1954 Formula One season
1954 Formula One season | |||
Drivers' Champion: Juan Manuel Fangio | |||
Previous: | 1953 | Next: | 1955 |
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The 1954 Formula One season was the eighth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1954 World Championship of Drivers[1] and a number of non-championship races. The World Championship of Drivers was contested over a nine race series[1] which commenced on 17 January and ended on 24 October 1954. The championship was won by Juan Manuel Fangio[1] who drove, and won races, for both Maserati and Mercedes-Benz over the course of the series. Argentine drivers gained the first two positions in the championship with José Froilán González placing second to his compatriot Fangio.
Championship summary[]
With Formula One changing to 2.5 litre unsupercharged engines for 1954, Mercedes re-entered Grand Prix racing for the first time since the Second World War at the French Grand Prix with the Mercedes-Benz W196, a streamlined single seater[2] which Fangio and Karl Kling took to a 1–2 win. Fangio's French success had come after switching from the Maserati team, with whom he had won the first two Grands Prix of the season. Although the streamlined, closed-wheel body proved unsuitable for Silverstone, Mercedes produced a more conventional open-wheel body for the Nürburgring race; Fangio won three of the remaining four races.
Reigning champion Alberto Ascari had a less successful switch of teams, choosing to leave Ferrari for the newly formed Lancia team. Lancia's car, the D50, was not ready until the final World Championship race, meaning he had to sit out most of his title defence.
Championship points were awarded for first five places in each race on an 8-6-4-3-2 basis with 1 point awarded for the fastest lap.[3] Only the best five of nine scores counted towards the championship.[4] Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps unless one of the drivers was deemed to have completed "insufficient distance". Drivers who shared more than one car during a race received points only for their highest finish.[citation needed]
Argentine Onofre Marimón was killed during practice for the German Grand Prix driving a Maserati 250F. It was the first fatality at a championship Formula One race weekend.
Season review[]
The following races counted towards the 1954 World Championship of Drivers.
Rnd | Race | Circuit | Date | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Constructor | Tyre | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Argentine Grand Prix | Buenos Aires | 17 January | Giuseppe Farina | José Froilán González | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati | P | Report |
2 | Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis | 31 May | Jack McGrath | Jack McGrath | Bill Vukovich | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | F | Report |
3 | Belgian Grand Prix | Spa-Francorchamps | 20 June | Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati | P | Report |
4 | French Grand Prix | Reims | 4 July | Juan Manuel Fangio | Hans Herrmann | Juan Manuel Fangio | Mercedes | C | Report |
5 | British Grand Prix | Silverstone | 17 July | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alberto Ascari Jean Behra Juan Manuel Fangio José Froilán González Mike Hawthorn Onofre Marimón Stirling Moss |
José Froilán González | Ferrari | P | Report |
6 | German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | 1 August | Juan Manuel Fangio | Karl Kling | Juan Manuel Fangio | Mercedes | C | Report |
7 | Swiss Grand Prix | Bremgarten | 22 August | José Froilán González | Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio | Mercedes | C | Report |
8 | Italian Grand Prix | Monza | 5 September | Juan Manuel Fangio | José Froilán González | Juan Manuel Fangio | Mercedes | C | Report |
9 | Spanish Grand Prix | Pedralbes | 24 October | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari | Mike Hawthorn | Ferrari | P | Report |
All championship races were open to cars complying with FIA Formula One regulations[5] with the exception of the Indianapolis 500 which was for cars complying with AAA National Championship regulations,[6] and also counted towards the 1954 AAA Championship.
The Dutch Grand Prix was originally scheduled to be held at Zandvoort but there was no money for the race to be held, and it was cancelled.[7]
The German Grand Prix was given the honorary title of being the European Grand Prix of 1954.
Teams and drivers[]
The following teams and drivers competed in the 1954 FIA World Championship of Drivers.
Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Driver | Rounds |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F A6GCM |
Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Maserati A6 2.0 L6 |
P | Juan Manuel Fangio | 1, 3 |
Onofre Marimón | 1, 3–6 | |||||
Luigi Musso | 1, 8–9 | |||||
Birabongse Bhanudej | 1 | |||||
Sergio Mantovani | 3–4, 6–9 | |||||
Alberto Ascari | 4–5 | |||||
Luigi Villoresi | 4–6, 8 | |||||
Roberto Mieres | 7–9 | |||||
Stirling Moss | 7–9 | |||||
Harry Schell | 7 | |||||
Louis Rosier | 8 | |||||
Paco Godia | 9 | |||||
Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 625 553 500 |
Ferrari 625 2.5 L4 Ferrari 554 2.5 L4 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 |
P | Giuseppe Farina | 1, 3 |
José Froilán González | 1, 3–8 | |||||
Mike Hawthorn | 1, 3–9 | |||||
Umberto Maglioli | 1, 7–8 | |||||
Maurice Trintignant | 3–9 | |||||
Piero Taruffi | 6 | |||||
Robert Manzon | 7 | |||||
Alberto Ascari | 8 | |||||
Equipe Gordini | Gordini | Gordini 23 2.5 L6 | E | Jean Behra | 1, 3–9 | |
Élie Bayol | 1 | |||||
Roger Loyer | 1 | |||||
Paul Frère | 3–4, 6 | |||||
André Pilette | 3, 5–6 | |||||
Jacques Pollet | 4, 9 | |||||
Clemar Bucci | 5–8 | |||||
Fred Wacker | 7–8 | |||||
Ecurie Rosier | Ferrari Maserati |
500 625 250F |
Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 625 2.5 L4 Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 |
D P |
Louis Rosier | 1, 4–6, 9 |
Maurice Trintignant | 1 | |||||
Robert Manzon | 4–6, 8–9 | |||||
Harry Schell | Maserati | A6GCM 250F |
Maserati A6 2.0 L6 Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 |
P | Harry Schell | 1, 4–6, 9 |
Emmanuel de Graffenried | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | P | Toulo de Graffenried | 1, 9 |
Ottorino Volonterio | 9 | |||||
Roberto Mieres | Maserati | A6GCM 250F |
Maserati A6 2.0 L6 Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 |
P | Roberto Mieres | 1, 3–6 |
Jorge Daponte | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | P | Jorge Daponte | 1, 8 |
Onofre Marimón | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | P | Carlos Menditeguy | 1 |
Ecurie Francorchamps | Ferrari | 500 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | E | Jacques Swaters | 3, 7, 9 |
Birabongse Bhanudej | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | P | Birabongse Bhanudej | 3–6, 9 |
Ron Flockhart | 5 | |||||
Equipe Moss A.E. Moss |
Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | P | Stirling Moss | 3, 5–6 |
Daimler Benz AG | Mercedes | W196 | Mercedes M196 2.5 L8 | C | Juan Manuel Fangio | 4–9 |
Karl Kling | 4–9 | |||||
Hans Herrmann | 4, 6–9 | |||||
Hermann Lang | 6 | |||||
Georges Berger | Gordini | Gordini 23 2.5 L6 | E | Georges Berger | 4 | |
HW Motors | HWM-Alta | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | D | Lance Macklin | 4 | |
Owen Racing Organisation | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | D | Ken Wharton | 4–7, 9 |
Guerino Bertocchi | 9 | |||||
Gilby Engineering | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | D | Roy Salvadori | 4–5 |
Scuderia Ambrosiana | Ferrari | 500 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | A | Reg Parnell | 5 |
G.A. Vandervell Vandervell Products |
Vanwall | Special | Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 | P | Peter Collins | 5, 8–9 |
Peter Whitehead | Cooper-Alta | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | D | Peter Whitehead | 5 | |
Bill Whitehouse | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | D | Bill Whitehouse | 5 | |
Leslie Marr | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | D | Leslie Marr | 5 | |
R.R.C. Walker Racing Team | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | D | John Riseley-Prichard | 5 | |
Sir Jeremy Boles | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | D | Don Beauman | 5 | |
Ecurie Ecosse | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | D | Leslie Thorne | 5 | |
R.J. Chase | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Alan Brown | 5 |
Gould's Garage (Bristol) | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Horace Gould | 5 |
Bob Gerard | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Bob Gerard | 5 |
Ecurie Richmond | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Eric Brandon | 5 |
Rodney Nuckey | 5 | |||||
Hans Klenk | Klenk-BMW | BMW 328 2.0 L6 | P | Theo Helfrich | 6 | |
Giovanni de Riu | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | P | Giovanni de Riu | 8 |
Scuderia Lancia | Lancia | D50 | Lancia DS50 2.5 V8 | P | Alberto Ascari | 9 |
Luigi Villoresi | 9 |
World Championship of Drivers standings[]
Points were awarded on an 8–6–4–3–2 basis to the top five finishers at each race, with an additional point scored for the fastest lap. Only the best five results counted towards the championship. Numbers without parentheses are championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.
