1953 French Grand Prix

From Formula Rejects Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Flag of France svg.png 1953 French Grand Prix
Race 4 of 9 in the 1953 Alternate Formula One season
Circuit Reims-Gueux.png
Date July 5, 1953
Official Name XL Grand Prix de l'ACF
Location Reims Circuit, Reims, France
Course Temporary road course
8.347 km (5.187 mi)
Distance 42 laps, 350.574 km (217.854 mi)
Weather Sunny
Pole Position
Driver Flag of Italy svg.png Consalvo Sanesi Gordini
Time 2:37.52
Fastest Lap
Driver Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Reg Parnell Ferrari
Time 2:39.16
Podium
First Flag of Italy svg.png Consalvo Sanesi Gordini
Second Flag of the United States svg.png Tony Bettenhausen Aston Martin-Jaguar
Third Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Reg Parnell Ferrari


The 1953 French Grand Prix was the fourth race of the 1953 Formula One World Championship and was held in Reims on July 5th 1953. Consalvo Sanesi recorded the first of his six Grand Prix victories driving for Gordini, ahead of eventual World Champion and Belgian Grand Prix winner Tony Bettenhausen in an Aston Martin-Jaguar and other title challenger Reg Parnell in a Ferrari. This was the first European Formula One race which Giuseppe Farina did not attend, as he had been injured in the preceding race.

Background

What a season it had been thus far! Ferrari and Alfa Romeo were no longer the only two teams at the front, and JAMR had brilliantly won the previous two races, three of their four drivers scoring podium finishes (except for González, who was yet to finish a single race). To add to Alfa's drop in form, their lead driver Giuseppe Farina was injured during the Belgian Grand Prix and would miss the following three races.

44 drivers had turned up that weekend, fighting for 32 spots on the grid. Would JAMR win once more? Could Alfa and Ferrari fight back? Could ART spring a surprise? Or would someone else stun the Reims crowd?

For the first time out of three this season, Mercedes had broken out the second car for a local driver, with Lucien Vincent stepping up to the plate after his victory in the 12 hours of Casablanca and his fifth place at le Mans.

For the French Grand Prix, Gordini had brought back Aldo into the third car, bumping Peter Collins back into the ARE Leader-Jaguar and Umberto Maglioli back into the Balkan Eagle.

Following Giuseppe Farina's injury, Alfa Romeo had brought Louis Chiron back from retirement for three races. The 53-year-old Monégasque driver was hoping for one last hurrah, but his career was eventually prolonged by several years.

In a desperate attempt to gain pace, Maserati had signed André Simon to drive in France, hoping to make the grid for the first time since 1952.

To lower travel costs, Bentley travelled directly to the British round, skipping the French Grand Prix.

With Milhoux and Gendebien failing to make the grid in Belgium, two more conventional drivers would drive alongside Swaters in the form of the tried-and-tested André Pilette and the regular one-off Roger Laurent.

With André Simon snapped up by Maserati before he could be re-signed, O.S.C.A. decided to put John Fitch back in the second car for the French Grand Prix.

Race weekend

Prequalifying

A very close battle at the front as well as for sixth place. Davison and Hamilton were expected to fail, while Vincent could have given a bit more. Laurent was just unlucky, as half a second would have seen him in qualifying proper.

On the flip side, Fitch, Kelly, Maglioli and Wharton were delighted with their times, as well as the whole Maserati team, who finally managed to set a credible time in the hands of André Simon. Could they finally start a race this year?

Qualifying

There was little surprise in qualifying, with all four Maseratis failing to qualify as well as a few other backmarkers. Peter Collins qualified the ARE Leader, as did several other underdogs. At the front, Consalvo Sanesi scored his second career pole position, ahead of Belgian Grand Prix winner Tony Bettenhausen and defending champion B. Bira.

Race

Serafini and Gonzalez got the best starts and both passed Gordini off the line. Sanesi kept the lead ahead of Bettenhausen and Bira, who subsequently took the lead on lap 2. Serafini quickly passed Trintignant for fifth place, while Sanesi took the lead once more on lap 3. Troy Ruttman and Alberto Ascari were the first retirements of the race, with a blown engine and gearbox failure respectively. They were followed on the sidelines by Piero Taruffi's O.S.C.A., who suffered from suspension issues.

