1956 Belgian Grand Prix

The 1956 Belgian Grand Prix was the third race of the 1956 Formula One World Championship and was held in Spa-Francorchamps on June 17th 1956. Jack Brabham won the race, his second consecutive race victory which gave him a nine-point lead in the championship. Ottorino Volonterio, replacing Robert Manzon at O.S.C.A. for the first time, scored a shock second place ahead of teammate Stirling Moss.

Background

Formula One is in mourning.

Two weeks ago, Dries van der Lof perished in a violent accident during the French Grand Prix at Rouen-les-Essarts, an accident which also claimed the lives of seven spectators. Van der Lof's untimely passing led to the inevitable outpouring of grief. Most teams released a statement sending their condolences. FIAT withdrew from competition and sold their racing assets to Federico Hernandez. Following the mass-resignation of Alfa Romeo's racing managers, the manufacturer officially ceased all motorsport operations. Team Lotus, the most strongly affected team, were hit hard by the loss of one of their drivers, and decided to sit out the Belgian Grand Prix to return in Germany with a two-car team.

The accident also sparked a debate on the subject of safety. O.S.C.A. team director Piero Taruffi, who himself saw his racing career ended by a serious accident at the Swiss Grand Prix in 1954, publicly ciritcised the current state of the sport, calling for better protection for spectators and an increased proportion of closed-circuit races on the calendar. On the opposite end, IRC team manager Cathal Byrne defended the traditional approach to road racing, citing the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and 24 Hours of le Mans as examples of the beauty of the sport as it is.

As the debate rages on, the world keeps on turning, and the drivers and teams roll on to Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix. A diminished field is present for multiple reasons, meaning that for the first time since the 1954 German Grand Prix (Soviet debacle notwithstanding), a European Grand Prix weekend will not feature a prequalifying session, and only four drivers will fail to make Sunday's grid.

-Duncan Hamilton was injured in the French Grand Prix, which proved costly for the team, as Stuart Lewis-Evans also crashed out and Desmond Titterington's engine expired. As a result, the team has been reduced to two cars for Stuart and Desmond.

-Scuderia Centro Sud make their long-awaited début, entering Luigi Villoresi in the O.S.C.A. and Castelldefels refugee Alfonso de Portago in IRC's repaired Lancia.

-Hernandez return to the scene with a rebadged Gordini and Targa Florio winner Umberto Maglioli replacing Carlos Menditéguy.

-Bruce Halford makes his first foray into Formula One, entering two Vanwalls for himself and a guest driver where possible. This time around, it's local sportscar racer André Milhoux returning after a failed qualification attempt three years ago.

-Maria Teresa de Filippis is back with BRUNEL, although the deal with Cooper sees them ditch the O.S.C.A.-Porsche in favour of a Cooper-Maserati combination.

-Robert Manzon was also injured in the French Grand Prix and ill be missing most of the remaining races. O.S.C.A. attempted to sign the then-uncontracted Tony Gaze, only to fail and take on the promising Ottorino Volonterio, who finished 12th here last year.

-Speaking of Tony Gaze, it was Scuderia Ferrari who managed to sign him after the Alfa Romeo debacle left him without a drive. However, with too many drivers to choose from and Phil Hill returning from his Monaco injury, a choice had to be made. Umberto Maglioli was given permission to race for Hernandez, and 1953 World Champion Tony Bettenhausen was left on the sidelines, leaving a line-up of Fangio, Godia, Gaze, Ramos and Hill.

-British Racing Motors return with ostensibly the same line-up, but with the added change that Frère will be driving the BRM, Flockhart the AAC and Behra an odd AAC-BRM hybrid.

-After the much-publicised creation of the Cooper T41 bankrupted ENB, Tasman and Australasia last year, Cooper decided to take matters into their own hands and enter an official works team based in Surbiton. Their original plan was to stick to the British rounds for this season, but the signing of Olivier Gendebien prompted them to moved their entry ahead to the Belgian Grand Prix, with a Cooper-Climax.

-Equipo Castelldefels finally got an entry together for Reims, but their dismal times prompted team boss Manuel Bautista to sell the outfit to IRC and focus on the preparation of a new team for 1957. Alfonso de Portago promptly moved to Scuderia Centro Sud, while Luigi Musso remains a free agent.

-Ecurie Rosier's attempt to prequalify in Reims was not a success, and from their base in Clermont-Ferrand, Louis simply couldn't justify the expense of traveling to Spa, returning the '53 Gordini to its original factory.

-Of course, following the tragic death of Dries van der Lof at the French Grand Prix, Team Lotus have not sent their cars to Belgium, Colin Chapman preferring to rebuild the team in time for the German Grand Prix.

