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. With a total of three career World Championship Grand Prix wins Hawthorn has the lowest number of Grand Prix wins scored by any Formula One World Champion.
Vanwall was a motor racing team and racing car constructor that was active in Formula One during the 1950s. Founded by Tony Vandervell, the Vanwall name was derived by combining the name of the team owner with that of his Thinwall bearings produced at the Vandervell Products factory at Acton, London. Originally entering modified Ferraris in non-championship races, Vanwall constructed their first cars to race in the 1954 Formula One season. The team achieved their first race win in the 1957 British Grand Prix, with Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks sharing a VW 5, earning the team the distinction of constructing the first British-built car to win a World Championship race. Vanwall won the inaugural Constructors' Championship in Formula One in 1958, in the process allowing Moss and Brooks to finish second and third in the Drivers' Championship standings, winning three races each. Vandervell's failing health meant 1958 would be the last full season; the squad ran cars in a handful of races in the following years, but finished racing in 1961.
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 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 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 15 June 1958 at Spa-Francorchamps. It was race 5 of 11 in the 1958 World Championship of Drivers and race 4 of 10 in the 1958 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The race was the 19th Belgian Grand Prix and it was held over 24 laps of the 14 kilometre circuit for a race distance of 339 kilometres.
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 1958 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monza on 7 September 1958. It was race 10 of 11 in the 1958 World Championship of Drivers and race 9 of 10 in the 1958 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. Vanwall won the Constructors' Championship with 1 race left to go. After retiring his original car, entered by Scuderia Centro Sud, Carroll Shelby took over Masten Gregory's car, entered by Temple Buell, and finished fourth. No points were awarded for the shared drive.
Henry O'Reilly "Harry" Schell was an American Grand Prix motor racing driver. He was the first American driver to start a Formula One Grand Prix.
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.
Robert La Caze was a Moroccan-French racing driver. He was the first driver to race in Formula One under an African licence, and the only driver to race under a Moroccan licence.
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 Simca-Gordini Type 15, also known simply as the Gordini Type 15, is an open-wheel race car, designed, developed, and built by French manufacturer Gordini, to compete in Formula One, and was produced between 1948 and 1953.
The Cooper T45 was an open-wheel formula racing car, developed and built by the Cooper Car Company in 1958, and designed by Owen Maddock. It competed in Formula 2 racing as well as in Formula One racing, where it won one World Championship Grand Prix, the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, being driven by Maurice Trintignant.
The Cooper-Bristol, formally called the Cooper Mk.I or the Cooper T20, is a Formula 2 racing car, built, designed, and developed by British manufacturer Cooper Cars in 1952.
The BRM 4-cylinder engines are a series of four-stroke, naturally-aspirated, 2.5 L (150 cu in), inline-four Formula One racing engines, designed, developed and built by British Racing Motors, between 1956 and 1960. They were exclusively used by BRM; and powered the BRM team cars. It was constructed to conform the FIA engine requirements; necessitating a 2.5 L naturally-aspirated engine displacement formula. The power output for these motors were between 260–285 hp (194–213 kW), and 205 lb⋅ft (278 N⋅m).
The Brabham BT17 was a one-off sports prototype race car, designed by British-Australian engineer Ron Tauranac, and developed and built by British manufacturer, constructor, and Formula One racing team, Brabham. It was built to Group 7 racing specifications, in 1966, and was the only Group 7 sports car built by Brabham. Only one single model was produced. It only contested three sports car races, scoring no wins, podiums, pole positions, or points finishes.
The Gordini T16, also known as Gordini Type 16 is an open-wheel race car, designed, developed and built by French manufacturer Gordini, for Formula One and Formula Two racing categories, between 1952 and 1956.
The Simca-Gordini T11, also known simply as the Gordini Type 11, is an open-wheel race car, designed, developed, and built by French manufacturer Gordini, to compete in Formula One, and was produced between 1946 and 1953.
The Gordini T32 was an open-wheel formula racing car, designed, developed and built by French manufacturer Gordini, for the 1955 and 1957 Formula One World Championship seasons.
1955 Vanwall VW 2 (1955)
Vanwall VW 7 Monaco (1958)
Vanwall VW 6 streamliner (1957)
Vanwall VW 5 (1958)
