The 1952 Formula One Season was the 3rd FIA World Drivers' Championship, which commenced on May 18, 1952, and ended on September 7 after eight races, was won by Alberto Ascari, driving for Scuderia Ferrari who scored the maximum 36 World Championship points for the season.
In comparison to previous seasons, the 1952 Formula One season consisted of a relatively small number of Formula One races, following the FIA's decision to run the World Drivers' Championship to Formula Two regulations rather than Formula One.
In addition to the Formula One races and the World Championship Formula Two races, numerous other Formula Two races, which did not count towards the Championship, were also held during the year.
Formula One saw the first fatality since its formation. Cameron Earl was killed after his car overturned while he was testing as an English Racing Automobiles team technical consultant.
World Championship season summary
Edit
Alfa Romeo, unable to fund a new car, withdrew from racing, leaving Ferrari as the only serious Formula 1 contender. This led organizers to run their races for Formula 2, for 2 litre unsupercharged engines, which meant larger fields and a greater variety of cars, even if the victories all went to Ferrari. Ascari won the six grand prix he entered, missing the Swiss because he was at Indianapolis qualifying. Maserati and Gordini offered little challenge, but Mike Hawthorn's drives in his Cooper would earn him a works Ferrari drive in 1953. Fangio, badly injured in an early season crash, took no part in the championship.
Points were given to top 5 finishers (8, 6, 4, 3, 2). 1 point was given for fastest lap. Only the best four of eight scores counted towards the world championship. Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps. In 1952, all World Championship events were run under Formula 2 regulations.
World Championship season reviewEdit
Teams and DriversEdit
The following teams and drivers competed in the 1952 FIA World Championship.
1952 Driver line-upsEdit
| Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Scuderia Ferrari
| Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari 2.0 L4 | P | Giuseppe Farina
|
| Piero Taruffi
| |||||
 André Simon
| |||||
| Alberto Ascari
| |||||
| Luigi Villoresi
| |||||
| Equipe Gordini
| Gordini | Gordini 16 | Gordini 2.0 L6 | E | Robert Manzon
|
| Jean Behra
| |||||
 B. Bira
| |||||
| Maurice Trintignant
| |||||
 Hersham & Walton Motors
| HWM | HWM 52 | Alta 2.0 L4 | D | Lance Macklin
|
| Peter Collins
| |||||
| George Abecassis
| |||||
| Stirling Moss
| |||||
 Roger Laurent
| |||||
| Yves Giraud-Cabantous
| |||||
| Duncan Hamilton
| |||||
| Johnny Claes
| |||||
 Dries van der Lof
| |||||
| HWM 51/52 | Paul Frère
| ||||
 Escuderia Bandeirantes
| Maserati | Maserati A6GCM | Maserati 2.0 L6 | P | Philippe Étancelin
|
| Gino Bianco
| |||||
 Eitel Cantoni
| |||||
| Chico Landi
| |||||
| Jan Flinterman
| |||||
 Ecurie Espadon
| Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari 2.0 L4 | P | Rudi Fischer
|
| Ferrari 212 | Ferrari 2.0 V12 | ||||
| Peter Hirt
| |||||
| Rudolf Schoeller
| |||||
| Ecurie Richmond
| Cooper | Cooper T20 | Bristol 2.0 L6 | D | Alan Brown
|
| Eric Brandon
| |||||
| Connaught Engineering
| Connaught | Connaught Type A | Lea Francis 2.0 L4 | D | Kenneth McAlpine
|
| Dennis Poore
| |||||
| Ken Downing
| |||||
| Eric Thompson
| |||||
| Stirling Moss
| |||||
| Enrico Platé
| Maserati | Maserati 4CLT/48 Platé | Maserati Platé 2.0 L4 | P | Toulo de Graffenried
|
 Harry Schell
| |||||
| LD Hawthorn
