The 1953 Formula One season was the seventh season of FIA Formula One motor racing. Just as in 1952, races counting towards the 4th World Championship of DriversWorld Championship of Drivers, 1974 FIA Yearbook, Grey section, pages 118 & 119—which was contested over nine races between 18 January and 13 September 1953—were open only to Formula Two cars. The Indianapolis 500 continued to be run under the formula dictated by the Contest Board of the American Automobile Association.Mike Lang, Grand Prix! Volume 1: 1950 to 1965, pages 53 to 66 The season also included several non-championship races for F1 and F2 cars.
The World Drivers' Championship was won by Alberto Ascari driving for Scuderia Ferrari.Steve Small, The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who, 1994, page 37 Ascari became the first driver since the inception of the championship in to successfully defend his title. It would be his last title, as well as the last for any Italian driver, .
For the first time, a championship event was included outside of Europe (with the exception of the Indianapolis 500): the 1953 Argentine Grand Prix. It was marred by an accident involving 1950 champion Nino Farina, who crashed into an unprotected crowd, killing nine spectators.
Teams and drivers The following teams and drivers competed in the 1953 FIA World Championship of Drivers. The list does not include those who only contested the Indianapolis 500.
Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre Driver Rounds Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 Juan Manuel Fangio 1, 3–9 José Froilán González 1, 3–6 Felice Bonetto 1, 3, 5–9 Oscar Gálvez 1 Johnny Claes 4 Onofre Marimón 4–9 Hermann Lang 8 Sergio Mantovani 9 Luigi Musso 9 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 500553 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4Ferrari 553 2.0 L4 Alberto Ascari 1, 3–9 Nino Farina 1, 3–9 Luigi Villoresi 1, 3–9 Mike Hawthorn 1, 3–9 Umberto Maglioli 9 Piero Carini 9 Cooper Car Company Cooper-BristolCooper-Alta T20T23SpecialT24 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6Alta F2 2.0 L4 Alan Brown 1 John Barber 1 Adolfo Schwelm Cruz 1 Stirling Moss 5, 7, 9 Equipe Gordini GordiniSimca-Gordini Type 16Type 15 Gordini 20 2.0 L6Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 Robert Manzon 1 Harry Schell 1, 3–7, 9 Maurice Trintignant 1, 3–9 Jean Behra 1, 4–8 Carlos Menditéguy 1 Pablo Birger 1 Roberto Mieres 3, 5, 9 Fred Wacker 3–4, 8 Ecurie Rosier Ferrari 500 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Louis Rosier 3–7, 9 8 Enrico Platé Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 Toulo de Graffenried 3 Connaught Engineering Connaught-Lea-Francis Type A Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 Roy Salvadori 3, 5–7, 9 Kenneth McAlpine 3, 6–7, 9 Stirling Moss 3 Birabongse Bhanudej 5–7 Jack Fairman 9 Ecurie Belge Connaught-Lea-Francis Type A Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 Johnny Claes 3, 5, 7, 9 André Pilette 4 Ken Wharton Cooper-Bristol T23 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Ken Wharton 3, 5–6, 8–9 HW Motors HWM-Alta 53 Alta F2 2.0 L4 Peter Collins 3–6 Lance Macklin 3–6, 8–9 Paul Frère 4, 8 Yves Giraud-Cabantous 5, 9 Duncan Hamilton 6 Jack Fairman 6 Albert Scherrer 8 John Fitch 9 Emmanuel de Graffenried Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 Toulo de Graffenried 4–9 Georges Berger Simca-Gordini Type 15 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 Georges Berger 4 Arthur Legat Veritas Meteor Veritas 2.0 L6 Arthur Legat 4 Ecurie Francorchamps Ferrari 500 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Jacques Swaters 4, 7–8 Charles de Tornaco 4 Louis Chiron OSCA 20 OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 Louis Chiron 5–6, 8–9 Élie Bayol OSCA 20 OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 Élie Bayol 5, 8 Bob Gerard Cooper-Bristol T23 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Bob Gerard 5–6 R.R.C. Walker Racing Team Connaught-Lea-Francis Type A Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 Tony Rolt 6 Ecurie Ecosse Connaught-Lea-FrancisCooper-Bristol Type AT20 Lea-Francis 2.0 L4Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Ian Stewart 6 Jimmy Stewart 6 R.J. Chase Cooper-Bristol T23 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Alan Brown 6 Atlantic Stable Cooper-Alta T24 Alta F2 2.0 L4 Peter Whitehead 6 Tony Crook Cooper-Bristol T20 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Tony Crook 6 Hans Stuck AFM-Bristol 6 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Hans Stuck 7, 9 Wolfgang Seidel Veritas RS Veritas 