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The 1955 British Grand Prix was the sixth race of the 1955 Formula One Season. It was held at Aintree Circuit on July 16, 1955, and became the penultimate round of the year, following the Le Mans disaster which led to the cancellation of the French, German, Swiss and Spanish Grands Prix.

This Grand Prix saw history being made, as Stirling Moss became the first Briton to win a British Grand Prix, winning in a Mercedes 1-2-3-4. In fact, the team was so dominant during the weekend that the top four in the race were Mercedes drivers, the highest of the non-Mercedes cars being the Maserati of Luigi Musso.

The podium was completed by Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio and German Karl Kling. It was also the debut for Australian driver, and future world champion, Jack Brabham.

Background[]


Entry List[]

The full entry list for the 1955 British Grand Prix is outlined below:

No. Driver Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Model Tyre
2 France Jean Behra Italy Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 P
4 Italy Luigi Musso Italy Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 P
6 Argentina Roberto Mieres Italy Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 P
8 France André Simon Italy Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 P
10 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio West Germany Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz W196 Mercedes M196 2.5 L8 C
12 United Kingdom Stirling Moss West Germany Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz W196 Mercedes M196 2.5 L8 C
14 West Germany Karl Kling West Germany Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz W196 Mercedes M196 2.5 L8 C
16 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 E
18 France Maurice Trintignant Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 E
20 Italy Eugenio Castellotti Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 E
22 France Robert Manzon France Equipe Gordini Gordini T16 Gordini 23 2.5 L6 E
24 Brazil Hermano da Silva Ramos France Equipe Gordini Gordini T16 Gordini 23 2.5 L6 E
26 France Mike Sparken France Equipe Gordini Gordini T16 Gordini 23 2.5 L6 E
28 United Kingdom Ken Wharton United Kingdom Vandervell Products Vanwall VW 55 Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 P
30 United States Harry Schell United Kingdom Vandervell Products Vanwall VW 55 Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 P
32 United Kingdom Kenneth McAlpine United Kingdom Connaught Engineering Connaught Bs Alta GP 2.5 L4 D
34 United Kingdom Jack Fairman United Kingdom Connaught Engineering Connaught Bs Alta GP 2.5 L4 D
36 United Kingdom Tony Rolt United Kingdom R.R.C. Walker Racing Team Connaught B Alta GP 2.5 L4 D
United Kingdom Peter Walker
38 United Kingdom Leslie Marr United Kingdom Privateer Connaught Bs Alta GP 2.5 L4 D
40 Australia Jack Brabham United Kingdom Cooper Car Company Cooper T40 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 D
42 United Kingdom Peter Collins United Kingdom Owen Racing Organisation Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D
44 United Kingdom Roy Salvadori United Kingdom Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D
46 United Kingdom Lance Macklin United Kingdom Stirling Moss Ltd. Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D
48 United Kingdom Horace Gould United Kingdom Goulds' Garage Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D
50 Italy Piero Taruffi West Germany Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz W196 Mercedes M196 2.5 L8 C

Practice[]

Practice Results[]

Pos. No. Driver Constructor Time Gap
1 12 United Kingdom Stirling Moss Germany Mercedes 2:00.4
2 10 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Germany Mercedes 2:00.6 + 0.2
3 2 France Jean Behra France Maserati 2:01.4 + 1.0
4 14 Germany Karl Kling Germany Mercedes 2:02.0 + 1.6
5 50 Italy Piero Taruffi Germany Mercedes 2:03.0 + 2.6
6 6 Argentina Roberto Mieres Italy Maserati 2:03.2 + 2.8
7 30 United States Harry Schell United Kingdom Vanwall 2:03.8 + 3.4
8 8 France André Simon Italy Maserati 2:04.0 + 3.6
9 4 Italy Luigi Musso Italy Maserati 2:04.2 + 3.8
10 20 Italy Eugenio Castellotti Italy Ferrari 2:05.0 + 4.6
11 22 France Robert Manzon France Gordini 2:05.0 + 4.6
12 16 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Italy Ferrari 2:05.4 + 5.0
13 18 France Maurice Trintignant Italy Ferrari 2:05.4 + 5.0
14 36 United Kingdom Tony Rolt United Kingdom Connaught-Alta 2:06.6 + 6.2
15 28 United Kingdom Ken Wharton United Kingdom Vanwall 2:08.4 + 8.0
16 46 United Kingdom Lance Macklin Italy Maserati 2:08.4 + 8.0
17 32 United Kingdom Kenneth McAlpine United Kingdom Connaught-Alta 2:09.6 + 9.2
18 24 Brazil Hermano da Silva Ramos France Gordini 2:10.6 + 10.2
19 38 United Kingdom Leslie Marr United Kingdom Connaught-Alta 2:11.6 + 11.2
20 44 United Kingdom Roy Salvadori Italy Maserati 2:11.6 + 11.2
21 34 United Kingdom Jack Fairman United Kingdom Connaught-Alta 2:11.6 + 11.2
22 48 United Kingdom Horace Gould Italy Maserati 2:11.8 + 11.4
23 26 France Mike Sparken France Gordini 2:12.6 + 12.2
24 42 United Kingdom Peter Collins Italy Maserati 2:13.4 + 13.0
25 40 Australia Jack Brabham United Kingdom Cooper-Bristol 2:27.4 + 27.0


Grid[]

