1953 British Grand Prix

1953 British Grand Prix
1953 British Grand Prix
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	Silverstone Circuit in 1952–1973 configuration
Race details
Date	18 July 1953
Official name	6th RAC British Grand Prix
Location	Silverstone Circuit ; Silverstone, England
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	4.7105 km (2.927 miles)
Distance	90 laps, 423.949 km (263.43 miles)
Weather	Overcast, showers
Attendance	100,000
Pole position
Driver	Alberto Ascari ;
Time	1:48.0
Fastest lap
Drivers	Alberto Ascari
	José Froilán González
Time	1:50.0
Podium
First	Alberto Ascari ;
Second	Juan Manuel Fangio ;
Third	Nino Farina ;
	Lap leaders ;

Last updated October 26, 2025

The 1953 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two motor race held on 18 July 1953 at Silverstone Circuit. It was race 6 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. The 90-lap race was won by Ferrari driver Alberto Ascari after he started from pole position. Juan Manuel Fangio finished second for the Maserati team and Ascari's teammate Nino Farina came in third.

Background

The Ferrari and Maserati lineup was unchanged from the French Grand Prix. Initially three Cooper Mk IIs were entered for Peter Whitehead, Tony Crook and Stirling Moss. However, due to Moss's retirement at the French Grand Prix his car had to be withdrawn.^[2]

Entries


Team	No	Driver	Car	Engine	Tyre
HW Motors	1	Lance Macklin	HWM 53	Alta GP 2.5 L4	D
	2	Peter Collins
	3	Duncan Hamilton
	4	Jack Fairman
Scuderia Ferrari	5	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari Tipo 500	Ferrari 500 2.0 L4	P
	6	Nino Farina
	7	Luigi Villoresi
	8	Mike Hawthorn
Ecurie Rosier	9	Louis Rosier			D
Connaught Engineering	10	Prince Bira	Connaught Type A	Lea-Francis 2.0 L4
	11	Kenneth McAlpine
	12	Roy Salvadori
R.R.C. Walker Racing Team	14	Tony Rolt
Ecurie Ecosse	15	Ian Stewart
Ecurie Ecosse	18	Jimmy Stewart	Cooper T20	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6
Ken Wharton	16	Ken Wharton	Cooper T23
Bob Gerard	17	Bob Gerard
R.J. Chase	19	Alan Brown
Atlantic Stable	20	Peter Whitehead	Cooper T24	Alta GP 2.5 L4
Tony Crook	22	Tony Crook	Cooper T20	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6
Officine Alfieri Maserati	23	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati A6GCM	Maserati A6 2.0 L6	P
	24	José Froilán González
	25	Felice Bonetto
	26	Onofre Marimón
Louis Chiron	27	Louis Chiron	OSCA 20	OSCA 2000 2.0 L6
Equipe Gordini	28	Harry Schell	Gordini Type 16	Gordini 20 2.0 L6	E
	29	Maurice Trintignant
	30	Jean Behra
Emmanuel de Graffenried	31	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati A6GCM	Maserati A6 2.0 L6	P
Source:^[3]

Classification

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Time	Gap
1	5	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	1:48.0	—
2	24	José Froilán González	Maserati	1:49.0	+ 1.0
3	8	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	1:49.2	+ 1.2
4	23	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	1:50.0	+ 2.0
5	6	Nino Farina	Ferrari	1:50.5	+ 2.5
6	7	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	1:51.0	+ 3.0
7	26	Onofre Marimón	Maserati	1:51.3	+ 3.3
8	29	Maurice Trintignant	Gordini	1:52.0	+ 4.0
9	28	Harry Schell	Gordini	1:52.0	+ 4.0
10	14	Tony Rolt	Connaught-Lea-Francis	1:54.0	+ 6.0
11	16	Ken Wharton	Cooper-Bristol	1:54.0	+ 6.0
12	1	Lance Macklin	HWM-Alta	1:57.0	+ 9.0
13	11	Kenneth McAlpine	Connaught-Lea-Francis	1:57.6	+ 9.6
14	20	Peter Whitehead	Cooper-Alta	1:57.8	+ 9.8
15	18	Jimmy Stewart	Cooper-Bristol	1:58.0	+ 10.0
16	25	Felice Bonetto	Maserati	1:58.2	+ 10.2
17	3	Duncan Hamilton	HWM-Alta	2:02.0	+ 14.0
18	17	Bob Gerard	Cooper-Bristol	2:02.0	+ 14.0
19	10	Prince Bira	Connaught-Lea-Francis	2:04.0	+ 16.0
20	15	Ian Stewart	Connaught-Lea-Francis	2:04.0	+ 16.0
21	19	Alan Brown	Cooper-Bristol	2:04.0	+ 16.0
22	30	Jean Behra	Gordini	2:04.0	+ 16.0
23	2	Peter Collins	HWM-Alta	2:05.0	+ 17.0
24	9	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	2:07.0	+ 19.0
25	22	Tony Crook	Cooper-Bristol	2:07.4	+ 19.4
26	31	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	2:08.0	+ 20.0
27	4	Jack Fairman	HWM-Alta	2:08.4	+ 20.4
28	12	Roy Salvadori	Connaught-Lea-Francis	2:09.0	+ 21.0
29	27	Louis Chiron	OSCA	No time	—
Source:^[4]

