Alfa Romeo P2
 1924 P2 | |
| Category | Grand Prix |
|---|---|
| Constructor | Alfa Romeo |
| Team/s | Alfa Corse |
| Designer | Vittorio Jano |
| Predecessor | Alfa Romeo P1 |
| Successor | Alfa Romeo Tipo A |
| Drivers | 1924 + Antonio Ascari, Giuseppe Campari, Louis Wagner, Ferdinando Minoia, Gastone Brilli-Peri |
| Chassis | |
| Suspension (front) | Rigid Axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, friction shocks |
| Suspension (rear) | Live axle, semi-elliptic leaf springs, friction shocks |
| Engine | Front mounted, Alfa Romeo, Straight-8 Twin Roots Superchargers |
| Gearbox | Alfa Romeo 4 speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 103.5 inches (2,630 mm) |
| Track | Front 51.2 inches (1,300 mm), Rear 47.2 inches (1,200 mm) |
| Dry weight | 614 kg (1,354 lb) |
| Fuel | |
| Tyres | |
| Debut | 1924 Cremona Circuit, Antonio Ascari, 1st |
| Races competed | |
| Constructors' Championships | 1925 Automobile World Championship |
| Drivers' Championships | Not applicable before 1950 |
| Race victories | 15 |
| Last season | 1930 |
The Alfa Romeo P2 won the inaugural Automobile World Championship in 1925, taking victory in two of the four championship rounds when Antonio Ascari drove it in the European Grand Prix at Spa and Gastone Brilli-Peri won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza after Ascari died while leading the intervening race at Montlhery.
Although 1925 brought drastic changes of regulations, from 1924 to 1930 the P2 was victorious in 14 Grands Prix and major events including the Targa Florio. It was one of the iconic Grand Prix cars of the 1920s, along with the Bugatti Type 35, and enabled Alfa Romeo, as world champions, to incorporate the laurel wreath into their logo.
The P2 was introduced by Alfa Romeo for the Circuit of Cremona in northern Italy in 1924, where Antonio Ascari won at over 158 km/h (98 mph), and then went on to win the speed trial at 195 km/h (121 mph). The car was the first creation of Alfa's new designer Vittorio Jano who had been recruited from Fiat by Enzo Ferrari when Nicola Romeo scrapped the P1 after its poor performance in the 1923 Monza Grand Prix against Fiat. The P2 was powered by Alfa's first straight-8 cylinder supercharged engine with 2 carburettors placed after the compressor.
Only 2 of the 6 original models survive, and they can be seen in the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese and the Turin Automobile Museum. The P2 had two body styles using either a cut off or long rear.
One of the P2s was featured on the main sculpture at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed.[1]
Technical data
| Technical data | P2 |
|---|---|
| Engine: | Front mounted 8-cylinder in-line engine |
| displacement: | 1987 cm³ |
| Bore x stroke: | 61 x 85mm |
| Max power: | 140 hp (1924) - 175 hp (1930) |
| Valve control: | 2 overhead camshafts, 2 valves per cylinder |
| Upload: | Roots compressor |
| Gearbox: | 4-speed manual |
| suspension front: | Stiff front axle, longitudinal leaf springs, friction shock absorbers |
| suspension rear: | Stiff rear axle, longitudinal leaf springs, friction shock absorbers |
| Brakes: | Mechanical drum brakes |
| Wheelbase: | 262 cm |
| Dry weight: | About 600 kg |
| Top speed: | About 225 km/h |
Major victories
References
- ^ AUSmotive.com 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed Retrieved 2010-07-01.
- ^ "Alfa Romeo Heritage". ucapusa.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-15. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
External links
- The Golden Age by Leif Snellman Archived 2019-01-03 at the Wayback Machine
