The 1958 Formula One season was the 12th season of Formula One motor racing. It featured the 9th World Championship of Drivers, the first International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and five non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship was contested over eleven races between 19 January and 19 October 1958. The Indianapolis 500 counted towards the Drivers' Championship but not the Manufacturers' Cup.
BritishdriverMike Hawthorn, driving for Ferrari, won his first and only Drivers' Championship after a close battle with compatriot Stirling Moss. Following the Portuguese Grand Prix, Hawthorn faced a penalty, but Moss sportingly spoke up for him. Moss would go on to win four races over Hawthorn's one, but the points from the Portuguese round enabled Hawthorn to claim the title.[1] It was the first of only two occasions in Formula One history where a driver won the championship, having won only one race in the season, the other being Keke Rosberg in 1982.[2]Vanwall won the inaugural Manufacturers' Cup.
Since the early 1900s, Grand Prix racing had been dominated by front-engined cars, but this was the last championship to be won by one. From 1959 on, mid-engined cars, with their better road holding, increased driving comfort, lighter weight, and ease on tires and mechanical components (particularly brakes), would have the upper hand.
Maserati withdrew their works team, but their successful chassis was adopted by multiple private entries.Team Lotus debuted in F1 with the Lotus 16 (pictured in 2019).
Due to financial difficulties, Maserati had withdrawn their works team after 1957, despite their 250F still being competitive. Multiple private teams adopted the existing chassis.
His teammate Peter Collins was killed in a very similar crash during the German Grand Prix. Collins ran wide, encountered a ditch and flipped into the air. Collins was thrown out and struck a tree, suffering critical head injuries, and died in hospital later that day.[5] Ferrari drafted in their sports car drivers Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill.
Minimum race lengths were reduced to 300 kilometres (190mi) or two hours (whichever came first).[6][7]
The practice of sharing cars during a race was discouraged by withholding championship points. (Example: Gregory and Shelby finished fourth in the Italian Grand Prix but were not awarded championship points.)[6]
Technical regulations
The use of commercial petrol became compulsory in place of specialised alcohol-based racing fuels.[7][8]
Because the new regulations around fuel were drawn up late, many of the British teams were not ready in time for the season opener, the Argentine Grand Prix, and the race had just ten entrants, the lowest ever: three from Scuderia Ferrari, six private Maseratis and Stirling Moss in a Cooper from Rob Walker Racing, 1958 being the team's first full season. Five-time and reigning champion Juan Manuel Fangioqualified on pole position in one of the Maseratis he took over from the works team, ahead of the Ferraris of Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins. At the start, Collins immediately broke a drive shaft. Hawthorn shot into the lead but was quickly repassed by Fangio. Around half distance, however, the Argentinian had to pit for fresh rear tyres. Moss took the lead and gambled on not needing a pit stop. The canvas was showing on both wheels, but he held on to win, just ahead of the Ferrari duo of Luigi Musso and Mike Hawthorn.[9]
A full four months later, the Monaco Grand Prix saw no less than 30 drivers trying to qualify for 16 places on the starting grid. The British teams were present and quick off the mark: Tony Brooks qualified on pole for Vanwall, ahead of Jean Behra for BRM and the Cooper duo of Jack Brabham and Roy Salvadori. The latter had the best start, arriving at the first corner in the lead, but he braked too late and bent his steering column. Behra and Brooks drew away but Hawthorn was the fastest man on track. He passed the Vanwall on lap 18, which retired shortly after with a loose spark plug, and took the lead on lap 27, when Behra's brakes seemed to fade. In the next phase, Stirling Moss, who was back at Vanwall, was fastest and briefly took the lead, before his engine started misfiring and he, too, retired. Veteran racer Maurice Trintignant, who had taken Moss' place at Rob Walker Racing, had started fifth but took advantage of his rivals' misfortune, including, on lap 46, that of Hawthorn, whose Ferrari had shaken its fuel pump loose. Trintignant completed the 100 laps to take victory, ahead of Musso and Collins. Rob Walker Racing had taken a second win in a row ahead of two Ferraris.[10]
The front row for the Dutch Grand Prix was occupied by Vanwalls: Lewis-Evans, Moss and Brooks. Moss took the lead at the start, ahead of Lewis-Evans, while seventh-starting Harry Schell in the BRM got up to third and then took second place on lap 12. Moss kept out of trouble and took the win, while his teammates both retired. The BRM duo of Schell and Behra completed the podium, while Hawthorn was the first Ferrari in fifth place. [11]
In the F1 Drivers' Championship, Stirling Moss (Vanwall) was leading with 17 points, ahead of Luigi Musso (Ferrari) and Maurice Trintignant (Cooper). The Manufacturers' Championship saw Cooper take the lead with 19 points, ahead of Ferrari (14) and Vanwall (8).
