Opposite lock

Richie Ginther, controls in superb fashion the opposite lock of his Ferrari 156 Sharknose, as Lucien Bianchi just behind him, watches on in his Lotus-Climax, at the 1961 French Grand Prix held at Reims-Gueux.

Ferrari had clearly the best car on this very fast circuit, and Phil Hill, Wolfgang von Trips and Richie Ginther took the first three spots on the grid for the Scuderia. Debutant Giancarlo Baghetti in the fourth Ferrari, qualified in 12th.

By winning the race, Giancarlo Baghetti became only the third driver to win his first World Championship race, the other two being Nino Farina, who won the first World Championship race (the 1950 British Grand Prix) and Johnny Parsons, who won the 1950 Indianapolis 500, when it was still part of the World Championship.

This was indeed Baghetti’s first start at a Grand Prix (picture-below), and it was going to be his only World Championship win. He would never finish in the top 3 again.