On lap 4, Bira passed Sanesi once more to take the lead, with Bettenhausen still closely following the two of them. In fact, Sanesi and Bira would swap the lead for the next few laps. Gordini, meanwhile, was falling behind, and was passed by Gonzalez, Trintignant and Whitehead. But these standings were changing all the time. On lap 7, Tony Bettenhausen took the race lead. On lap 10, Edgar Barth threw his Ultimate-O.S.C.A. off the road at Thillois.

On lap 11, Bettenhausen spun off from the lead, but managed to get the car back on the track. He dropped back to fifth place in the process, with Sanesi, Parnell, Whitehead and Bira taking advantage of his mistake. He set about recovering the lost ground, passing Whitehead on the next lap, while Bira passed both Whitehead and Reg Parnell for second position. On lap 14, the defending champion took the race lead with a late move at Muizon while Whitehead passed Bettenhausen once again.

On lap 15, Bettenhausen passed Whitehead for the second time, and then Parnell on the following lap to take third place. On the next lap, Aldo Gordini set a provisional fastest lap, while the other drivers were saving their tyres. As a result, he passed Whitehead, Serafini, Gonzalez, Parnell and Bettenhausen in a single lap to take third position. Aldo then proceeded to block all the drivers behind him, which left Bira and a distantly following Sanesi to extend their lead. The closely bunched pack made for close racing, which eventually got too close, as Dorino Serafini retired on lap 20 after colliding with another driver. Which driver it was is impossible to tell, although Gonzalez was fairly close behind him. André Pilette joined him on the sidelines on the following lap with a blown engine out of 17th position.

At the halfway mark, Bira led ahead of Sanesi, Gordini, Bettenhausen, Whitehead, Gonzalez, Parnell, Fangio, Moss and Trintignant in tenth. Then came Bracco, Manzon, Rubirosa, Chiron, van der Lof, de Graffenried, Schell, Fischer, Pagani, Hampshire, Swaters, de Filippis, Claes, Macklin, Fitch and Collins.

Surprisingly, Gordini began extending his lead over Bettenhausen, although he was still a fair way behind Sanesi. In fact, Bira and Sanesi were taking it easy, and Gordini sensationally passed both of them within two laps to take the race lead for the first time in his career! In fact, Bira was forced wide during Gordini's overtake, and Sanesi took the opportunity to overtake the Thai prince. Nello Pagani then anonymously retired out of 18th place with an oil leak.

But Sanesi was still slowing down, and Bira passed him on the very next lap. On lap 28, Gonzalez and Bettenhausen both passed him as well. On the following lap, Sanesi passed Gonzalez for fourth, but the real event was Bira taking the lead once again by passing Aldo Gordini at the Calvaire! On lap 30, the championship lead was almost certain to change hands when Maurice Trintignant's engine expired out of eleventh place after a miserable race, taking the championship leader out of the running for potential minor points. On the same lap, Sanesi moved back up to third by slipstreaming past Tony Bettenhausen.

On lap 32, Sanesi confirmed that he meant business by passing Aldo Gordini for second place. Further back, Reg Parnell passed Gonzalez for fifth position. On the following lap, Maria Teresa de Filippis' transmission failed after suffering trouble for the previous few laps. Crucially though, at the very front, Consalvo Sanesi finally caught and passed Bira to take the lead once again, hoping to finally score his long-awaited maiden victory. Reg Parnell also gained another position by passing Tony Bettenhausen for fourth position.

Manzon caught up to Gonzalez on lap 34 and passed him, but failed to make the move stick, while a bit further behind them, in twelfth position, Giovanni Bracco spun on Nello Pagani's oil while attempting to overtake Dries van der Lof on the front straight, colliding with the pit wall and ending his race. On lap 36, Sanesi ran wide at Thillois and was passed by Bira and Gordini, while Bettenhausen passed Parnell again for fourth place, but these positions would change majorly on the following lap.

On lap 37, attrition struck a major blow to the front of the field, as Bira (race leader) suffered a steering failure, Gordini (second) an engine failure and Whitehead (tenth) a gearbox failure. Sanesi therefore led with pretty much nothing standing in his way, with Bettenhausen in second ahead of Parnell, Gonzalez, Manzon and Rubirosa, who was eyeing a chance for a maiden points finish. In fact, on lap 38, he passed Manzon and entered the points for the first time in his career, although Manzon passed him again on the following lap. Johnny Claes then retired anonymously with a gearbox failure.

