Constructors
OSCA (Officine Specializate Costruzione Automobili)
After the death of Alfieri Maserati in 1932 the famous Bolognese car company was run by 49-year-old Bindo, 38-year-old Ettore and 34-year-old Ernesto. They were very successful but the arrival of the Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand Prix teams meant that the success became increasingly difficult to achieve and that led to financial trouble. In 1937 the brothers agreed a deal with the Orsi Family, which ran a steel and machine tool empire headquartered in Modena, for them to take over the company. The brothers were retained as engineers on 10 year contracts. This arrangement worked successfully in the late 1930s but during the war the Orsis decided to move the factory to Modena and Alberto Massimino was brought in as chief engineer. When the war ended the Maserati Brothers departed and set up OSCA in San Lazzaro di Savena, in the suburbs of Bologna. Initially the brothers built small sportscars but in 1950 some of these were converted for Formula 2. In 1951 they built a new 4.5-liter V12 engine which was raced in old Maserati chassis by Prince Bira. The car won its first race at Goodwood in March that year, against low-key opposition but achieved little thereafter. At the Italian GP in September OSCA entered two works cars for Franco Rol who finished ninth but the car was a long way off the pace of the Alfa Romeos and Ferraris.