As previously mentioned, 34 of the 38 cars will be making the grid, so four drivers will not be starting the race, but who will they be?

Race weekend

Qualifying

Only four drivers out of 38 would fail to make the grid, meaning that many teams and drivers will make their first starts, including Lucien Bianchi, Olivier Gendebien, Bruce Halford, BRM and Hernandez.

Race

Titterington got the best start of the frontrunners and led the first lap ahead of Jack Brabham and Consalvo Sanesi, but right behind them, González got a good start as well, mixing it at the front, until his gearbox prematurely failed at Stavelot. The resulting oil sprayed directly onto Peter Collins' tyres, and the Brit immediately span out into the straw bales, knocking out two major contenders for the race win. On the next lap, Consalvo Sanesi's brakes had an issue, causing him to stop. André Simon also retired when he misjudged a defensive move against Fangio, spinning out in the process. The field was then reduced to 29, when Serafini's fuel pump failed. After this initial string of retirements, Titterington still led from Brabham, Castellotti, Volonterio, Brooks and Moss.

David Hampshire's gearbox then began to have issues with his gearbox, and Theo Fitzau pulled into the pits with a failing clutch. Then Umberto Maglioli retired in a low-speed coming together with Cliff Allison at La Source, and Mike Hawthorn's throttle stopped working on the same lap. They were followed by de Filippis (steering) and Behra (engine). At the very front, Ottorino Volonterio continued to impress, passing Eugenio Castellotti to take third place in his first race for O.S.C.A. On the following lap, Brabham finally got a good run on Titterington into La Source and took the race lead after laps of trying.

The next retirement was Hernando da Silva Ramos, with a driveshaft failure, reducing the field to 22 drivers. Then, there were 20 when Phil Hill suffered from a puncture and de Portago from a clutch failure, stopping in the same escape road. The Ferrari sportscar teammates watched the rest of the race from the side of the track. They were followed by two of the race's Belgians, Lucien Bianchi suffering from an oil leak and Paul Frère from transmission issues. More importantly, though, Desmond Titterington, on course for a comfortable second place, ran out of fuel, likely caused by a leak in his fuel tank that had gone unnoticed.

This left Tony Brooks in second place ahead of Volonterio, Godia and Moss. Volonterio took second place on lap 21, and Brooks promptly retired with an oil leak, bringing an end to B.C.M.A.'s race. He was joined in the pits by Roy Salvadori, suffering from a gearbox failure. This left Moss in third place, ahead of Godia, Gaze and Fangio. On the final lap, Stuart Lewis-Evans suffered from a steering failure and Gerino Gerini from an engine failure. But none of this could stop Jack Brabham, as the Australian World Champion scored his second consecutive victory, the fifth of his career, and establishing a comfortable championship lead.

Ottorino Volonterio held on to take second place in his first race with O.S.C.A., spending the last two laps defending from his teammate Stirling Moss. Paco Godia came fourth, leading a Ferrari 4-5-6, with Gaze and Fangio in tow. Whitehead came seventh, ahead of Cabianca, Allison, Marimón, Gendebien, and Halford, although Lewis-Evans and Gerini were classified ahead of Halford.