With only a few laps remaining, Peter Collins and John Fitch were battling for 17th position when the young Brit apparently braked too early at Muizon, launching the American over Collins' rear wheel. The car landed quickly and John Fitch got out of the heavily damaged car under his own power, but in visible pain. On the same lap, Robert Manzon took fourth place from Gonzalez.

On the final lap, Robert Manzon's Gordini engine went up in smoke, but nothing could prevent Consalvo Sanesi from winning his very first Formula One Grand Prix, after at least four near misses in the past. Tony Bettenhausen finished second to take the championship lead, Parnell came third (scoring the fastest lap), his first finish since his Monaco victory, Manzon was classified fourth despite his engine failure, and José Froilan Gonzalez took the final two points in his first finish of the season.

Porfirio Rubirosa scored his best result since the previous year's Dutch Grand Prix with a seventh place, van der Lof scored another top ten finish, and Peter Collins became the first driver to take a Leader (albeit a customer one) to the finish of a Grand Prix.

Classification

Entry list

No Driver Entrant Chassis Engine
2 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Eric Brandon Flag of Germany svg.png Mercedes-Benz Team Europe Mercedes-Benz WM-1 Mercedes UM153 4.5 V10
4 Flag of France svg.png Lucien Vincent Mercedes-Benz WM-1 Mercedes UM153 4.5 V10
6 Flag of Belgium svg.png Johnny Claes Flag of China svg.png Leader Leader LF153 Mercedes UM153 4.5 V10
8 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Peter Collins Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Anglo Racing Engineering Leader LF153 Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
10 Flag of Ireland svg.png Joe Kelly Flag of Ireland svg.png Reatherson Racing Developments Bentley Speed 3 Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
12 Flag of Monaco svg.png Louis Chiron Flag of Italy svg.png Alfa Romeo SpA Alfa Romeo AR160 Alfa Romeo ARV8 1.5 V8
14 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Stirling Moss Alfa Romeo AR160 Alfa Romeo ARV8 1.5 V8
16 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Peter Whitehead Alfa Romeo AR160 Alfa Romeo ARV8 1.5 V8
18 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Reg Parnell Flag of Italy svg.png Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 555 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4
20 Flag of Italy svg.png Dorino Serafini Ferrari 555 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4
22 Flag of Argentina svg.png Juan Manuel Fangio Ferrari 555 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4
24 Flag of Italy svg.png Umberto Maglioli Flag of Bulgaria (1948-1967) svg.png Balkan Eagle Alfa Romeo AR160 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
26 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Rudi Fischer Alfa Romeo AR160 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
28 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Lance Macklin Alfa Romeo AR160 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
30 Flag of France svg.png Robert Manzon Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png/Flag of France svg.png Alexander Racing Team-Gordini Gordini G-953 Gordini ART-004 3.0 V6
32 Flag of Italy svg.png Consalvo Sanesi Gordini G-953 Gordini ART-004 3.0 V6
34 Flag of France svg.png Aldo Gordini Gordini G-953 Gordini ART-004 3.0 V6
36 Flag of Belgium svg.png Paul Frère Flag of Italy svg.png Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati AM53 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