Rounds 5 to 8
The Belgian Grand Prix had been given the honorary title of European Grand Prix and marked the first start by a female driver, Maria Teresa de Filippis. The high-speed nature of Spa-Francorchamps saw the three Ferraris start in the top five, with Mike Hawthorn and Luigi Musso at the top, but the quick-starting Vanwalls of Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks formed the leading duo after the first corner. Before the first lap was over, however, Moss made a erroneous gear change and destroyed his engine. Brooks took over the lead but was overtaken by Peter Collins. The lead changed hands a couple of times, before the Ferrari overheated and had to be retired. Brooks won the race, twenty seconds ahead of Hawthorn and three minutes ahead of teammate Lewis-Evans. Dramatically, all three cars broke down coming out of the last corners, but managed to coast over the finish line, so would the race have been one lap longer, the result would have been very different.[12]
Like in Belgium, Ferrari's Hawthorn and Musso qualified on top for the French Grand Prix, ahead of Harry Schell (BRM), who managed to take the lead at the start but fell back to seventh on lap 2. Hawthorn was the fastest man on track, while Musso tried hard to keep him in view, until on lap 10, the Italian pushed too hard and ran wide. His car struck a ditch and somersaulted. Musso was airlifted to hospital with critical head injuries and would pass away later that day.[3][4] Hawthorn won the race, ahead of championship rival Moss and teammate Von Trips.[13]
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone saw three different British teams on the front row: Moss for Vanwall, Schell for BRM and Salvadori for Cooper. But Ferrari drivers Collins and Hawthorn were lying first and third after the first lap. Moss held on to second place until, on lap 26, his engine blew up. Ferrari scored a 1-2, ahead of Salvadori achieving his first career podium. Five-time champion and reigning Juan Manuel Fangio retired after this race.[14]
Championship leader Hawthorn started on pole position for the German Grand Prix, ahead of Brooks and Moss. The latter snatched the lead and set multiple lap records in the early phase. He had a lead of 17 seconds over Collins and Hawthorn when his ignition failed and he coasted to a halt. The Ferrari duo seemed free to fight for the win, until Brooks caught up and used his Vanwall's agility to take the lead through the twisty sections. On lap 11, Collins went off the road, struck a ditch and flipped into the air. He was thrown out and struck a tree, suffering critical head injuries. He would pass away in hospital later that day.[5][15] Hawthorn retired with clutch issues on the next lap, handing Brooks the win, with a lead of several minutes over the Coopers of Salvadori and Trintignant.[16]
In the Drivers' Championship, Mike Hawthorn (Ferrari) was leading with 30 points, ahead of Stirling Moss (Vanwall) with 24 and Tony Brooks (Vanwall) with 16. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Ferrari was leading with 37, ahead of Vanwall (33) and Cooper (29).
Rounds 9 to 11
The Portuguese Grand Prix was part of the championship for the first time and was run at the Circuito da Boavista, a street circuit in Porto. Championship protagonistsStirling Moss and Mike Hawthorn were separated by just 0.05 seconds in qualifying, with the Vanwall placed on pole position and teammate Stuart Lewis-Evans completing the front row. Rain before the start left the roads wet and gave Hawthorn the advantage to take the lead. Ferrari teammate Wolfgang von Trips got up to third, before being passed by Jean Behra in the BRM. The roads dried up and Moss retook the lead on lap 8. He subsequently managed to grow such a big lead that the spectators got bored and, just after half-distance, he lapped his teammate in fourth place. Hawthorn pitted to have his brakes tightened up. Behra passed him, but on lap 41, his engine lost power the Ferrari was back up to second. Lewis-Evans had stayed in Moss's slipstream and when Behra moved out of the way for the leader, his teammate could handily snatch third off of the BRM. They could have tried the same with Hawthorn, but Moss stayed behind his rival out of respect. Moss crossed the line to win the race and Lewis-Evans was flagged as third. Hawthorn had to finish the last lap to take second, but he spun and stalled his engine. Many people wanted to help push the Ferrari, but that would have resulted in disqualification, so Moss (already on his victory lap) waved the crowd away and Hawthorn managed to push start the car by himself. Before he could jump back in and take the wheel, however, the car had rolled a couple of yards in the wrong direction of the circuit, so the officials disqualified him after all. Moss again displayed his courtesy and defended his rival, although he would have taken the championship lead. No earlier than 11pm, the decision was reversed and Hawthorn's second place was reinstated. [17]
Maria Teresa de Filippis became the first female F1 driver to start and finish a Grand Prix in Belgium. She raced again in Monza (see picture) and Porto but retired on both occassions.
