 2025 Motor Sport Magazine, All rights reserved. Motor Sport Magazine, 18-20 Rosemont Road, London, NW3 6NE. © 2025 Motor Sport Magazine, All rights reserved. Motor Sport Magazine,  18-20 Rosemont Road, London, NW3 6NE. Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy