1958 Formula One season

1958 FIA Formula One World Championship
Drivers' Champion: Mike Hawthorn International Cup Champion: Vanwall
Previous:	1957	Next:	1959
Races by country Races by season

The 1958 Formula One season was the ninth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1958 World Championship of Drivers ^[1] which commenced on 19 January 1958, and ended on 19 October after eleven races. This was the first Formula One season in which a Manufacturers title was awarded, the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers ^[2] being contested concurrently with the World Championship of Drivers. Englishman Mike Hawthorn won the Drivers' title after a close battle with compatriot Stirling Moss and Vanwall won the inaugural Manufacturers award from Ferrari. Hawthorn retired from racing at the end of the season, only to die three months later after a road car accident.

The season was one of the most important and tragic seasons in Formula One's history. Four drivers died in four different races during this season. Italian Luigi Musso in his works Ferrari during the French Grand Prix at Reims; Musso's teammate, Englishman Peter Collins during the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring, Englishman Stuart Lewis-Evans in his Vanwall at the Moroccan Grand Prix in Casablanca, and in a non-Formula One regulated race, American Pat O'Connor at the Indianapolis 500. Hawthorn retired from motor racing after his success, but was killed in a road accident only a few months later. This season was also effectively the last ever year of Grand Prix racing where the field was dominated with front engined-cars; this had been the case since the early 1900's, when car racing was happening in informal events across Europe and the United States. 1959 and 1960 would be transitional years, where grids at Grand Prix events would feature more and more mid-engined cars and less and less front-engined cars. The mid-engined cars, with their better road holding, increased driving comfort, lighter weight and ease on tires and mechanical components (particularly brakes) were clearly the way to go. Even an old-fashioned traditionalist like Enzo Ferrari had to concede that mid-engined cars were what his team needed in order to be competitive- and Ferrari did not have a race-ready mid-engined car until 1961.

Season summary

Mike Hawthorn won the Formula One Championship for Drivers, driving a Ferrari

Although the engine formula remained the same, maximum race lengths were reduced to 300 kilometres or two hours (whichever came first), and the use of commercial petrol became compulsory, in place of specialized alcohol-based racing fuels.^[3] The International Cup for F1 Manufacturers was awarded for the first time, but Ferrari's Mike Hawthorn won the driver's championship from Stirling Moss, despite the latter having won four of the ten grand prix to Hawthorn's one.

Rear-engined Cooper-Climaxes, entered by the private owner Rob Walker, won two early-season races, through Moss and Maurice Trintignant.

Following the Portuguese Grand Prix, Hawthorn faced a penalty but Moss sportingly spoke up for him, and the points that Hawthorn was able to keep, subsequently enabled him to edge ahead of Moss for the title.^[4]

Moss' teammate at Vanwall, Tony Brooks also won three races, his success in the Italian race, overtaking Hawthorn after Moss had retired, ensured the title went to the final round in Morocco. Moss needed to win, with a fastest lap and Hawthorn third or lower to win the title. With Moss leading, Brooks and team-mate Stuart Lewis-Evans attempted to hold Hawthorn in third, however both their engines failed – Lewis-Evans' tragically resulting in severe burns from which he did not recover. Hawthorn finished second to win his first title by a single point. Vanwall won the inaugural Constructors' competition.

Hawthorn's death early in 1959 compounded a tragic season for Formula One, with four drivers killed or fatally injured on the track. Luigi Musso died in the French Grand Prix, Peter Collins a month later in the German Grand Prix – just two weeks after winning his home race, Lewis-Evans died in hospital following his fire in Morocco and Pat O'Connor died at the Indianapolis 500 (which, at the time, was a round of the World Championship).

Maria Teresa de Filippis became the first woman to drive in a world championship event. Reigning five-time Champion Juan Manuel Fangio, the dominant driver of the 1950s and one of the greatest of all time, competed in only two races as a privateer, retiring after the French Grand Prix.