The local Ferrari team were seen as favourites for the Italian Grand Prix, not just by the tifosi, but Moss and Brooks placed their Vanwalls on the top of the grid. Hawthorn started in third but quickly lost out to Lewis-Evans in the third Vanwall. Von Trips hit the rear wheel of Harry Schell, flew into the air and was thrown out of the car before it struck a tree. The BRM somersaulted off the road and luckily landed on his wheels, because Schell was still in the cockpit. Von Trips suffered injury to his leg and would not race in the season finale. Meanwhile, the traditional slipstreaming began at the front and led to multiple lead changes. Future champion Phil Hill was running his first race for the Ferrari F1 team and was running comfortably among the leaders, until on lap 7, he had to pit for a wheel change. Moss retired on lap 17 with gearbox trouble and saw his championship rival take the lead of the race. With Lewis-Evans having retired and Brooks down in fifth after a pit stop, Ferrari looked secure to take a dominant victory. Brooks was the fastest man on track, however, and Hawthorn's clutch began to slip. Lap by lap, the Vanwall clawed his way up the order, and took the lead on lap 60. Hawthorn nursed his car to the finish line in second place, while Hill finished third.[18]
Going into the season finale, the first-ever Moroccan Grand Prix, Moss (32 points) had a small chance to win the championship: he had to win the race, with Hawthorn (40 points) finishing third or lower without the fastest lap. In that scenario, the two would tie on points and Moss would win on count-back. Hawthorn started on pole but fell back to third at the start. Moss took the lead, ahead of Phil Hill. The American outbroked himself on lap 3, giving Moss the chance to fly away in front. At half-distance, he led Hill by 20 seconds and Hawthorn was fighting Brooks for third. In the next ten laps, three drivers crashed, all slightly injured, and Lewis-Evans slid off the road when his engine exploded. His car caught fire and the Brit suffered serious burns. Hawthorn was back in second, so Moss won the race comfortably but could not secure the championship.[19] Lewis-Evans would succumb to his injuries six days after the race.[20] Vanwall owner Tony Vandervell ended his involvement with the team, partly as a result of this but also in failing health himself,[21] and Bernie Ecclestone sold his Connaught team[22] and ceased involvement with the sport till 1965.[23]
In the Drivers' Championship, Mike Hawthorn (Ferrari) collected 42 points and won the title, ahead of Stirling Moss (Vanwall) with 41 and Tony Brooks (Vanwall) with 24. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Vanwall won the title with 48 points, ahead of Ferrari (40) and Cooper (31). Until 1973, it would not happen again that different teams won the two championships in the same year.
Points were awarded to the first five finishers at each race on an 8–6–4–3–2 basis. An additional point was awarded to the driver setting the fastest race lap. The best six results from the eleven races were retained.
Italics indicates the fastest lap (One point awarded – point shared equally between drivers sharing fastest lap)
Bold indicates pole position
~ No points awarded for shared drive
1– Ineligible for Formula One points, because he drove with a Formula Two car.
International Cup for F1 Manufacturers standings
The 1958 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers was contested over the same series of races as the World Championship of Drivers, except the Indianapolis 500, which counted only towards the Drivers' title. Points were awarded to the first five finishers at each race on an 8–6–4–3–2 basis. However, a manufacturer only received points for its highest-placed car, and only the best six results from the ten races were retained.
The following races were contested by Formula One cars but did not count towards the World Championship of Drivers or the International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers.
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. He died in a road accident three months after retiring.
The 1955 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on June 5, 1955. It was race 4 of 7 in the 1955 World Championship of Drivers. The 36-lap race was won by Mercedes driver Juan Manuel Fangio after he started from second position. His teammate Stirling Moss finished second and Ferrari driver Nino Farina came in third.
The 1956 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 22 January 1956 at Buenos Aires. It was race 1 of 8 in the 1956 World Championship of Drivers. With the withdrawal of Mercedes from Formula One, Fangio and Moss would begin the season with new teams. Fangio would join Ferrari while Moss would lead the Maserati team. The grid in Argentina was composed entirely of Italian cars. Ferrari and Maserati showed up with five cars each. The other three cars were also Maseratis: two private entries and Hawthorn for the B.R.M. team.
The 1956 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 13 May 1956 at Monaco. It was race 2 of 8 in the 1956 World Championship of Drivers.
The 1956 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 2 September 1956 at Monza. It was the eighth and final race of the 1956 World Championship of Drivers. Coming into the race, Juan Manuel Fangio had an eight-point lead over Ferrari teammate Peter Collins and Jean Behra, driving for Maserati.
