1956 Italian Grand Prix

The 1956 Italian Grand Prix was the ninth race of the 1956 Formula One World Championship and was held in Monza on October 28th 1956. Jack Brabham started from pole position and had the opportunity to secure his second world championship over Desmond Titterington, but both retired from the race and ensured the fight would continue to the season-ending 1956 Thai Grand Prix. Instead, Mike Hawthorn scored his first and only career victory in the B.C.M.A., his only points that season, in a photo finish ahead of Ottorino Volonterio and José Froilán González's O.S.C.A. duo who finished less than a second behind. Stirling Moss finished fourth, keeping himself in the title fight as well.

Background

In Silverstone, Jack Brabham took advantage of an uncharacteristic mistake from Desmond Titterington to win his third race of the season and take the championship lead, despite a very tough challenge by the very surprising Umberto Maglioli. With two races remaining, he now has a decisive advantage in the title race, with only five other drivers able to take the title away from the defending champion.

The Australian has a five-point lead over Desmond Titterington, eight points over Stirling Moss, 11 over Bira, 14 over Sanesi and 17 over Collins. Brabham can seal the title in Monza like he did last year, but his rivals won't make it easy for him. Speaking of rivals, he'll have 42 of them here, as 43 men and women have arrived in Monza to compete this weekend.

• After skipping the British Grand Prix, Federico Hernandez and Gilberte Thirion are back in Monza, hoping to take advantage of the large grid to score a good result.
• Despite the horrendous début in Germany, DB have not been deterred and have arrived in Italy. With Thirion now driving for Hernandez, René Bonnet has taken matters into his own hands, deciding to drive the car himself.
• Redmond Gallagher has been benched by Gordini after tricking the team and the race organisers into believing he was fit to drive, resulting in his disqualification from the British Grand Prix. As a result, only four cars have been entered by the leading French team, for Brabham, Sanesi, Castellotti and Bonnier.
• Following a string of disappointing performances, Juan Manuel Fangio has been demoted from the Ferrari squad in a straight swap with Reatherson's Giulio Cabianca, who will make his first appearance for a top team.
• The new Scuderia Guastalla outfit, after honing their craft in sportscars and non-championship races, make their first championship appearance here in Monza. With regular driver Gerino Gerini contracted by Adriatica, the team have instead hired rookies Piero Scotti and Giorgio Becucci to drive the ex-Ferrari machinery.
• BRM planned to enter Luigi Piotti as third driver alongside Frère and Flockhart. However, they did not realise he was unavailable, and will once again have to cancel one of their entries.
• Robert Manzon has finally recovered from his early-season accident, and as this is the home race for O.S.C.A., he will join Volonterio, Moss, González and Ruttman in an exceptional five-car team.
• Unhappy at not finding a drive anywhere for his home race, Cesare Perdisa decided to scrape some money together and rent an old Ferrari to enter under his own name.
• Independent constructor Arzani-Volpini make their first foray into the world championship. Unable to bring their own car, they've also decided to rent an old AAC, which will be driven by the aforementioned Luigi Piotti.
• Thanks to their partnership with Cooper, BRUNEL have secured a Cooper-Climax combination to enter into this race, still driven by de Filippis.
• With travel costs mounting, Irish Racing Cars have downsized their operation to two cars for Titterington and Hamilton, with the third car loaned to Scuderia Centro Sud.
• Centro Sud, returning to the scene for their home race, will enter the experienced pairing of Jean Behra and Luigi Musso in an O.S.C.A. and the IRC Lancia respectively.
• After deliberately missing the British rounds for financial reasons, Maserati will attend their home race, on their last legs, hoping for a good result against all odds.
• 47-year-old German sportscar driver Helm Glöckler has decided to persuade old collaborators Equipe Anglaise to enter a customer Cooper-Climax for this race, figuring that he might as well give it a go.
• Similarly, the perennially underrated 42-year-old Elie Bayol, whose only F1 experience amounts to a DNPQ at the '54 French Grand Prix, has decided to give F1 one last go before calling it quits, driving the old Gordini driven by Gallagher in Silverstone.
• Local Italian sportscar driver Berardo Taraschi will also be making his début, following up on some non-championship results that aren't extremely encouraging. He'll be driving an odd O.S.C.A.-AAC combination.

With 43 entries and 34 spots on the grid, there will be no prequalifying session, but 9 drivers will fail to make the grid.

Race weekend

Qualifying

Considering the huge buffer of privateers entering, there aren't any real surprises regarding the drivers failing to make the grid, but it's still a rare occasiona when the likes of Guelfi, Salvadori, Behra, Bianchi or Gerini make a race grid. While Brabham takes his sixth career pole position, Mike Hawthorn and Stirling Moss surprise the crowd by completing the front row. Brabham is now in a perfect position to seal a second world title as Desmond Titterington is stranded in elventh place.