| Cooper | Cooper T20 | Bristol 2.0 L6 | D | Mike Hawthorn
|
| Equipe Simca-Gordini
| Simca-Gordini | Simca-Gordini 15 | Gordini 1.5 L4 | E | B. Bira
|
| Maurice Trintignant
| |||||
| Simca-Gordini 16S | Gordini 2.0 L6 | Johnny Claes
| |||
| Ecurie Rosier
| Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari 2.0 L4 | D | Louis Rosier
|
| Officine Alfieri Maserati
| Maserati | Maserati A6GCM | Maserati 2.0 L6 | P | Felice Bonetto
|
| Franco Rol
| |||||
 José Froilán González
| |||||
| Peter Whitehead
| Ferrari | Ferrari 125/F2 | Ferrari 2.0 V12 | D | Peter Whitehead
|
| Alta | Alta F2 | Alta 2.0 L4 | |||
| Graham Whitehead
| |||||
| English Racing Automobiles
| ERA | ERA G Type | Bristol 2.0 L6 | D | Stirling Moss
|
| Ecurie Belge
| Simca-Gordini | Simca-Gordini 15 | Gordini 1.5 L4 | E | Johnny Claes
|
| Paul Frère
| |||||
| Scuderia Franera
| Frazer-Nash | Frazer-Nash FN48 | Bristol 2.0 L6 | D | Ken Wharton
|
| Ecurie Francorchamps
| Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari 2.0 L4 | E | Charles de Tornaco
|
| Roger Laurent
| |||||
 Tony Gaze
| HWM | HWM 52 | Alta 2.0 L4 | D | Tony Gaze
|
| Scuderia Marzotto
| Ferrari | Ferrari 166/F2 | Ferrari 2.0 V12 | P | Piero Carini
|
| Franco Comotti
| |||||
 Toni Ulmen
| Veritas | Veritas-Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | D | Toni Ulmen
|
| Ecurie Ecosse
| Cooper | Cooper T20 | Bristol 2.0 L6 | D | David Murray
|
| Ken Wharton
| |||||
| AHM Bryde
| Cooper | Cooper T20 | Bristol 2.0 L6 | D | Mike Hawthorn
|
| Reg Parnell
| |||||
| WS Aston
| Aston | Aston NB41 | Butterworth 2.0 F4 | D | Bill Aston
|
| Robin Montgomerie-Charrington
| |||||
| Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau
| AFM | AFM | Kuchen 2.0 V8 | E | Hans Stuck
|
| G Caprara
| Ferrari | Ferrari 500 | Ferrari 2.0 L4 | D | Roy Salvadori
|
| Ken Downing
| Connaught | Connaught Type A | Lea Francis 2.0 L4 | D | Ken Downing
|
| Tony Crook
| Frazer-Nash | Frazer-Nash 421 | BMW 2.0 L6 | D | Tony Crook
|
| Élie Bayol
| OSCA | OSCA 20 | OSCA 2.0 L6 | P | Élie Bayol
|
| Arthur Legat
| Veritas | Veritas Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | E | Arthur Legat
|
| Robert O' Brien
| Simca-Gordini | Simca-Gordini 15 | Gordini 1.5 L4 | E | Robert O' Brien
|
| Alfred Dattner
| Simca-Gordini | Simca-Gordini 11 | Gordini 1.5 L4 | E | Max de Terra
|
| Marcel Balsa
| BMW | BMW Special | BMW 2.0 L6 | ? | Marcel Balsa
|
| Fritz Riess
| Veritas | Veritas RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | ? | Fritz Riess
|
| Theo Helfrich
| Veritas | Veritas RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | ? | Theo Helfrich
|
| Willi Heeks
| AFM | AFM 8 | BMW 2.0 L6 | ? | Willi Heeks
|
| Helmut Niedermayr
| AFM | AFM 6 | BMW 2.0 L6 | ? | Helmut Niedermayr
|
| Adolf Brudes
| Veritas | Veritas RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | ? | Adolf Brudes
|
| Motor-Presse-Verlag
| Veritas | Veritas Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | ? | Paul Pietsch
|
| Hans Klenk
| Veritas | Veritas RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | ? | Hans Klenk
|
| Josef Peters
| Veritas | Veritas RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | ? | Josef Peters
|
| Günther Bechem
| BMW | BMW Special | BMW 2.0 L6 | ? | Günther Bechem
|
| Ernst Klodwig
| Heck | Heck | BMW 2.0 L6 | ? | Ernst Klodwig
|
| Rudolf Krause
| Greifzu | Greifzu | BMW 2.0 L6 | ? | Rudolf Krause
|
1952 Drivers Championship final standingsEdit
|
- * Fastest lap (1 point awarded)
- ** Multiple drivers set equal fastest lap times, thus sharing the 1 point.