The 1957 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 13 January 1957 at the Buenos Aires circuit. It was race 1 of 8 in the 1957 World Championship of Drivers.
The 1957 Pescara Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on 18 August 1957, at the Pescara Circuit near Pescara in Italy. The race was the 7th round of the 1957 World Championship of Drivers. The 25.579 km (15.894 mi) circuit is the longest to ever hold a world championship race in Formula One. The race was the first and only Formula One World Championship race to take place at the track. It was also the first of two consecutive Italian races, which meant that it was the first time that the same country had held two Formula One World Championship races in the same season.
The 1958 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 19 January 1958 at Autodromo Municipal Ciudad de Buenos Aires Circuit. It was race 1 of 11 in the 1958 World Championship of Drivers and race 1 of 10 in the 1958 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The race was the sixth Argentine Grand Prix. It was held on the #2 variation of the circuit. The race was held over 80 laps of the four kilometre circuit for a total race distance of 313 kilometres.
The 1958 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 18 May 1958 at Monaco. It was race 2 of 11 in the 1958 World Championship of Drivers and race 2 of 10 in the 1958 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The race was the 16th Monaco Grand Prix and was held over 100 laps of the three kilometre circuit for a total race distance of 314 kilometres.
The 1958 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Reims on 6 July 1958. It was race 6 of 11 in the 1958 World Championship of Drivers and race 5 of 10 in the 1958 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers.
The 1958 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 3 August 1958 at Nürburgring. It was race 8 of 11 in the 1958 World Championship of Drivers and race 7 of 10 in the 1958 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers.
The 1962 Formula One season was the 16th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 13th World Championship of Drivers, the 5th International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, and numerous non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship was contested over nine races between 20 May and 29 December 1962.
The 1959 Formula One season was the 13th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 10th World Championship of Drivers, the second International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and five non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship was contested over nine races between 10 May and 12 December 1959.
The 1957 Formula One season was the 11th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1957 World Championship of Drivers, which commenced on 13 January 1957 and ended on 8 September after eight races. Juan Manuel Fangio won his fourth consecutive title, his fifth in total, in his final championship. A feat that would not be beaten until Michael Schumacher in 2003. The season also included numerous non-championship races for Formula One cars. Until the 2006 season, this was the last season during which all championship Grand Prix races were won by cars powered by an engine built by the same constructor that also built chassis.
The 1956 Formula One season was the tenth season of FIA's Formula One motor racing. It featured the seventh World Championship of Drivers, and numerous non-championship races. The championship series commenced on 22 January 1956 and ended on 2 September after eight races. Juan Manuel Fangio won his third consecutive title, the fourth of his career. Until the 2006 season, this was the last season during which no British constructor won any championship race.
The 1952 Formula One season was the sixth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. In comparison to previous seasons, the 1952 season consisted of a relatively small number of Formula One races, following the decision to run all the Grand Prix events counting towards the World Championship of Drivers to Formula Two regulations rather than Formula One. The Indianapolis 500, which also counted towards the World Championship, was still run to AAA regulations as in previous seasons. Since this season racing helmets were made mandatory in Formula One.
Luigi Musso was an Italian racing driver. In 1955 he joined the Ferrari team, entering into a fierce rivalry with Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins, which boosted the performance of the team, but also encouraged greater risk-taking. According to Musso's fiancée, he was deep in debt by the time of the lucrative 1958 French Grand Prix, where he was fatally injured, somersaulting into a ditch while chasing Hawthorn.
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.
The 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix, formally the VII Grand Prix International Automobile du Maroc, was a Formula One motor race held at Ain-Diab Circuit, Casablanca on 19 October 1958, after a six-week break following the Italian Grand Prix. It was race 11 of 11 in the 1958 World Championship of Drivers and race 10 of 10 in the 1958 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. It is the only time Morocco has hosted a World Championship Grand Prix.
The 1957 Sveriges Grand Prix took place on 11 August, at the Rabelövsbanan, Kristianstad. Although this was the third running of the race, it was the last time as round of the F.I.A. World Sports Car Championship, and to sportscar regulations. Held on the same bumpy circuit as in 1956, the race differed this time, as it was for a period of six hours, instead of 1,000 km, it being felt that a time race would be more acceptable to the Swedish public.
↑ Bower, Tom (2011). No Angel: The Secret Life of Bernie Ecclestone. Faber and Faber. p.48/chapter 2 (Gambling) (Kobo edition). ISBN9780571269372.
↑ Bower, Tom (2011). No Angel: The Secret Life of Bernie Ecclestone. Faber and Faber. p.1/chapter 3 (Embryo) (Kobo edition). ISBN9780571269372.
1 2 Only the best 6 results counted towards the championship. Numbers without parentheses are championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.
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