Season review

Rnd	Race	Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Constructor	Tyre	Report
1	Argentine Grand Prix	Buenos Aires	19 January	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Stirling Moss	Cooper-Climax	C	Report
2	Monaco Grand Prix	Monaco	18 May	Tony Brooks	Mike Hawthorn	Maurice Trintignant	Cooper-Climax	D	Report
3	Dutch Grand Prix	Zandvoort	26 May	Stuart Lewis-Evans	Stirling Moss	Stirling Moss	Vanwall	D	Report
4	Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis	30 May	Dick Rathmann	Tony Bettenhausen	Jimmy Bryan	Epperly-Offenhauser	F	Report
5	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps	15 June	Mike Hawthorn	Mike Hawthorn	Tony Brooks	Vanwall	D	Report
6	French Grand Prix	Reims	6 July	Mike Hawthorn	Mike Hawthorn	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	E	Report
7	British Grand Prix	Silverstone	19 July	Stirling Moss	Mike Hawthorn	Peter Collins	Ferrari	E	Report
8	German Grand Prix	Nürburgring	3 August	Mike Hawthorn	Stirling Moss	Tony Brooks	Vanwall	D	Report
9	Portuguese Grand Prix	Boavista	24 August	Stirling Moss	Mike Hawthorn	Stirling Moss	Vanwall	D	Report
10	Italian Grand Prix	Monza	7 September	Stirling Moss	Phil Hill	Tony Brooks	Vanwall	D	Report
11	Moroccan Grand Prix	Ain-Diab	19 October	Mike Hawthorn	Stirling Moss	Stirling Moss	Vanwall	D	Report

Note: The Indianapolis 500, being run to rules other than Formula One, did not count towards the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1958 FIA World Championship.

Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	Driver	Rounds
Scuderia Sud Americana	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	Juan Manuel Fangio	1
					Carlos Menditeguy	1
Ken Kavanagh	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	Jean Behra	1
					Luigi Taramazzo	2
					Ken Kavanagh	2, 5
Jo Bonnier	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	Harry Schell	1
					Jo Bonnier	2–3, 5, 7, 9
					Phil Hill	6
					Giulio Cabianca	10
					Hans Herrmann	10–11
Francesco Godia Sales	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	Paco Godia	1–2, 5–6
H.H. Gould	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	D	Horace Gould	1–3
					Masten Gregory	3
R.R.C. Walker Racing Team	Cooper-Climax	T43 T45	Climax FPF 2.0 L4	C D	Stirling Moss	1
					Maurice Trintignant	2–3, 7–11
					Ron Flockhart	2
		T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	François Picard	11
Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari	246	Ferrari 143 2.4 V6	E	Luigi Musso	1–3, 5–6
					Peter Collins	1–3, 5–8
					Mike Hawthorn	1–3, 5–11
					Wolfgang von Trips	2, 6–10
					Olivier Gendebien	5, 10–11
					Phil Hill	10–11
		156	Ferrari D156 1.5 V6	E	Phil Hill	8
Owen Racing Organisation	BRM	P25	BRM P25 2.5 L4	D	Jean Behra	2–3, 5–11
					Harry Schell	2–3, 5–11
					Maurice Trintignant	6
					Jo Bonnier	10–11
					Ron Flockhart	11
Bernie C. Ecclestone	Connaught-Alta	B	Alta GP 2.5 L4	A	Bernie Ecclestone	2
					Bruce Kessler	2
					Paul Emery	2
					Jack Fairman	7
					Ivor Bueb	7
Cooper Car Company	Cooper-Climax	T45 T44	Climax FPF 2.0 L4	D	Jack Brabham	2–3, 5–7, 9–10
					Roy Salvadori	2–3, 5–11
					Ian Burgess	7
					Jack Fairman	11
		T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Bruce McLaren	8, 11
					Jack Brabham	8, 11
Team Lotus	Lotus-Climax	12 16	Climax FPF 2.0 L4 Climax FPF 2.2 L4	D	Cliff Allison	2–3, 5–8, 10–11
					Graham Hill	2–3, 5–7, 9–11
					Alan Stacey	7
		16	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Graham Hill	8
Vandervell Products	Vanwall	VW 5	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4	D	Stirling Moss	2–3, 5–11
					Tony Brooks	2–3, 5–11
					Stuart Lewis-Evans	2–3, 5–7, 9–11
Maria Teresa de Filippis	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	Maria Teresa de Filippis	2, 5, 10
Giorgio Scarlatti	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	Giorgio Scarlatti	2–3
					Jo Bonnier	6
Scuderia Centro Sud	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	Gerino Gerini	2, 6–7, 10–11
					Maurice Trintignant	5
					Masten Gregory	5
					Wolfgang Seidel	5, 11
					Carroll Shelby	6–7, 10
					Troy Ruttman	6, 8
					Jo Bonnier	8
					Hans Herrmann	8
					Cliff Allison	9
					Maria Teresa de Filippis	9
	Cooper-Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Wolfgang Seidel	8
OSCA Automobili	OSCA	F2	OSCA 372 1.5 L4	P	Giulio Cabianca	2
					Luigi Piotti	2
André Testut	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	André Testut	2
					Louis Chiron	2
Ecurie Maarsbergen	Porsche	RSK	Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4	D	Carel Godin de Beaufort	3
		RS550	Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4	D	Carel Godin de Beaufort	8
Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	Juan Manuel Fangio	6
Dick Gibson	Cooper-Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Dick Gibson	8
Dr Ing F. Porsche KG	Porsche	RSK	Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4	?	Edgar Barth	8
High Efficiency Motors	Cooper-Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Ian Burgess	8
Ecurie Eperon d'Or	Cooper-Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Christian Goethals	8
Ecurie Demi Litre	Lotus-Climax	12	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Ivor Bueb	8
J.B. Naylor	Cooper-Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Brian Naylor	8
Tony Marsh	Cooper-Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Tony Marsh	8
Temple Buell	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	P	Carroll Shelby	9–10
					Masten Gregory	10–11
André Guelfi	Cooper-Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	André Guelfi	11
British Racing Partnership	Cooper-Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Tom Bridger	11
Robert La Caze	Cooper-Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	D	Robert La Caze	11