Pos Pos Pos
Driver Driver Driver
______________
1 ______________
Stirling Moss 2 ______________
Juan Manuel Fangio 3
Jean Behra
______________
4 ______________
Karl Kling 5
Piero Taruffi
______________
6 ______________
Roberto Mieres 7 ______________
Harry Schell 8
André Simon
______________
9 ______________
Luigi Musso 10
Eugenio Castellotti
______________
11 ______________
Robert Manzon 12 ______________
Mike Hawthorn 13
Maurice Trintignant
______________
14 ______________
Tony Rolt 15
Ken Wharton
______________
16 ______________
Lance Macklin 17 ______________
Kenneth McAlpine 18
Hermano da Silva Ramos
______________
19 ______________
Leslie Marr 20
Roy Salvadori
______________
21 ______________
Jack Fairman 22 ______________
Horace Gould 23
Mike Sparken
______________
24 ______________
Peter Collins 25
Jack Brabham



Race[]


Race Results[]

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 12 United Kingdom Stirling Moss Germany Mercedes 90 3:07:21.2 1 9
2 10 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Germany Mercedes 90 + 0.2 2 6
3 14 Germany Karl Kling Germany Mercedes 90 + 1:11.8[1] 4 4
4 50 Italy Piero Taruffi Germany Mercedes 89 + 1 Lap 5 3
5 4 Italy Luigi Musso Italy Maserati 89 + 1 Lap 9 2
6 16 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn
Italy Eugenio Castellotti
Italy Ferrari 87 + 3 Laps 12
7 26 France Mike Sparken France Gordini 81 + 9 Laps 23
8 46 United Kingdom Lance Macklin Italy Maserati 79 + 11 Laps 16
9 28 United Kingdom Ken Wharton
United States Harry Schell
United Kingdom Vanwall 72 + 18 Laps 15
Ret 18 France Maurice Trintignant Italy Ferrari 59 Overheating 13
Ret 6 Argentina Roberto Mieres Italy Maserati 47 Engine 6
Ret 40 Australia Jack Brabham United Kingdom Cooper-Bristol 30 Engine 25
Ret 32 United Kingdom Kenneth McAlpine United Kingdom Connaught-Alta 30 Oil Pressure 17
Ret 42 United Kingdom Peter Collins Italy Maserati 28 Clutch 24
Ret 24 Brazil Hermano da Silva Ramos France Gordini 26 Oil Pressure 18
Ret 44 United Kingdom Roy Salvadori Italy Maserati 23 Gearbox 20
Ret 48 United Kingdom Horace Gould Italy Maserati 22 Brakes 22
Ret 30 United States Harry Schell United Kingdom Vanwall 20 Throttle 7
Ret 36 United Kingdom Tony Rolt
United Kingdom Peter Walker
United Kingdom Connaught-Alta 19 Transmission 14
Ret 38 United Kingdom Leslie Marr United Kingdom Connaught-Alta 18 Brakes 19
Ret 20 Italy Eugenio Castellotti Italy Ferrari 16 Transmission 10
Ret 8 France André Simon Italy Maserati 9 Gearbox 8
Ret 2 France Jean Behra France Maserati 9 Oil Leak 3
Ret 22 France Robert Manzon France Gordini 4 Transmission 11
DNS 34 United Kingdom Jack Fairman United Kingdom Connaught-Alta Engine 21


Standings after the race[]

Trivia[]

  • First win and pole position for Stirling Moss.
  • Moss' pole and fastest lap times are the same (2:00.4), a rare occurrence in Formula One.
  • First races for Jack Brabham and Mike Sparken. The latter's only appearance.
  • First win for a British driver at the British Grand Prix.
  • All laps were timed using equipment for horse racing, which timed to 15 of a second.

Notes[]

  1. Lang, Mike (1981). Grand Prix! Vol 1. Haynes Publishing Group. p. 90. ISBN 0-85429-276-4.
V T E United Kingdom British Grand Prix
Circuits Brooklands (1926 - 1927), Silverstone (1948 - Present), Aintree (1955 - 1962), Brands Hatch (1963 - 1986)
SilverstoneArena2010
Races 19501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Non-Championship Races 1926192719481949
V T E 1955 Formula One Season
Constructors Arzani-Volpini • Connaught • Cooper • Ferrari • Gordini • HWM • Lancia • Maserati • Mercedes • Vanwall
Engines Alta • Bristol • Ferrari • Gordini • Lancia • Maserati • Mercedes • Vanwall
Drivers Ascari • Bayol • Behra • Birger • Brabham • Bucci • Castellotti • Chiron • Claes • Collins • Fairman • Fangio • Farina • Fitch • Frère • J. F. González • Gould • Hawthorn • Herrmann • Iglesias • Kling • Macklin • Maglioli • Mantovani • Manzon • Marr • McAlpine • Menditeguy • Mieres • S. Moss • Musso • Perdisa • Piotti • Pollet • Rolt • Salvadori • Schell • Silva Ramos • Simon • Sparken • Taruffi • Trintignant • Uria • Villoresi • Walker • Wharton • Whiteaway
Cars Arzani-Volpini F1 • Connaught B • Cooper T40 • Ferrari 555 • Ferrari 625 • Gordini T16 • HWM 53 • Lancia D50  • Maserati 250F • Maserati A6GCM • Mercedes W196 • Vanwall VW55
Tyres Continental • Dunlop • Englebert • Pirelli
Races Argentina • Monaco • Indianapolis • Belgium • Netherlands • Britain • Italy
See also 1954 Formula One Season • 1956 Formula One Season • Category
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