38 Flag of France svg.png André Simon Maserati AM53 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
40 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Ken Wharton Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png F.H. Warden Competition Bentley Speed 3 Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
42 Flag of Germany svg.png Edgar Barth Flag of Germany svg.png Team Ultimate Ultimate 002 O.S.C.A. 3000V8 3.0 V8
44 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Duncan Hamilton Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Royal Racing Automobile Company Maserati AM53 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
46 Flag of Belgium svg.png Roger Laurent Flag of Belgium svg.png Ecurie Nationale Belge Maserati AM53 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
48 Flag of Belgium svg.png Jacques Swaters Bentley Speed 3 Bentley 163-1 3.0 V16
50 Flag of Belgium svg.png André Pilette Aston Martin AM-04 Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
52 Flag of France svg.png Maurice Trintignant Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Jaguar - Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin AM-04 Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
54 Flag of Argentina svg.png José Froilán González Aston Martin AM-04 Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
56 Flag of the United States svg.png Tony Bettenhausen Aston Martin AM-04 Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
58 Flag of Australia svg.png Lex Davison Flag of Germany svg.png Rennkollektiv EMW EMW 01 Mercedes UM153 4.5 V10
60 Flag of Italy svg.png Nello Pagani Flag of Australia svg.png Redman Racing Team Maserati AM53 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
62 Flag of Australia svg.png Stan Jones Maserati AM53 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
64 Flag of Italy svg.png Piero Taruffi Flag of Italy svg.png O.S.C.A. Automobili O.S.C.A. 53 O.S.C.A. 3000V8 3.0 V8
66 Flag of Italy svg.png Maria Teresa de Filippis Flag of Italy svg.png Maria Teresa de Filippis Bentley Speed 3 O.S.C.A. 3000V8 3.0 V8
68 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png David Hampshire Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Hampshire Racing Alliance Aston Martin AM-04 Bentley 163-1 3.0 V16
70 Flag of Argentina svg.png Roberto Mieres Flag of Ireland svg.png Erne Racing Development Maserati AM53 Maserati 200F 2.0 L6
72 Flag of Italy svg.png Giovanni Bracco Flag of Italy svg.png Scuderia Ambrosiana Ambrosiana A-002 Alfa Romeo ARV8 1.5 V8
74 Flag of the Dominican Republic svg.png Porfirio Rubirosa Ambrosiana A-002 Alfa Romeo ARV8 1.5 V8
76 Flag of the United States svg.png John Fitch Flag of Italy svg.png O.S.C.A. Automobili O.S.C.A. 53 O.S.C.A. 3000V8 3.0 V8
78 Flag of Thailand svg.png B. Bira Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Jaguar - Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin AM-04 Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
80 Flag of the Netherlands svg.png Dries van der Lof Flag of Italy svg.png Asso di Fiori Aston Martin AM-04 Jaguar JFE-2 4.5 V12
82 Flag of Italy svg.png Alberto Ascari Flag of Spain 1945-1977 svg.png Phoenix Racing Organisation Phoenix PRO-4 Mercedes UM153 4.5 V10
84 Flag of the United States svg.png Harry Schell Flag of the United States svg.png Ferrari America Ferrari 555 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4
86 Flag of the United States svg.png Troy Ruttman Ferrari 550 Ferrari 550 2.0 L4
88 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Toulo de Graffenried Ferrari 550 Ferrari 550 2.0 L4

