Lancia

Lancia is a Turinese automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia, best known in the context of this vault as the employer of Vittorio Jano from 1937 to 1955 — the years after Jano’s departure from Alfa Romeo. It is also significant for its brief, celebrated return to Grand Prix racing via Scuderia Lancia in 1954–1955 with the Lancia D50, a car whose design was subsequently donated to Scuderia Ferrari and raced as the Ferrari D50/801 through 1957.

Scuderia Lancia was the factory racing arm, operating only from 1954 until Lancia’s financial collapse forced withdrawal from the sport in mid-1955. The D50 — designed by Jano — was among the most technically advanced Formula One cars of its era, with pannier-mounted fuel tanks that formed part of the bodywork structure. The donation of the cars and equipment to Ferrari was a pivotal moment in the history of Grand Prix racing.

Connections

• Vittorio Jano — chief engineer at Lancia 1937–1955; designed the D50, source: wikipedia.org
• Alfa Romeo — recruited Jano away from Alfa in 1937; indirect competitive relationship, source: wikipedia.org
• Scuderia Ferrari — received Lancia D50 cars and engineering data in 1955 following Lancia’s F1 withdrawal, source: wikipedia.org