Classification

Entry list

No	Driver	Entrant	Chassis	Engine
1	Desmond Titterington	Irish Racing Cars	Lancia D50	Lancia DS50 2.5 V8
2	Stuart Lewis-Evans		Lancia D50	Lancia DS50 2.5 V8
3	Luigi Villoresi	Scuderia Centro Sud	O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
4	Alfonso de Portago		Lancia D50	Lancia DS50 2.5 V8
5	Umberto Maglioli	Escuderia Hernandez	Hernandez Tipo 56	Hernandez H258/A 2.5 L8
6	Louis Chiron	Écurie Maghreb	AAC 555	AAC 555 2.5 L4
7	Gerino Gerini	Scuderia Adriatica	Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
8	Dorino Serafini		Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
9	Bruce Halford	Halford Auto Racing Team	Vanwall VW56	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4
10	André Milhoux		Vanwall VW55	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4
11	Maria Teresa de Filippis	Brits Under No European Legislation	Cooper T41	Maserati 56A 2.5 V8
12	Ottorino Volonterio	Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili	O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
14	Stirling Moss		O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
15	José Froilán González		O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
16	Peter Whitehead		O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
17	Peter Collins	British Commonwealth Motorsport Association	B.C.M.A. C-01	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6
18	Tony Brooks		B.C.M.A. C-01	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6
19	Mike Hawthorn		B.C.M.A. C-01	B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin 2.5 L6
20	Lucien Bianchi	Officine Alfieri Maserati	Cooper T41	Maserati 56A 2.5 V8
21	Consalvo Sanesi	Alexander Racing Team-Gordini	Gordini Type 56	Gordini G258/A 2.5 L8
22	Jack Brabham		Gordini Type 56	Gordini G258/A 2.5 L8
23	Eugenio Castellotti		Gordini Type 56	Gordini G258/A 2.5 L8
24	Giulio Cabianca	Reatherson Racing Developments	Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
25	Theo Fitzau	MSG Köthen	O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
26	Juan Manuel Fangio	Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
27	Paco Godia		Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
28	Tony Gaze		Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
29	Hernando da Silva Ramos		Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
30	Phil Hill		Ferrari R560	Ferrari RS560 2.5 L4
31	André Simon	Écurie Voeckler	Gordini Type 56	Gordini G258/A 2.5 L8
32	Ron Flockhart	British Racing Motors	AAC 555	AAC 555 2.5 L4
33	Jean Behra		AAC 555	BRM P25 2.5 L4
34	Paul Frère		BRM P25	BRM P25 2.5 L4
35	Cliff Allison	Vanwall	Vanwall VW56	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4
36	Olivier Gendebien	Cooper Car Company	Cooper T41	Climax FPF I 2.0 L4
37	Onofre Marimón	Asso di Fiori	O.S.C.A. F156A	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s
38	David Hampshire	Hampshire Racing Alliance	Vanwall VW56	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4
39	Roy Salvadori		Vanwall VW56	O.S.C.A. 1500S-56 1.5 L6s

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Time	Gap
1	22	Jack Brabham	Gordini	4:09.55	-
2	17	Peter Collins	B.C.M.A.	4:10.85	+ 1.30
3	1	Desmond Titterington	Lancia	4:12.00	+ 2.45
4	15	José Froilán González	O.S.C.A.	4:14.49	+ 4.94
5	21	Consalvo Sanesi	Gordini	4:14.74	+ 5.19
6	18	Tony Brooks	B.C.M.A.	4:16.89	+ 7.34
7	23	Eugenio Castellotti	Gordini	4:18.48	+ 8.93
8	28	Tony Gaze	Ferrari	4:18.98	+ 9.43
9	12	Ottorino Volonterio	O.S.C.A.	4:19.33	+ 9.78
10	16	Peter Whitehead	O.S.C.A.	4:19.78	+ 10.23
11	19	Mike Hawthorn	B.C.M.A.	4:20.58	+ 11.03
12	27	Paco Godia	Ferrari	4:21.58	+ 12.03
13	14	Stirling Moss	O.S.C.A.	4:22.38	+ 12.83
14	31	André Simon	Gordini	4:24.97	+ 15.42
15	26	Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari	4:25.42	+ 15.87
16	29	Hernando da Silva Ramos	Ferrari	4:25.52	+ 15.97
17	37	Onofre Marimón	O.S.C.A.	4:25.97	+ 16.42
18	5	Umberto Maglioli	Hernandez	4:27.12	+ 17.57
19	30	Phil Hill	Ferrari	4:30.91	+ 21.36
20	24	Giulio Cabianca	Ferrari	4:34.95	+ 25.40
21	25	Theo Fitzau	O.S.C.A.	4:36.30	+ 26.75
22	8	Dorino Serafini	Ferrari	4:36.60	+ 27.05
23	35	Cliff Allison	Vanwall	4:37.80	+ 28.25
24	20	Lucien Bianchi	Cooper-Maserati	4:38.95	+ 29.40
25	2	Stuart Lewis-Evans	Lancia	4:40.59	+ 31.04
26	39	Roy Salvadori	Vanwall-O.S.C.A.	4:43.14	+ 33.59
27	38	David Hampshire	Vanwall	4:43.79	+ 34.24
28	7	Gerino Gerini	Ferrari	4:44.29	+ 34.74
29	36	Olivier Gendebien	Cooper-Climax	4:44.49	+ 34.94
30	11	Maria Teresa de Filippis	Cooper-Maserati	4:45.14	+ 35.59
31	4	Alfonso de Portago	Lancia	4:46.03	+ 36.48
32	9	Bruce Halford	Vanwall	4:46.73	+ 37.18
33	34	Paul Frère	BRM	4:50.48	+ 40.93
34	33	Jean Behra	AAC-BRM	4:51.72	+ 42.17
35	3	Luigi Villoresi	O.S.C.A.	4:51.77	+ 42.22
36	10	André Milhoux	Vanwall	4:52.22	+ 42.67
37	6	Louis Chiron	AAC	4:52.62	+ 43.07
38	32	Ron Flockhart	AAC	4:53.27	+ 43.72