Race

From the very beginning, it was clear that this would be a race of attrition, as Fangio and Guelfi's clutches failed on the grid. Moss got the best start and led the first lap from Bira, Brabham, Volonterio, Hawthorn and Gaze, whose terrific start gained him seven positions. Gordini's day was ended in a weird incident in which Sanesi, Bonnier and Castellotti all pulled into the pits with overheating issues, apparently caused by fallen leaves entering the cars! On lap 4, Robert Manzon's engine caught fire in spectacular fashion on the front straight, prompting Duncan Hamilton to spin out on the oil, reducing the field to 27 drivers. On the fifth lap, Brabham took the lead from Moss, retaking the upper hand in the title fight just as Stuart Lewis-Evans retired from the race with another engine failure.

A fight for the lead developed between Brabham, Hawthorn, Volonterio and Moss, with Titterington catching up and Gaze just behind. On lap 10, another string of retirements occurred, with Gregory suffering from similar heat issues to the Gordinis, Jim Russell from a gearbox failure and Gilberte Thirion from an oil leak. On lap 14, though, the entire course of the race (and indeed the championship) changed, as Jack Brabham's front-right suspension snapped at Lesmo, temporarily leaving an O.S.C.A. 1-2-3, Volonterio leading González and Moss, with Hawthorn in fourth place. Tony Gaze, in contention for points, pulled up by the trackside with a clutch failure.

Volonterio kept the lead as González, Hawthorn and Moss fought over second place. Hawthorn won that fight and began to attack Volonterio's lead. Further back, Bira's transmission failed, as did Gerini's gearbox. Hawthorn took the lead on lap 24. That same lap, Davison and de Filippis also retired due to leaf-based overheating, while Dorino Serafini had a serious accident, spinning at Curva Grande and getting pitched into a barrell-roll. He was thrown out of the car and was taken to hospital, conscious. On the next lap, Bianchi retired, having run out of fuel due to a leak.

Crucially for the championship race, Titterington's engine failed on lap 26, leaving Moss as the only credible contender still in the running, in fifth position. Salvadori also retired with a puncture. Cabianca's gearbox failed on the following lap, leaving just 12 drivers in the race. They were reduced to ten as Collins and Maglioli had simultaneous engine failures just five laps from the end! Hawthorn, despite his best defensive efforts, capitulated to Volonterio and González with two laps remaining, but managed to get a good run in the final lap. He powered past González at the exit of the oval section and passed Volonterio at Lesmo. Volonterio got a tow and retook the lead on the run to Vialone, but Hawthorn then got the slipstream. He positioned his car expertly in the Parabolica, getting the better exit and barely edging Volonterio to take his first F1 victory.

Volonterio held on for his second podium, with González third. Moss came fourth to keep his championship hopes theoretically alive. Troy Ruttman, in a safe fifth position, had a stupid spin on the final lap, but was still classified in fifth. Luigi Musso was free to come home in sixth position to score the first point for Scuderia Centro Sud. Marimón, Hampshire, Behra and Perdisa completed the finishers.

