1-193-472 - National Motor Museum/Heritage Images

Alberto Ascari at the wheel of a 4.5 litre Ferrari, Indianapolis, 1952. Ascari missed the Swiss GP, the first race of the 1952 season, as he was away qualifying at Indianapolis, during which he unfortunately suffered a wheel collapse. Enzo Ferrari signed Ascari up in 1949, and he won many races for Ferrari between 1950 and 1952. He was World Champion in 1952 and 1953. In 1952 he won every Grand Prix, and didn't lose a race until the middle of 1953. He performed the unrepeated feat of winning nine straight Grands Prix.