Description
Fangio Movie Poster Una Vita a 300 All’ora – Averado Ginello
The stunning motor racing poster was created by André Bermond to promote the 1950 Pau Grand Prix. Its dramatic, dynamic image offers a thrilling sight as two magnificent cars hurtle down the side of a mountain. The two finely tuned machines provided a breathtaking scene, as they navigate the mountainside roads. The tenacity of the driver in the blue Talbot-Lago T26C has the edge. However, the sleeky design of the red Ferrari is catching up fast and has drawn almost neck and neck as they descend the race track at Pau.
The two race cars roar past the enduring Château de Pau. The backdrop of the Middle Age castle provides a stunning contrast with the intense action portrayed on-track. The poster’s design is heightened by the view of the majestic snow-capped mountain peaks of Piz du Midi du Pau towering over the course. The poster reads 10 Avril 1950. Grand Prix Automobile. Pau. The artist’s signature appears in the lower left-hand corner.
The drivers’ skills are thoroughly being put to the test on the fast and dangerous course, as they vie to be the first to the finish line. The poster provides a stunning representation of the sheer power and performance emanating from these cars. It’s a dream poster for race enthusiasts.
The 1950 Pau Grand Prix
The 1950 Pau Grand Prix was a historic Formula One event held in the town of Pau, located in southwestern France. Held on the 2nd of April 1950, the officially named XI Grand Prix Automobile de Pau brought together some of the world’s best automobile racers to compete for supremacy on a six and a half kilometre Pau race circuit.
Widely considered the street race of all street races and a real test of man and machine. The course winds its way through the streets of Pau. Races in the Pyrenees city have been wowing drivers and spectators alike since the 1930s and with its combination of twists and turns, camber changes and kerb-ridden chicanes, Pau has long been considered a greater challenge than even Monte Carlo. In 2021, Autocar magazine included the Pau Grand Prix in its list of “The 10 best street circuits in the world”.
The Pau Grand Prix served as the first FIA sanctioned Formula One race of the 1950 season. It was run over 110 laps of the 2.7km street circuit. A total distance of 1,720 miles running through the quays, gardens, and boulevards of the Pyrenees city.
Entries for the race were entered by the Italian teams Scuderia Ferrari, Officine Alfieri and Scuderia Milano. Argentina was represented by Scuderia Achille Varzi. The French contingency was the largest and consisted of Equipe Gordini and five other private entries. The race was made up of four Talbot-Lago T26Cs, three Simca-Gordini T15s and four Maseratis, three 4CLT/50s and a CLT/48.
Thirteen of the world’s best racing drivers lined up on the grid, including Maurice Trintignant, Louis Chiron, Alberto Ascari, José González, Luigi Villoresi and the previous year’s Pau Grand Prix winner Jean Manuel Fangio.
As the cars peeled away from the starting line in front of an excited and enthusiastic 40,000-strong crowd, Fangio got off to the best start, but the superior acceleration of the Ferrari saw the cars of Villoresi and Sommer fly past Fangio’s Maserati, in a move that looked like setting the tone for the entire race. The first fifteen laps saw Sommer lead the race. He was closely followed by Villoresi with a determined Fangio giving chase in third.
Fangio battled fiercely with the two Ferraris and managed to regain the lead on Lap 15. His heated rival Sommer remained close, nipping at the wheels of the Maserati, even racing side by side in the corners in his attempts to overtake him for first place. A series of poor pit stops, especially for Fangio and Sommer saw the race positions change again. Villoresi was now in the lead with Fangio in second. Rosier had moved into third place ahead of Sommer.
Although Villoresi was able to stay ahead of Fangio for a short time, it wasn’t long before he passed the Ferrari and began to pull away. Fangio took a commanding win, 30 seconds ahead of Villoresi’s Ferrari. The Frenchman Louis Rosier, gave a magnificent performance in his Talbot-Lago and came in third.
Fangio went on to dominate the first decade of Formula 1 racing winning the World Drivers Championship five times in the decade.