Prequalifying

Pos No Driver Constructor Time Gap
1 12 Flag of Monaco svg.png Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo 2:40.24 -
2 38 Flag of France svg.png André Simon Maserati 2:40.56 + 0.32
3 76 Flag of the United States svg.png John Fitch O.S.C.A. 2:40.75 + 0.51
4 48 Flag of Belgium svg.png Jacques Swaters Bentley 2:42.71 + 2.47
5 10 Flag of Ireland svg.png Joe Kelly Bentley-Jaguar 2:44.69 + 4.45
6 70 Flag of Argentina svg.png Roberto Mieres Maserati 2:45.11 + 4.87
7 24 Flag of Italy svg.png Umberto Maglioli Alfa Romeo-Maserati 2:45.26 + 5.02
8 40 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Ken Wharton Bentley-Jaguar 2:45.46 + 5.22
9 46 Flag of Belgium svg.png Roger Laurent Maserati 2:45.75 + 5.51
10 58 Flag of Australia svg.png Lex Davison EMW-Mercedes 2:46.57 + 6.33
11 4 Flag of France svg.png Lucien Vincent Mercedes 2:47.27 + 7.03
12 44 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Duncan Hamilton Maserati 2:49.12 + 8.88

Qualifying

Pos No Driver Constructor Time Gap
1 32 Flag of Italy svg.png Consalvo Sanesi Gordini 2:37.52 -
2 56 Flag of the United States svg.png Tony Bettenhausen Aston Martin-Jaguar 2:37.88 + 0.36
3 78 Flag of Thailand svg.png B. Bira Aston Martin-Jaguar 2:38.06 + 0.54
4 18 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Reg Parnell Ferrari 2:38.13 + 0.61
5 52 Flag of France svg.png Maurice Trintignant Aston Martin-Jaguar 2:38.17 + 0.65
6 34 Flag of France svg.png Aldo Gordini Gordini 2:38.34 + 0.82
7 20 Flag of Italy svg.png Dorino Serafini Ferrari 2:38.47 + 0.95
8 54 Flag of Argentina svg.png José Froilán González Aston Martin-Jaguar 2:39.14 + 1.62
9 72 Flag of Italy svg.png Giovanni Bracco Ambrosiana-Alfa Romeo 2:39.43 + 1.91
10 82 Flag of Italy svg.png Alberto Ascari Phoenix-Mercedes 2:39.84 + 2.32
11 16 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Peter Whitehead Alfa Romeo 2:39.91 + 2.39
12 30 Flag of France svg.png Robert Manzon Gordini 2:40.37 + 2.85
13 22 Flag of Argentina svg.png Juan Manuel Fangio Ferrari 2:40.50 + 2.98
14 14 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Stirling Moss Alfa Romeo 2:40.53 + 3.01
15 80 Flag of the Netherlands svg.png Dries van der Lof Aston Martin-Jaguar 2:40.61 + 3.09
16 74 Flag of the Dominican Republic svg.png Porfirio Rubirosa Ambrosiana-Alfa Romeo 2:40.91 + 3.39
17 86 Flag of the United States svg.png Troy Ruttman Ferrari 2:41.03 + 3.51
18 88 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Toulo de Graffenried Ferrari 2:41.63 + 4.11
19 12 Flag of Monaco svg.png Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo 2:41.91 + 4.39
20 84 Flag of the United States svg.png Harry Schell Ferrari 2:42.14 + 4.62
21 50 Flag of Belgium svg.png André Pilette Aston Martin-Jaguar 2:42.92 + 5.40
22 60 Flag of Italy svg.png Nello Pagani Maserati 2:43.22 + 5.70
23 42 Flag of Germany svg.png Edgar Barth Ultimate-O.S.C.A. 2:43.46 + 5.94
24 64 Flag of Italy svg.png Piero Taruffi O.S.C.A. 2:43.62 + 6.10
25 26 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Rudi Fischer Alfa Romeo-Maserati 2:43.73 + 6.21
26 6 Flag of Belgium svg.png Johnny Claes Leader-Mercedes 2:44.97 + 7.45
27 68 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png David Hampshire Aston Martin-Bentley 2:45.10 + 7.58
28 28 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Lance Macklin Alfa Romeo-Maserati 2:45.58 + 8.06
29 48 Flag of Belgium svg.png Jacques Swaters Bentley 2:45.60 + 8.08
30 76 Flag of the United States svg.png John Fitch O.S.C.A. 2:45.73 + 8.21
31 66 Flag of Italy svg.png Maria Teresa de Filippis Bentley-O.S.C.A. 2:46.33 + 8.81
32 8 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Peter Collins Leader-Jaguar 2:46.73 + 9.21
33 38 Flag of France svg.png André Simon Maserati 2:46.80 + 9.28
34 2 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Eric Brandon Mercedes 2:47.18 + 9.66
35 10 Flag of Ireland svg.png Joe Kelly Bentley-Jaguar 2:47.71 + 10.19
36 40 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Ken Wharton Bentley-Jaguar 2:48.00 + 10.48
37 36 Flag of Belgium svg.png Paul Frère Maserati 2:48.11 + 10.59
38 62 Flag of Australia svg.png Stan Jones Maserati 2:48.15 + 10.63
39 70 Flag of Argentina svg.png Roberto Mieres Maserati 2:48.91 + 11.39
40 24 Flag of Italy svg.png Umberto Maglioli Alfa Romeo-Maserati 2:49.21 + 11.69

