At the end of the 1940s, the single-seater Formula 2 category had a displacement limit of 2 litres while the Formula 1 series that would be used to dispute the world championship from 1950 used 1.5-litre litre supercharged and 4.5-litre naturally aspirated engines. Nonetheless the immediate post war period was characterised by cars of all shapes and displacements, so a Formula Libre category was used for races such as the 1949 Temporada Argentina.

Ferrari had readied an engine for these races which saw the Formula 1 compressor fitted to the Formula 2 engine thanks to the fact that the exterior dimensions and ancillaries of both engines were identical. The result was a powerful, reliable engine that was less highly-strung than the F1 one. Farina had both engines at his disposal in Argentina.