Entry list

No	Driver	Entrant	Chassis	Engine
1	Gilberte Thirion	Escuderia Hernandez	O.S.C.A. F156A	Hernandez H258/A 2.5 L8
2	René Bonnet	Automobiles Deutsch & Bonnet	DB 01	DB 84-1 0.5 V2
3	André Guelfi	Écurie Maghreb	O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 156 1.5 L6s
4	Gerino Gerini	Scuderia Adriatica	Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
5	Dorino Serafini		Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
6	Jack Brabham	Alexander Racing Team-Gordini	Gordini Type 56	Gordini G258/A 2.5 L8
7	Eugenio Castellotti		Gordini Type 56	Gordini G258/A 2.5 L8
8	Consalvo Sanesi		Gordini Type 56	Gordini G258/A 2.5 L8
9	Jo Bonnier		Gordini Type 56	Gordini G258/A 2.5 L8
10	Jim Russell	Vanwall	Vanwall VW56	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4
11	Tony Gaze	Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
12	Umberto Maglioli		Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
14	Giulio Cabianca		Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
15	Juan Manuel Fangio	Reatherson Racing Developments	Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
16	Piero Scotti	Scuderia Guastalla	AAC 555	AAC 555 2.5 L4
17	Giorgio Becucci		AAC 555	AAC 555 2.5 L4
18	Ron Flockhart	British Racing Motors	BRM P25	BRM P25 2.5 L4
19	Paul Frère		BRM P25	BRM P25 2.5 L4
n/a*	Luigi Piotti		AAC 555	AAC 555 2.5 L4
20	B. Bira	Team Lotus	Lotus 10	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6
21	Masten Gregory		Lotus 10	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6
22	Lex Davison		Lotus 10	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6
23	Ottorino Volonterio	Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili	O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
24	Stirling Moss		O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
25	José Froilán González		O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
26	Troy Ruttman		O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
27	Robert Manzon		O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
28	Cesare Perdisa	Cesare Perdisa	AAC 555	AAC 555 2.5 L4
29	Luigi Piotti	Scuderia Arzani-Volpini	AAC 555	AAC 555 2.5 L4
30	Maria Teresa de Filippis	Brits Under No European Legislation	Cooper T41	Climax FPF IV 2.0 L4
31	Desmond Titterington	Irish Racing Cars	Lancia D50	Lancia DS50 2.5 V8
32	Duncan Hamilton		Lancia D50	Lancia DS50 2.5 V8
33	Jean Behra	Scuderia Centro Sud	O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 156 1.5 L6s
34	Luigi Musso		Lancia D50	Lancia DS50 2.5 V8
35	David Hampshire	Hampshire Racing Alliance	Vanwall VW56	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4
36	Roy Salvadori		Vanwall VW56	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
37	Onofre Marimón	Asso di Fiori	O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
38	Lucien Bianchi	Officine Alfieri Maserati	Cooper T41	Maserati 56A 2.5 V8
39	Helm Glöckler	Equipe Anglaise	Cooper T41	Climax FPF IV 2.0 L4
40	Peter Collins	British Commonwealth Motorsport Association	B.C.M.A. C-01	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6
41	Mike Hawthorn		B.C.M.A. C-01	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6
42	Stuart Lewis-Evans		B.C.M.A. C-01	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6
43	Élie Bayol	Élie Bayol	Gordini G-953	Gordini ART-004 3.0 V6
44	Berardo Taraschi	Berardo Taraschi	O.S.C.A. F154	AAC 555 2.5 L4

• Luigi Piotti was entered by British Racing Motors with the mistaken belief that he had agreed to drive. As Piotti had already committed to Arzani-Volpini, the entry was withdrawn.

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Time	Gap
1	6	Jack Brabham	Gordini	2:43.25	-
2	41	Mike Hawthorn	B.C.M.A.	2:44.62	+ 1.37
3	24	Stirling Moss	O.S.C.A.	2:44.75	+ 1.50
4	27	Robert Manzon	O.S.C.A.	2:44.82	+ 1.57
5	20	B. Bira	Lotus-B.C.M.A.	2:44.85	+ 1.60
6	40	Peter Collins	B.C.M.A.	2:45.01	+ 1.76
7	23	Ottorino Volonterio	O.S.C.A.	2:45.21	+ 1.96
8	8	Consalvo Sanesi	Gordini	2:46.48	+ 3.23
9	25	José Froilán González	O.S.C.A.	2:46.55	+ 3.30
10	7	Eugenio Castellotti	Gordini	2:46.58	+ 3.33
11	31	Desmond Titterington	Lancia	2:46.78	+ 3.53
12	26	Troy Ruttman	O.S.C.A.	2:47.89	+ 4.64
13	11	Tony Gaze	Ferrari	2:48.08	+ 4.83
14	9	Jo Bonnier	Gordini	2:48.67	+ 5.42
15	12	Umberto Maglioli	Ferrari	2:50.24	+ 6.99
16	14	Giulio Cabianca	Ferrari	2:50.30	+ 7.05
17	37	Onofre Marimón	O.S.C.A.	2:51.22	+ 7.97
18	15	Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari	2:52.78	+ 9.53
19	1	Gilberte Thirion	O.S.C.A.-Hernandez	2:53.27	+ 10.02
20	42	Stuart Lewis-Evans	B.C.M.A.	2:53.99	+ 10.74
21	21	Masten Gregory	Lotus-B.C.M.A.	2:54.22	+ 10.97
22	32	Duncan Hamilton	Lancia	2:54.32	+ 11.07
23	34	Luigi Musso	Lancia	2:57.16	+ 13.91
24	3	André Guelfi	O.S.C.A.	2:57.68	+ 14.43
25	22	Lex Davison	Lotus-B.C.M.A.	2:58.99	+ 15.74
26	5	Dorino Serafini	Ferrari	2:59.09	+ 15.84
27	36	Roy Salvadori	Vanwall-O.S.C.A.	3:00.33	+ 17.08
28	33	Jean Behra	O.S.C.A.	3:00.36	+ 17.11
29	10	Jim Russell	Vanwall	3:00.39	+ 17.14
30	38	Lucien Bianchi	Cooper-Maserati	3:00.46	+ 17.21
31	4	Gerino Gerini	Ferrari	3:00.82	+ 17.57
32	35	David Hampshire	Vanwall	3:01.14	+ 17.89
33	30	Maria Teresa de Filippis	Cooper-Climax	3:01.63	+ 18.38
34	28	Cesare Perdisa	AAC	3:01.64	+ 18.39
35	43	Élie Bayol	Gordini	3:03.53	+ 20.28
36	39	Helm Glöckler	Cooper-Climax	3:04.90	+ 21.65
37	19	Paul Frère	BRM	3:05.62	+ 22.37
38	29	Luigi Piotti	AAC	3:06.56	+ 23.31
39	16	Piero Scotti	AAC	3:09.89	+ 26.64
40	18	Ron Flockhart	BRM	3:10.90	+ 27.65
41	44	Berardo Taraschi	O.S.C.A.-AAC	3:12.57	+ 29.32
42	17	Giorgio Becucci	AAC	3:12.96	+ 29.71
43	2	René Bonnet	DB	3:28.18	+ 44.93