Race

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Pts
1	22	Jack Brabham	Gordini	25	1:51:06.88	1	9
2	12	Ottorino Volonterio	O.S.C.A.	24	+ 1 lap	9	6
3	14	Stirling Moss	O.S.C.A.	24	+ 1 lap	13	4
4	27	Paco Godia	Ferrari	24	+ 1 lap	12	3
5	28	Tony Gaze	Ferrari	24	+ 1 lap	8	2
6	26	Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari	24	+ 1 lap	15	1
7	16	Peter Whitehead	O.S.C.A.	24	+ 1 lap	10
8	24	Giulio Cabianca	Ferrari	23	+ 2 laps	20
9	35	Cliff Allison	Vanwall	23	+ 2 laps	23
10	37	Onofre Marimón	O.S.C.A.	23	+ 2 laps	17
11	36	Olivier Gendebien	Cooper-Climax	23	+ 2 laps	29
12	2	Stuart Lewis-Evans	Lancia	22	Steering	25
13	7	Gerino Gerini	Ferrari	22	Engine	28
14	9	Bruce Halford	Vanwall	22	+ 3 laps	32
Ret	18	Tony Brooks	B.C.M.A.	20	Oil leak	6
Ret	39	Roy Salvadori	Vanwall-O.S.C.A.	19	Gearbox	26
Ret	23	Eugenio Castellotti	Gordini	18	Engine	7
Ret	1	Desmond Titterington	Lancia	17	Out of fuel	3
Ret	20	Lucien Bianchi	Cooper-Maserati	15	Oil leak	24
Ret	34	Paul Frère	BRM	15	Transmission	33
Ret	30	Phil Hill	Ferrari	12	Puncture	19
Ret	4	Alfonso de Portago	Lancia	12	Clutch	31
Ret	29	Hernando da Silva Ramos	Ferrari	11	Driveshaft	16
Ret	11	Maria Teresa de Filippis	Cooper-Maserati	8	Steering	30
Ret	33	Jean Behra	AAC-BRM	8	Engine	34
Ret	5	Umberto Maglioli	Hernandez	7	Collision	18
Ret	19	Mike Hawthorn	B.C.M.A.	7	Throttle	11
Ret	25	Theo Fitzau	O.S.C.A.	6	Clutch	21
Ret	38	David Hampshire	Vanwall	5	Gearbox	27
Ret	8	Dorino Serafini	Ferrari	2	Fuel pump	22
Ret	21	Consalvo Sanesi	Gordini	1	Brakes	5
Ret	31	André Simon	Gordini	1	Collision	14
Ret	17	Peter Collins	B.C.M.A.	0	Accident	2
Ret	15	José Froilán González	O.S.C.A.	0	Gearbox	4
DNQ	3	Luigi Villoresi	O.S.C.A.
DNQ	10	André Milhoux	Vanwall
DNQ	6	Louis Chiron	AAC
DNQ	32	Ron Flockhart	AAC

Notes

Drivers

• First podium and points for Ottorino Volonterio.
• Final points for Paco Godia.
• First start for Lucien Bianchi and Bruce Halford.
• Final start for Cliff Allison.
• First entry for Bruce Halford.
• Final entry for Luigi Villoresi.

Constructors

• First start for Cooper, Hernandez and AAC.
• First entry for Hernandez.

Entrants

• First podium for O.S.C.A..
• First start for Escuderia Hernandez, Halford Auto Racing Team, Scuderia Centro Sud, MSG Köthen and Cooper Car Company.
• First entry for Halford Auto Racing Team, Scuderia Centro Sud and Cooper Car Company.

Lap leaders

• Desmond Titterington: 9 laps (1-9)
• Jack Brabham: 16 laps (10-25)

Records broken

Constructors

• Most total points: Ferrari (271.5)
• Most races started: Gordini (51)
• Most total race starts: Ferrari (254)
• Most races entered: Ferrari (53)
• Most total entries: Ferrari (294)

Championship standings

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Jack Brabham	18
2	Desmond Titterington	9
3=	Peter Collins	6
3=	Eugenio Castellotti	6
5	Ottorino Volonterio	6

Pos	Constructor	Points
1	Gordini	18
2	O.S.C.A.	12
3	Lancia	9
4	Ferrari	7
5	B.C.M.A.	6

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Alexander Racing Team-Gordini	18
2	Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili	12
3	Irish Racing Cars	9
4	Scuderia Ferrari	7
5	British Commonwealth Motorsport Association	6

• Only the top five positions are listed.

Previous race: 1956 French Grand Prix	Alternate Formula 1 World Championship 1956 Season	Next race: 1956 German Grand Prix
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