Race

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Pts
1 32 Flag of Italy svg.png Consalvo Sanesi Gordini 42 1:55:35.88 1 8
2 56 Flag of the United States svg.png Tony Bettenhausen Aston Martin-Jaguar 42 + 36.76 2 6
3 18 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Reg Parnell Ferrari 42 + 1:22.54 4 5
4 30 Flag of France svg.png Robert Manzon Gordini 41 Engine 12 3
5 54 Flag of Argentina svg.png José Froilán González Aston Martin-Jaguar 41 + 1 lap 8 2
6 22 Flag of Argentina svg.png Juan Manuel Fangio Ferrari 41 + 1 lap 13
7 74 Flag of the Dominican Republic svg.png Porfirio Rubirosa Ambrosiana-Alfa Romeo 41 + 1 lap 16
8 14 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Stirling Moss Alfa Romeo 41 + 1 lap 14
9 80 Flag of the Netherlands svg.png Dries van der Lof Aston Martin-Jaguar 40 + 2 laps 15
10 88 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Toulo de Graffenried Ferrari 40 + 2 laps 18
11 84 Flag of the United States svg.png Harry Schell Ferrari 40 + 2 laps 20
12 12 Flag of Monaco svg.png Louis Chiron Alfa Romeo 40 + 2 laps 19
13 48 Flag of Belgium svg.png Jacques Swaters Bentley 39 + 3 laps 29
14 26 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Rudi Fischer Alfa Romeo-Maserati 38 + 4 laps 25
15 68 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png David Hampshire Aston Martin-Bentley 38 + 4 laps 27
16 8 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Peter Collins Leader-Jaguar 38 + 4 laps 32
17 28 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Lance Macklin Alfa Romeo-Maserati 38 + 4 laps 28
Ret 78 Flag of Thailand svg.png B. Bira Aston Martin-Jaguar 36 Steering 3
Ret 34 Flag of France svg.png Aldo Gordini Gordini 36 Engine 6
Ret 16 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Peter Whitehead Alfa Romeo 35 Gearbox 11
Ret 76 Flag of the United States svg.png John Fitch O.S.C.A. 35 Collision 30
Ret 72 Flag of Italy svg.png Giovanni Bracco Ambrosiana-Alfa Romeo 34 Spin 9
Ret 6 Flag of Belgium svg.png Johnny Claes Leader-Mercedes 34 Gearbox 26
Ret 52 Flag of France svg.png Maurice Trintignant Aston Martin-Jaguar 29 Engine 5
Ret 66 Flag of Italy svg.png Maria Teresa de Filippis Bentley-O.S.C.A. 29 Transmission 31
Ret 60 Flag of Italy svg.png Nello Pagani Maserati 25 Oil leak 22
Ret 20 Flag of Italy svg.png Dorino Serafini Ferrari 19 Collision 7
Ret 50 Flag of Belgium svg.png André Pilette Aston Martin-Jaguar 19 Engine 21
Ret 42 Flag of Germany svg.png Edgar Barth Ultimate-O.S.C.A. 9 Accident 23
Ret 64 Flag of Italy svg.png Piero Taruffi O.S.C.A. 4 Suspension 24
Ret 82 Flag of Italy svg.png Alberto Ascari Phoenix-Mercedes 3 Gearbox 10
Ret 86 Flag of the United States svg.png Troy Ruttman Ferrari 3 Engine 17
DNQ 38 Flag of France svg.png André Simon Maserati
DNQ 2 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Eric Brandon Mercedes
DNQ 10 Flag of Ireland svg.png Joe Kelly Bentley-Jaguar
DNQ 40 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Ken Wharton Bentley-Jaguar
DNQ 36 Flag of Belgium svg.png Paul Frère Maserati
DNQ 62 Flag of Australia svg.png Stan Jones Maserati
DNQ 70 Flag of Argentina svg.png Roberto Mieres Maserati
DNQ 24 Flag of Italy svg.png Umberto Maglioli Alfa Romeo-Maserati
DNPQ 46 Flag of Belgium svg.png Roger Laurent Maserati
DNPQ 58 Flag of Australia svg.png Lex Davison EMW-Mercedes
DNPQ 4 Flag of France svg.png Lucien Vincent Mercedes
DNPQ 44 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Duncan Hamilton Maserati

Notes

Drivers

Entrants

Lap leaders

Records broken

Drivers

Championship standings

Pos Driver Points
1 Flag of the United States svg.png Tony Bettenhausen 18
2 Flag of France svg.png Maurice Trintignant 14
3 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Reg Parnell 13
4= Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Peter Whitehead 9
4= Flag of France svg.png Robert Manzon 9
Pos Constructor Points
1 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Aston Martin-Jaguar 28
2 Flag of France svg.png Gordini 14
3 Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari 14
4 Flag of Italy svg.png Alfa Romeo 10
5 Flag of Spain 1945-1977 svg.png Phoenix-Mercedes 4
Pos Driver Points
1 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Jaguar - Aston Martin Racing 28
2 Flag of France svg.png Alexander Racing Team-Gordini 14
3 Flag of Italy svg.png Scuderia Ferrari 14
4 Flag of Italy svg.png Alfa Romeo SpA 10
5 Flag of Italy svg.png Asso di Fiori 4
  • Only the top five positions are listed.
Previous race:
1953 Belgian Grand Prix
Alternate Formula 1 World Championship
1953 Season
Next race:
1953 British Grand Prix
Previous race:
1952 French Grand Prix
French Grand Prix Next race:
1954 French Grand Prix