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- Italics indicate fastest lap (one point awarded – point shared equally between drivers sharing fastest lap)
- Bold indicates pole position
- † Position shared between multiple drivers of the same car
- ‡ Several cars were shared in this race. See the race page for details.
Non-championship races[]
The following is a summary of the races for Formula One cars staged during the 1954 season that did not count towards the 1954 World Championship of Drivers.
Race name | Circuit | Date | Winning driver | Constructor | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
IV Gran Premio di Siracusa | Syracuse | 11 April | Nino Farina | Ferrari | |
XV Pau Grand Prix | Pau | 19 April | Jean Behra | Gordini | Report |
VI | Goodwood | 19 April | Reg Parnell | Ferrari | |
III | Bordeaux | 9 May | José Froilán González | Ferrari | |
IV BRDC International Trophy | Silverstone | 15 May | José Froilán González | Ferrari | |
VII Gran Premio di Bari | Bari | 22 May | José Froilán González | Ferrari | |
II | Snetterton | 5 June | Roy Salvadori | Maserati | |
XIII Gran Premio di Roma | Castelfusano | 6 June | Onofre Marimón | Maserati | |
XXIV Grand Prix des Frontières | Chimay | 6 June | Birabongse Bhanudej | Maserati | |
I Cornwall MRC Formula 1 Race | Davidstow | 7 June | John Riseley-Prichard | Connaught-Francis | Report |
I | Goodwood | 7 June | Reg Parnell | Ferrari | |
II | Crystal Palace | 19 June | Reg Parnell | Ferrari | |
IV | Rouen | 11 July | Maurice Trintignant | Ferrari | |
III Grand Prix de Caen | Caen | 25 July | Maurice Trintignant | Ferrari | |
I | Crystal Palace | 2 August | Reg Parnell | Ferrari | |
II Cornwall MRC Formula 1 Race | Davidstow | 2 August | John Coombs | Lotus-Connaught | Report |
I International Gold Cup | Oulton Park | 7 August | Stirling Moss | Maserati | |
Snetterton | 14 August | Reg Parnell | Ferrari | ||
XXIII Circuito di Pescara | Pescara | 15 August | Luigi Musso | Maserati | |
V | Sachsenring | 15 August | EMW | ||
III | Castle Combe | 28 August | Horace Gould | Cooper-Bristol | |
V Circuit de Cadours | Cadours | 12 September | Jean Behra | Gordini | |
I | AVUS | 19 September | Karl Kling | Mercedes | |
VII | Goodwood | 25 September | Stirling Moss | Maserati | |
I | Aintree | 2 October | Stirling Moss | Maserati |
Notes and references[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c World Championship of Drivers, 1974 FIA Yearbook, Grey section, pages 118 & 119
- ^ Danielson, C. (2008-07-29). "eMercedesBenz Feature: "Win First, Refuel Later" - Mercedes Silver Arrows Return To Formula One In 1954". emercedesbenz.com. Archived from the original on 2012-08-25.
- ^ Mike Lang, '"Grand Prix!, Volume 1 1950 to 1965, Haynes Publishing Group, 1981, page 7
- ^ Mike Lang, Grand Prix!, Volume 1 1950 to 1965, Haynes Publishing Group, 1981, page 80
- ^ Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, 1995, page 6
- ^ Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, 1995, page 318
- ^ "Grand Prix Cancelled". Autosport. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
- Formula One seasons
- 1954 in Formula One