• Pink background denotes F2 entrants to the German and Moroccan Grands Prix

1958 World Championship of Drivers – final standings

Points were awarded on an 8–6–4–3–2 basis to the first five finishers at each race. An additional point was awarded to the driver setting the fastest race lap. The best six results from the eleven races were retained.

Pos. Driver ARG MON NED 500 BEL FRA GBR GER POR ITA MOR Pts.[5] 1 Mike Hawthorn (3) (Ret) (5) 2 1 2 Ret 2 2 2 42 (49) 2 Stirling Moss 1 Ret 1 Ret 2 Ret Ret 1 Ret 1 41 3 Tony Brooks Ret Ret 1 Ret 7 1 Ret 1 Ret 24 4 Roy Salvadori Ret 4 8 11 3 2 9 5 7 15 5 Peter Collins Ret 3 Ret Ret 5 1 Ret 14 6 Harry Schell 6 5 2 5 Ret 5 Ret 6 Ret 5 14 7 Maurice Trintignant 1 9 7 Ret 8 3 8 Ret Ret 12 8 Luigi Musso 2 2 7 Ret Ret 12 9 Stuart Lewis-Evans Ret Ret 3 Ret 4 3 Ret Ret 11 10 Phil Hill 7 9 3 3 9 11 Jean Behra 5 Ret 3 Ret Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret Ret 9 12 Wolfgang von Trips Ret 3 Ret 4 5 Ret 9 13 Jimmy Bryan 1 8 14 Juan Manuel Fangio 4 4 7 15 George Amick 2 6 16 Johnny Boyd 3 4 17 Tony Bettenhausen 4 4 18 Jack Brabham 4 8 Ret 6 6 Ret 7 Ret 11 3 19 Cliff Allison 6 6 4 Ret Ret 10 Ret 7 10 3 20 Joakim Bonnier Ret 10 9 8 Ret Ret Ret Ret 4 3 21 Jim Rathmann 5 2 22 Bruce McLaren 5 13 2 — Masten Gregory Ret Ret 4~ 6 0 — Graham Hill Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 6 16 0 — Olivier Gendebien 6 Ret Ret 0 — Jimmy Reece 6 0 — Don Freeland 7 0 — Carlos Menditeguy 7 0 — Maria Teresa de Filippis DNQ 10 Ret Ret 0 — Paco Godia 8 DNQ Ret Ret 0 — Jack Fairman Ret 8 0 — Jud Larson 8 0 — Carroll Shelby Ret 9 Ret 4~ / Ret 0 — Hans Herrmann Ret Ret 9 0 — Gerino Gerini DNQ 9 Ret Ret 12 0 — Giulio Cabianca DNQ Ret 0 — Horace Gould 9 DNQ 0 — Eddie Johnson 9 0 — Troy Ruttman 10 DNS 0 — Bill Cheesbourg 10 0 — Carel Godin de Beaufort 11 Ret 0 — Al Keller 11 0 — Giorgio Scarlatti Ret Ret 0 — Ian Burgess Ret 7 0 — Johnnie Parsons 12 0 — Ivor Bueb Ret 11 0 — Johnnie Tolan 13 0 — Bob Christie Ret 0 — Robert La Caze 14 0 — Wolfgang Seidel Ret Ret Ret 0 — Dempsey Wilson Ret 0 — André Guelfi 15 0 — Ron Flockhart DNQ Ret 0 — A. J. Foyt Ret 0 — Paul Russo Ret 0 — Shorty Templeman Ret 0 — Rodger Ward Ret 0 — Billy Garrett Ret 0 — Eddie Sachs Ret 0 — Johnny Thomson Ret 0 — Chuck Weyant Ret 0 — Jack Turner Ret 0 — Bob Veith Ret 0 — Dick Rathmann Ret 0 — Ed Elisian Ret 0 — Pat O'Connor Ret 0 — Paul Goldsmith Ret 0 — Jerry Unser Ret 0 — Len Sutton Ret 0 — Art Bisch Ret 0 — Alan Stacey Ret 0 — Christian Goethals Ret 0 — Dick Gibson Ret 0 — Brian Naylor Ret 0 — François Picard Ret 0 — Tom Bridger Ret 0 — Mike Magill DSQ 0 — Ken Kavanagh DNQ DNS 0 — Bruce Kessler DNQ 0 — Paul Emery DNQ 0 — André Testut DNQ 0 — Luigi Piotti DNQ 0 — Bernie Ecclestone DNQ DNQ* 0 — Luigi Taramazzo DNQ 0 — Louis Chiron DNQ 0 Pos. Driver ARG MON NED 500 BEL FRA GBR GER POR ITA MOR Pts.

