The Circuit Paul Ricard is a French motorsport race track built in 1969 at Le Castellet, Var, near Marseille, with finance from pastis magnate Paul Ricard. Ricard wanted to experience the challenge of building a racetrack. The circuit has hosted the FIA Formula One French Grand Prix since 2018, having previously hosted it intermittently from 1971 to 1983, and every year from 1985 to 1990.
John Michael Hawthorn was a British racing driver. He became the United Kingdom's first Formula One World Champion driver in 1958, whereupon he announced his retirement, having been profoundly affected by the death of his teammate and friend Peter Collins two months earlier in the 1958 German Grand Prix. Hawthorn also won the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans, but was haunted by his involvement in the disastrous crash that marred the race. Hawthorn died in a road accident three months after retiring.
Scuderia Ferrari S.p.A. is the racing division of luxury Italian auto manufacturer Ferrari and the racing team that competes in Formula One racing. The team is also nicknamed "The Prancing Horse", in reference to their logo. It is the oldest surviving and most successful Formula One team, having competed in every world championship since the 1950 Formula One season. The team was founded by Enzo Ferrari, initially to race cars produced by Alfa Romeo, though by 1947 Ferrari had begun building its own cars. Among its important achievements outside Formula One are winning the World Sportscar Championship, 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Spa, 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, Bathurst 12 Hour, races for Grand tourer cars and racing on road courses of the Targa Florio, the Mille Miglia and the Carrera Panamericana. The team is also known for its passionate support base, known as the tifosi. The Italian Grand Prix at Monza is regarded as the team's home race.
Alberto Ascari was an Italian racing driver and a two time Formula One World Champion. He was a multitalented racer who competed in motorcycle racing before switching to cars. Ascari won consecutive world titles in 1952 and 1953 for Scuderia Ferrari. He was the team's first World Champion and the last Italian to date to win the title. This was sandwiched by an appearance in the 1952 Indianapolis 500. Ascari also won the Mille Miglia in 1954. Ascari was noted for the careful precision and finely-judged accuracy that made him one of the safest drivers in a most dangerous era until his death.
Emilio Giuseppe Farina, also known as Giuseppe Antonio "Nino" Farina, was an Italian racing driver and first official Formula One World Champion. He gained the title in 1950. He was the Italian Champion in 1937, 1938 and 1939.
Silverstone Circuit is a motor racing circuit in England, near the Northamptonshire villages of Towcester, Silverstone and Whittlebury. It is the home of the British Grand Prix, which it first hosted as the 1948 British Grand Prix. The 1950 British Grand Prix at Silverstone was the first race in the newly created World Championship of Drivers. The race rotated between Silverstone, Aintree and Brands Hatch from 1955 to 1986, but settled permanently at the Silverstone track in 1987. The circuit also hosts the British round of the MotoGP series.
José Froilán González was an Argentine racing driver, particularly notable for scoring Ferrari's first win in a Formula One World Championship race at the 1951 British Grand Prix. He made his Formula One debut for Scuderia Achille Varzi in the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix. His last Grand Prix was the 1960 Argentine Grand Prix.
The 1952 French Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on 6 July 1952 at Rouen-Les-Essarts. It was race 4 of 8 in the 1952 World Championship of Drivers, in which each Grand Prix was run to Formula Two rules rather than the Formula One regulations normally used. Unusually this race was run over a duration of 3 hours, rather than a fixed distance.
The 1952 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on 19 July 1952 at Silverstone Circuit. It was race 5 of 8 in the 1952 World Championship of Drivers, in which each Grand Prix was run to Formula Two rules rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.
The 1953 French Grand Prix was a Formula Two race held on 5 July 1953 at Reims. It was race 5 of 9 in the 1953 World Championship of Drivers, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used.
Les Sables-d'Olonne is a seaside town in Western France, on the Atlantic Ocean. A subprefecture of the department of Vendée, Pays de la Loire, it has the administrative level of commune. On 1 January 2019, the municipalities of Olonne-sur-Mer, Château-d'Olonne and Les Sables-d'Olonne merged, retaining the latter name.
Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega was a Mexican Grand Prix motor racing driver. He was the older brother of Ricardo Rodríguez. His most notable successes were in Formula One, where he won the 1967 South African Grand Prix driving a Cooper-Maserati and the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix in a BRM, and in the World Sportscar Championship where he was a principal Porsche factory driver in winning both the 1970 and 1971 titles. He was killed on 11 July 1971 while competing in a Ferrari during an Interserie sports car race in Nuremberg, West Germany.
Luigi Villoresi was an Italian Grand Prix motor racing driver who continued racing on the Formula One circuit at the time of its inception.
Peter John Collins was a British racing driver. He was killed in the 1958 German Grand Prix, just weeks after winning the RAC British Grand Prix. He started his career as a 17-year-old in 1949, impressing in Formula 3 races, finishing third in the 1951 Autosport National Formula 3 Championship.
Dijon-Prenois is a 3.801 km (2.362 mi) motor racing circuit located in Prenois, near Dijon, France. The undulating track is noted for its fast, sweeping bends.
The Ferrari 212 F1 was a Formula 1 and Formula 2 racing car designed by Aurelio Lampredi for Scuderia Ferrari in 1951.
The 6th Grand Prix de Paris was a Non-Championship Formula Two motor race held on 25 May 1952 at the Autodrome de Linas-Montlhéry, in Montlhéry, Essonne, France. Race distance was decided not by distance but by time, the duration being 3 hours. The race was won by Piero Taruffi in a Ferrari 500, setting fastest lap in the process. Taruffi's teammates Giuseppe Farina and André Simon shared second place, with Louis Rosier third in his own Ferrari 500. Robert Manzon started from pole in a Gordini Type 16 but retired with a differential failure.
The 20th Grand Prix de la Marne was a non-championship Formula Two motor race held on 29 June 1952 at the Reims-Gueux circuit. It was the fourth round of the 1952 Les Grands Prix de France championship. Race distance was decided not by distance but by time, the duration being 3 hours. The race was won by Jean Behra driving a Gordini Type 16. Giuseppe Farina was second in a Ferrari 500, and his teammates Alberto Ascari and Luigi Villoresi shared third place, Villoresi's own car having suffered engine failure. Ascari set pole and fastest lap.
The XVI Grand Prix de Comminges was a Formula Two motor race held on 10 August 1952 in Saint-Gaudens, Haute-Garonne, France. It was round 7 of Les Grands Prix de France Championship. Race distance was determined by time rather than the number of laps, the result being declared after 3 hours. The win was shared by André Simon and Alberto Ascari in a Ferrari 500; Ascari taking over Simon's car after his own suffered mechanical failure. Ascari had started from pole, and also set fastest lap. Their teammate Giuseppe Farina finished second and Jean Behra in a Simca Gordini Type 15 was third.
The 11th Grand Prix de La Baule was a Formula Two motor race held on 24 August 1952 in La Baule-Escoublac, France. It was round 8, and the final round, of Les Grands Prix de France Championship. Race distance was determined by time rather than the number of laps, the result being declared after 3 hours. The race was won from pole position by Alberto Ascari in a Ferrari 500. Ascari's teammate Luigi Villoresi finished second and set fastest lap, and Louis Rosier in his privateer 500 was third.
Alberto Ascari 