Race

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Pts
1	41	Mike Hawthorn	B.C.M.A.	35	1:40:34.91	2	9
2	23	Ottorino Volonterio	O.S.C.A.	35	+ 0.07	7	6
3	25	José Froilán González	O.S.C.A.	35	+ 0.87	9	4
4	24	Stirling Moss	O.S.C.A.	35	+ 1:38.97	3	3
5	26	Troy Ruttman	O.S.C.A.	34	Spin	12	2
6	34	Luigi Musso	Lancia	34	+ 1 lap	23	1
7	37	Onofre Marimón	O.S.C.A.	33	+ 2 laps	17
8	35	David Hampshire	Vanwall	33	+ 2 laps	32
9	33	Jean Behra	O.S.C.A.	33	+ 2 laps	28
10	28	Cesare Perdisa	AAC	32	+ 3 laps	34
Ret	40	Peter Collins	B.C.M.A.	30	Engine	6
Ret	12	Umberto Maglioli	Ferrari	30	Engine	15
Ret	31	Desmond Titterington	Lancia	25	Engine	11
Ret	14	Giulio Cabianca	Ferrari	25	Gearbox	16
Ret	36	Roy Salvadori	Vanwall-O.S.C.A.	24	Puncture	27
Ret	22	Lex Davison	Lotus-B.C.M.A.	23	Overheating	25
Ret	38	Lucien Bianchi	Cooper-Maserati	23	Out of fuel	30
Ret	20	B. Bira	Lotus-B.C.M.A.	22	Transmission	5
Ret	30	Maria Teresa de Filippis	Cooper-Climax	22	Overheating	33
Ret	5	Dorino Serafini	Ferrari	22	Accident	26
Ret	4	Gerino Gerini	Ferrari	21	Gearbox	31
Ret	6	Jack Brabham	Gordini	13	Suspension	1
Ret	11	Tony Gaze	Ferrari	13	Clutch	13
Ret	21	Masten Gregory	Lotus-B.C.M.A.	9	Overheating	21
Ret	1	Gilberte Thirion	O.S.C.A.-Hernandez	9	Oil leak	19
Ret	10	Jim Russell	Vanwall	9	Gearbox	29
Ret	42	Stuart Lewis-Evans	B.C.M.A.	4	Engine	20
Ret	27	Robert Manzon	O.S.C.A.	3	Engine	4
Ret	32	Duncan Hamilton	Lancia	3	Spin	22
Ret	8	Consalvo Sanesi	Gordini	2	Overheating	8
Ret	9	Jo Bonnier	Gordini	2	Overheating	14
Ret	7	Eugenio Castellotti	Gordini	2	Overheating	10
Ret	15	Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari	0	Clutch	18
Ret	3	André Guelfi	O.S.C.A.	0	Clutch	24
DNQ	43	Élie Bayol	Gordini
DNQ	39	Helm Glöckler	Cooper-Climax
DNQ	19	Paul Frère	BRM
DNQ	29	Luigi Piotti	AAC
DNQ	16	Piero Scotti	AAC
DNQ	18	Ron Flockhart	BRM
DNQ	44	Berardo Taraschi	O.S.C.A.-AAC
DNQ	17	Giorgio Becucci	AAC
DNQ	2	René Bonnet	DB

Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Jack Brabham	27
2	Desmond Titterington	22
3	Stirling Moss	22
4	B. Bira	16
5	Consalvo Sanesi	13

Pos	Constructor	Points
1	Gordini	38
2	O.S.C.A.	37
3	B.C.M.A.	31
4	Lancia	26
5	Lotus-B.C.M.A.	19

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Alexander Racing Team-Gordini	38
2	Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili	37
3	British Commonwealth Motorsport Association	31
4	Irish Racing Cars	26
5	Team Lotus	19

• Only the top five positions are listed.

Previous race: 1956 British Grand Prix	Alternate Formula 1 World Championship 1956 Season	Next race: 1956 Thai Grand Prix
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