Fiat Formula 1 Engine
Founder: Giovanni Agnelli (1866-1945)
Nation: Italy
First GP: Never qualified
Last GP: Never qualified
Best Result: DNQ (Did Not Qualify)
Best Grid Position: DNQ
Technical Specifications
Fiat 1.1L Inline-4 (1950)
Configuration: Inline-4
Displacement: 1,100 cm³
Power: ≈60 hp (estimated)
Design: Derived from Fiat 1100 road car
Weight: Heavy for F1 standards
Historical Context
Post-War Experiment
Developed during Italy’s post-WWII reconstruction when resources were scarce
Against Titans
Faced superior Alfa Romeo (350hp) and Ferrari (300hp) engines
The 1950 Monaco GP Attempt
- Driver: Consalvo Sanesi (Italian test driver)
- Car: Fiat-powered Cisitalia D46
- Result: Failed to qualify by significant margin
- Performance Gap: ≈15 seconds per lap slower than pole position
Technical Legacy
Indirect Ferrari Connection
Fiat later became Ferrari’s parent company (1969-present)
Road Car Technology
Engine development benefited Fiat’s production vehicles
“The Fiat effort was more symbolic than competitive – a statement that Italian engineering would return to motorsport despite the war’s devastation.” – Motorsport Historian
Why It Didn’t Continue
Technical Limitations
1.1L engine severely underpowered against 1.5L supercharged and 4.5L naturally aspirated competitors
Corporate Priorities
Fiat focused on mass-producing affordable cars for Italy’s reconstruction
Alfa Romeo Dominance
Italian rival’s superior F1 program made competition futile