Key Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Did not finish (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Excluded (EX) Did not arrive (DNA) Withdrawn (WD)

• Italics indicate fastest lap (1 point awarded – point shared equally between drivers sharing fastest lap)
• Bold indicates pole position
• ~ No points awarded for shared drive
• Ecclestone (DNQ) – handed car to Fairman at British GP

1958 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers – final standings

The 1958 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers was contested over the same series of races as the World Championship of Drivers, with the exception of the Indianapolis 500 which counted only towards the drivers title. Points were awarded on an 8–6–4–3–2 basis to the first five finishers at each race. However a manufacturer only received points for its highest placed car and only the best six results from the ten races were retained.

Pos.	Manufacturer	ARG	MON	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	POR	ITA	MOR	Pts.[5]
1	Vanwall		Ret	1	1	(2)	(4)	1	1	1	1	48 (57)
2	Ferrari	2	2	(5)	2	1	1	(4)	2	(2)	(2)	40 (57)
3	Cooper-Climax	1	1	4	8	6	3	2	7	5	7	31
4	BRM		5	2	5	Ret	5	Ret	4	Ret	4	18
5	Maserati	4	Ret	10	7	4	9	Ret	Ret	4†	6	6
6	Lotus-Climax		6	6	4	Ret	Ret	10	Ret	6	10	3
—	Porsche			11								0
—	Connaught-Alta		DNQ				Ret					0
—	OSCA	WD	DNQ									0
Pos.	Manufacturer	ARG	MON	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	POR	ITA	MOR	Pts.

• Bold results counted to championship totals.

Non-Championship race results

Other Formula One races also held in 1958, which did not count towards the World Championship.

Race Name	Circuit	Date	Winning driver	Constructor	Report
VI Glover Trophy	Goodwood	7 April	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	Report
VIII Gran Premio di Siracusa	Syracuse	13 April	Luigi Musso	Ferrari	Report
XIII BARC Aintree 200	Aintree	19 April	Stirling Moss	Cooper-Climax	Report
X BRDC International Trophy	Silverstone	3 May	Peter Collins	Ferrari	Report
VI Grand Prix de Caen	Caen	20 July	Stirling Moss	Cooper-Climax	Report

References

1. FIA Yearbook, 1974, Grey section, page 118
2. FIA Yearbook, 1974, Grey section, page 120
3. Lang, Mike (1981). Grand Prix! Vol 1. Haynes Publishing Group. p. 123. ISBN 0-85429-276-4.
4. "DRIVERS: SIR STIRLING MOSS". grandprix.com. Inside F1. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
5. Only the best 6 results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.

External links

• Race results and images from the 1958 World Championship of Drivers at f1-facts.com