How Alfa Romeo's P2 Dethroned Bugatti as Racing Royalty - A Forgotten Masterpiece
The Bugatti Type 35 may well claim the most wins of any race car in history, but one formidable machine stood in its way during the 1920s: the Alfa Romeo P2. This Italian thoroughbred not only disrupted Bugatti's dominance but also forged Alfa Romeo's identity as a premier racing marque. Conceived by the legendary engineer Vittorio Jano, the P2 was a sensational testament to Italian innovation and ambition.
The Birth of a Legend
When Nicola Romeo, the founder of Alfa Romeo, lured Jano away from Fiat, he had one directive: create a car that would make Alfa Romeo's name respected in the racing world. Jano's response to this challenge was nothing short of extraordinary. He started with a two-liter straight-eight engine featuring a double crankcase design, fixed steel heads, and gear-driven twin camshafts. Jano, already a fan of superchargers from his days at Fiat, added a Roots-type blower with an advanced intercooler, pushing the engine to produce a remarkable 140 horsepower at 5500 rpm.
The chassis of the P2 followed a traditional ladder frame but incorporated an elongated tail for better aerodynamics and a staggered two-seater layout, giving the driver enough room to maneuver the sizable steering wheel. These elements combined to make the P2 a marvel of its time.
The Rivalry Begins
The first P2 came to life on June 2, 1924, and was promptly handed over to racing legends Giuseppe Campari and Alberto Ascari. Barely painted in Alfa's iconic racing red, the car was thrown into the Circuito di Cremona race merely a week later. Ascari dominated the event, crossing the finish line almost a minute ahead of his nearest competitor, a signal to the world that Alfa Romeo had arrived.
A few weeks later, Bugatti rolled out five of its new Type 35s at the Grand Prix in Lyons. Alfa was ready. After five grueling hours of racing, Campari claimed victory, with the first Bugatti trailing far behind in seventh place. This marked the beginning of an intense rivalry and confirmed that Alfa Romeo's P2 was not just a contender but a champion.
Championship Glory
Alfa Romeo solidified the P2's dominance with a third victory at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. During the 1925 season, the P2 conquered two out of four rounds in the inaugural World Championship for Grand Prix Cars, clinching the title for Alfa Romeo. This established the P2 as a racing icon, though its reign was brief due to a 1926 rule change that favored smaller 1.5-liter engines, giving Bugatti an edge once more.
Final Triumph
The P2 persisted in other racing categories and achieved its most glorious victory in 1930 at the Targa Florio. Despite mechanical issues, Achille Varzi completed the torturous 335-mile race around Sicily in under seven hours, narrowly escaping disaster when fuel spilled onto the hot exhaust and ignited. His mechanic's quick thinking and Varzi's sheer determination saw them triumph over Bugatti once more, adding another laurel to the P2's storied history before it was retired.
Alfa Romeo's P2 will forever be remembered as the car that took on Bugatti and won, a spectacular engineering achievement that set the stage for Italy's future in motor racing.