The Ferrari 500 F2 defined a brief but absolute chapter in grand prix history. Designed by Aurelio Lampredi around a 1984 cc inline-four with twin overhead camshafts producing approximately 185 bhp, it competed across two full World Championship seasons under Formula 2 regulations — winning every round of the 1952 World Championship and dominating much of 1953, though not every round that year. GP Replicas has rendered Taruffi's specific entry from the 1952 French Grand Prix in 1:12 resin, a scale that rewards close inspection in a way that smaller formats simply cannot match.
Lampredi's Four-Cylinder Formula
The Type 500 chassis combined a tubular ladder frame with a De Dion rear axle and transverse leaf springs — a layout chosen for its predictability over the variable surface circuits of the early 1950s. The front-mounted inline-four displaced 1984 cc, keeping the car within Formula 2 limits while the FIA ran the championship to those regulations in 1952 and 1953. Scuderia Ferrari took the top four positions at multiple rounds of the 1952 season, a level of dominance that remains without precedent across a full championship year.
Taruffi at Rouen-les-Essarts, 6 July 1952
Piero Taruffi was a full Scuderia Ferrari works driver in 1952, lining up alongside Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Farina. At the French Grand Prix held at Rouen-les-Essarts on 6 July, Ascari took victory while Taruffi crossed the line third in car No. 12. The Ferrari entries ran in unsponsored Rosso Corsa, race number 12 carried on the nose and flanks — a livery presentation unchanged from the pre-war Italian racing tradition that Ferrari maintained into the 1950s. Taruffi is among the less frequently represented works drivers of this championship era, giving this particular variant genuine distinction within a field dominated by Ascari renditions.
GP Replicas and the 1:12 Scale Model
GP Replicas specialises in historic Formula 1 subjects produced as large-format resin models, with 1:12 as their primary scale. Resin construction allows sharper panel definition and finer surface texture than pressure-cast alloy, and at 1:12 every element of the period bodywork, cockpit and mechanical detail is accessible to inspection. This release covers the Taruffi No. 12 variant from the 1952 French Grand Prix as a discrete entry within the GP Replicas Ferrari 500 F2 series, each variant tied to a specific driver, event and race number.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What was the Ferrari 500 F2?
The Ferrari 500 F2 was a front-engined Formula 1 car designed by Aurelio Lampredi, using a 1984 cc inline-four with twin overhead camshafts. It won every round of the 1952 World Championship and dominated 1953, though it did not win every round that year, competing under Formula 2 regulations.
How did Piero Taruffi finish at the 1952 French Grand Prix?
Taruffi finished third at Rouen-les-Essarts on 6 July 1952, driving Ferrari 500 F2 No. 12 as a Scuderia Ferrari works entry. Alberto Ascari won the race.
What material is the model made from?
The model is built in resin, the material GP Replicas uses across their 1:12 historic Formula 1 range. Resin allows finer surface detail and sharper panel edges than diecast alloy construction.
What scale is this model?
The model is produced at 1:12 scale, the largest format commonly used for historic single-seater replicas.