Race

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1	5	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	90	2:50:00	1	8.5¹
2	23	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	90	+ 1:00	4	6
3	6	Nino Farina	Ferrari	88	+ 2 Laps	5	4
4	24	José Froilán González	Maserati	88	+ 2 Laps	2	3.5¹
5	8	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	87	+ 3 Laps	3	2
6	25	Felice Bonetto	Maserati	82	+ 8 Laps	16
7	10	Prince Bira	Connaught-Lea-Francis	82	+ 8 Laps	19
8	16	Ken Wharton	Cooper-Bristol	80	+ 10 Laps	11
9	20	Peter Whitehead	Cooper-Alta	79	+ 11 Laps	14
10	9	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	78	+ 12 Laps	24
Ret	18	Jimmy Stewart	Cooper-Bristol	79	Spun off	15
Ret	14	Tony Rolt	Connaught-Lea-Francis	70	Halfshaft	10
Ret	7	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	65	Axle	6
Ret	26	Onofre Marimón	Maserati	65	Engine	7
Ret	19	Alan Brown	Cooper-Bristol	56	Overheating	21
Ret	2	Peter Collins	HWM-Alta	56	Spun off	23
Ret	4	Jack Fairman	HWM-Alta	54	Clutch	27
Ret	12	Roy Salvadori	Connaught-Lea-Francis	50	Wheel	28
Ret	31	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	34	Clutch	26
Ret	1	Lance Macklin	HWM-Alta	31	Clutch	12
Ret	30	Jean Behra	Gordini	30	Fuel Pump	22
Ret	15	Ian Stewart	Connaught-Lea-Francis	24	Ignition	20
Ret	29	Maurice Trintignant	Gordini	14	Axle	8
Ret	3	Duncan Hamilton	HWM-Alta	14	Clutch	17
Ret	17	Bob Gerard	Cooper-Bristol	8	Suspension	18
Ret	28	Harry Schell	Gordini	5	Electrical	9
Ret	11	Kenneth McAlpine	Connaught-Lea-Francis	0	Retirement	13
Ret	22	Tony Crook	Cooper-Bristol	0	Fuel System	25
DNS	27	Louis Chiron	OSCA	0	Did not start
Source:^[5]

Notes

^1 – Includes 0.5 points for shared fastest lap

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings

	Pos	Driver	Points
	1	Alberto Ascari	33.5 (36.5)
	2	Mike Hawthorn	16
1	3	José Froilán González	13.5 (14.5)
1	4	Luigi Villoresi	13
2	5	Juan Manuel Fangio	13
Source: ^[6]

Note: Only the top five positions are included. Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.

References

↑ "Ascari Winner of Grand Prix". Arizona Daily Star. 19 July 1953. Retrieved 9 September 2020– via Newspapers.com.
↑ Nye, Doug (1977). The British Grand Prix 1926-1976. B. T. Batsford. p. 49. ISBN 9780713432831.
↑ "1953 British GP". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
↑ "Britain 1953 - Qualifications". statsf1.com. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
↑ "1953 British Grand Prix". formula1.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
↑ "Britain 1953 - Championship • STATS F1". statsf1.com. Retrieved 5 March 2019.

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[1] "Ascari Winner of Grand Prix". Arizona Daily Star. 19 July 1953. Retrieved 9 September 2020– via Newspapers.com.

[2] Nye, Doug (1977). The British Grand Prix 1926-1976. B. T. Batsford. p. 49. ISBN 9780713432831.

[3] "1953 British GP". ChicaneF1. Retrieved 9 January 2025.

[4] "Britain 1953 - Qualifications". statsf1.com. Retrieved 5 May 2016.

[5] "1953 British Grand Prix". formula1.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.

[6] "Britain 1953 - Championship • STATS F1". statsf1.com. Retrieved 5 March 2019.

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