- † Position shared between more drivers of the same car
- Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.
Non-Championship race resultsEdit
Formula One/Two Grand Prix races, which did not count towards the World Championship, also held in 1952.
| Race Name | Circuit | Date | Winning driver | Constructor | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 XI Grande Prémio da Cidade de Rio de Janeiro
| Gávea | January 20 | José Froilán González
| Ferrari
| Report |
| II Gran Premio di Siracusa
| Syracuse | March 16 | Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| Report |
| VI Gran Premio del Valentino
| Valentino Park | April 6 | Luigi Villoresi
| Ferrari
| Report |
| IV Richmond Trophy
| Goodwood | April 14 | José Froilán González
| Ferrari
| Report |
| IV Lavant Cup
| Goodwood | April 14 | Mike Hawthorn
| Cooper-Bristol
| Report |
| XIII Grand Prix de Pau
| Pau | April 14 | Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| Report |
| I Ibsley Grand Prix
| Ringwood | April 19 | Mike Hawthorn
| Cooper-Bristol
| Report |
| X Grand Prix de Marseille
| Marseille | April 27 | Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| Report |
| IV BRDC International Trophy
| Silverstone | May 10 | Lance Macklin
| HWM-Alta
| Report |
 XIV Eläintarhanajot
| Eläintarharata | May 11 | Roger Laurent
| Talbot-Lago
| Report |
| V Gran Premio di Napoli
| Posillipo | May 11 | Giuseppe Farina
| Ferrari
| Report |
| XVI Internationales ADAC Eifelrennen
| Nürburgring | May 25 | Rudi Fischer
| Ferrari
| Report |
| VI Grand Prix de Paris
| Montlhéry | May 25 | Piero Taruffi
| Ferrari
| Report |
| XIV Grand Prix de l'Albigeois
| Albi | June 1 | Louis Rosier
| Ferrari
| Report |
| XXII Grand Prix des Frontières
| Chimay | June 1 | Paul Frère
| HWM-Alta
| Report |
| VI Ulster Trophy
| Dundrod | June 7 | Piero Taruffi
| Ferrari
| Report |
| V Gran Premio dell'Autodromo di Monza
| Monza | June 8 | Giuseppe Farina
| Ferrari
| Report |
| IV Aix les Bains Circuit du Lac
| Aix-les-Bains | June 8 | Jean Behra
| Gordini
| Report |
| I West Essex CC Race
| Boreham | June 21 | Reg Parnell
| Cooper-Bristol
| Report |
| XX Grand Prix de la Marne
| Reims | June 29 | Jean Behra
| Gordini
| Report |
| II Grand Prix de Sables d'Olonne
| Sables | July 13 | Luigi Villoresi
| Ferrari
| Report |
| I Grand Prix de Caen
| Caen | July 27 | Maurice Trintignant
| Gordini
| Report |
| II Daily Mail Trophy
| Boreham | August 2 | Luigi Villoresi
| Ferrari
| Report |
| XVI Grand Prix de Comminges
| Comminges | August 10 | André Simon
| Ferrari
| Report |
| I National Trophy
| Turnberry | August 23 | Mike Hawthorn
| Connaught
| Report |
| XI Grand Prix de la Baule
| La Baule | August 24 | Alberto Ascari
| Ferrari
| Report |
| III Gran Premio di Modena
| Modena | September 14 | Luigi Villoresi
| Ferrari
| Report |
| IV Circuit de Cadours
| Cadours | September 14 | Louis Rosier
| Ferrari
| Report |
| V Madgwick Cup
| Goodwood | September 27 | Ken Downing
| Connaught
| Report |
| VIII Internationales Avusrennen
| AVUS | September 28 | Rudi Fischer
| Ferrari
| Report |
| Joe Fry Memorial Trophy
| Castle Combe | October 4 | Roy Salvadori
| Ferrari
| Report |
| I Newcastle Journal Trophy
| Charterhall | October 11 | Dennis Poore
| Connaught
| Report |
| XII Grande Prémio da Cidade de Rio de Janeiro
| Gávea | December 14 | Henrique Casini
| Ferrari
| Report |
See AlsoEdit
| V T E | Formula One Seasons | |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2019 • 2020 | ||
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