Who won the first Belgian Grand Prix, held in 1925?

Antonio Ascari won the first Belgian Grand Prix, held in 1925.

The inaugural Belgian Grand Prix took place on 28 June 1925 at Spa-Francorchamps, then a vast 14.98-kilometre road course through the Ardennes. Ascari drove an Alfa Romeo P2 for Alfa Corse and completed all 54 laps in 6 hours, 42 minutes and 57 seconds.

Ascari finished ahead of teammate Giuseppe Campari, who was also in an Alfa Romeo. Only those two drivers were classified as finishers, underlining how demanding early Grand Prix racing could be. Ascari also set the fastest lap during the event.

This Antonio Ascari is not his son, Alberto Ascari, who later became a two-time Formula One World Champion and won the Belgian Grand Prix in 1952 and 1953. Antonio’s victory was followed tragically by his death in the 1925 French Grand Prix less than a month later. The Belgian race did not return until 1930.