In what would go down as one of motorsport's most famous battles, Chiron eventually took the chequered flag first but Fagioli received universal praise for the skill he displayed in racing a car set up for long stretches as opposed to the tight twists and short runs that characterize the street circuit of Monte Carlo.

In 1932, Fagioli won the Grand Prix of Rome driving for Maserati but for the 1933 season he signed with the Alfa Romeo team of Scuderia Ferrari.

The win at Coppa Acerbo happened at the expense of Nuvolari, who was forced to retire with a mechanical failure while on the lead during the closing stages of the race.

One not to refrain from retaliating against other drivers when he felt they had done something wrong on the track, he would frequently take chances, and as such developed a somewhat controversial reputation after a string of significant crashes.

Despite such bumpy start, Fagioli went on to win his second consecutive Coppa Acerbo and, together with Rudolf Caracciola in a Mercedes W25A, won his second straight Italian Grand Prix.

Towards the end of the season, a series of health problems, including crippling rheumatism, began to severely affect Fagioli's racing ability.

Fagioli drove the 158/159 Alfetta, and managed to score five podium finishes in six races, entering the final round as one of three drivers in contention for the title.

In 1951 Fagioli won the French Grand Prix with Juan-Manuel Fangio, earning the distinction of being the oldest person to ever win a Formula One race.

With the exception of the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix, where a pile-up on the opening lap involving seven cars forced him to retire, he managed to finish on the podium of every single Formula One race he entered.