▁cam sh aft s ▁and ▁super charg ers . ▁It ▁had ▁two ▁overhead ▁cam sh aft s , ▁but ▁only ▁two ▁val ves ▁per ▁cyl inder . ▁ ▁The ▁Al fa ▁Rome o ▁straight - e ight ▁would ▁return ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁to ▁domin ate ▁the ▁first ▁season ▁of ▁Formula ▁One ▁racing ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁and ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁second ▁season ▁against ▁competition ▁from ▁Ferr ari ' s ▁V 1 2 - power ed ▁car ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁The ▁Al fa ▁Rome o ▁ 1 5 8 / 1 5 9 ▁Alf etta ▁was ▁originally ▁designed ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁and ▁won ▁ 4 7 ▁of ▁ 5 4 ▁Gr ands ▁Prix ▁entered ▁between ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁( with ▁a ▁six - year ▁gap ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁caused ▁by ▁the ▁war ). ▁By ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁their ▁ 1 . 5   L ▁super charg ed ▁engines ▁could ▁produce ▁ ▁at ▁ 9 , 3 0 0   r pm , ▁and ▁could ▁rev ▁as ▁high ▁as ▁ 1 0 , 5 0 0   r pm . ▁However , ▁the ▁engines ▁were ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁their ▁potential , ▁and ▁rule ▁changes ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁season ▁made ▁the ▁Alf ett as ▁ob sole te . ▁ ▁Mer cedes - B enz ▁would ▁create ▁the ▁last ▁notable ▁straight - e ight ▁racing ▁cars ▁in ▁ 1 9