2.0 L6 Wolfgang Seidel 7 Willi Heeks Veritas Meteor Veritas 2.0 L6 Willi Heeks 7 Theo Helfrich Veritas RS Veritas 2.0 L6 Theo Helfrich 7 Oswald Karch Veritas RS Veritas 2.0 L6 Oswald Karch 7 Helmut Niedermayr AFM-BMW U8 BMW 328 2.0 L6 Theo Fitzau 7 Ernst Loof Veritas Meteor Veritas 2.0 L6 Ernst Loof 7 Hans Herrmann Veritas Meteor Veritas 2.0 L6 Hans Herrmann 7 Erwin Bauer Veritas RS Veritas 2.0 L6 Erwin Bauer 7 Ecurie Espadon Ferrari 500212 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 Kurt Adolff 7 Peter Hirt 8 Max de Terra 8 Rennkollektiv EMW EMW R2 EMW 6 2.0 L6 Edgar Barth 7 Dora Greifzu Greifzu-BMW Eigenbau BMW 328 2.0 L6 Rudolf Krause 7 Ernst Klodwig Heck-BMW Eigenbau BMW 328 2.0 L6 Ernst Klodwig 7 Equipe Anglaise Cooper-Bristol T23 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Alan Brown 7, 9 Helmut Glöckler 7 Rodney Nuckey Cooper-Bristol T23 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Rodney Nuckey 7 Günther Bechem AFM-BMW 50–5 BMW 328 2.0 L6 Günther Bechem 7 Escuderia Bandeirantes Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 Chico Landi 8 OSCA Automobili OSCA 20 OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 Élie Bayol 9 Scuderia Milano Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 Chico Landi 9 Birabongse Bhanudej 9
Team and driver changes
After competing in just one race in , Maserati entered at least three cars in each race this year. They convinced champion Juan Manuel Fangio to return to the sport and to replace Franco Rol. Mike Hawthorn was offered a drive with Ferrari after displaying his talent in several non-championship races in 1952. He replaced Piero Taruffi, who took up a drive with the Lancia sports car racing team. After separating with their driver Prince Bira during the 1952 season, Gordini attracted American driver Harry Schell for this year. Connaught had made their debut halfway through last season. They expanded their operations and hired Roy Salvadori and Kenneth McAlpine to drive. Cooper entered with a works team for the first time, but initially only competed in the season opener.
Mid-season changes
Robert Manzon left Gordini after just one race. He would return in with Louis Rosier's private team. Roberto Mieres made his debut as Manzon's replacement. From the Belgian Grand Prix on, Onofre Marimón joined Maserati as a full-time driver. José Froilán González left the team after the British Grand Prix. He would return to the grid with Ferrari in . Veteran racer Louis Chiron returned to F1 at the 1953 French Grand Prix with OSCA. After competing in the season opener, Cooper returned to the grid for the French Grand Prix, with Stirling Moss as their sole driver, after he left a part-time drive at Connaught. When Moss left, Prince Bira joined the Connaught team for three races. Peter Collins left HWM before the end of the season. He would return in with Vanwall. José Froilán González crashed a Lancia sports car before the German Grand Prix, got injured and was out of F1 for the rest of the season. Hermann Lang returned to Grand Prix racing after 14 years to replace him for one race, before Sergio Mantovani and Luigi Musso joined the team to make their F1 debut.
Calendar Round Grand Prix Circuit Date 1 Argentine Grand Prix Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires 18 January 2 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway 30 May 3 Dutch Grand Prix Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort 7 June 4 Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot 21 June 5 French Grand Prix Reims-Gueux, Gueux 5 July 6 British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone 18 July 7 German Grand Prix Nürburgring, Nürburg 2 August 8 Swiss Grand Prix Circuit Bremgarten, Bern 23 August 9 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza 13 September
Calendar changes On 18 January, the Argentine Grand Prix hosted its first World Championship Grand Prix. The Swiss Grand Prix was moved back from mid May to late August, while the Dutch Grand Prix was moved up from mid August to early June. After a year at Rouen-Les-Essarts, the French Grand Prix was moved back to Reims-Gueux. The Spanish Grand Prix was scheduled to be held on 26 October, but it was cancelled for monetary reasons.
Championship report Rounds 1 to 3
The 1953 season started in Argentina, the first championship Formula One Grand Prix outside of Europe (with the exception of the Indianapolis 500). Alberto Ascari and Ferrari had dominated , but Juan Manuel Fangio, the champion returning after a year away, at the new Maserati works team were expected to put up a good fight. Ascari qualified on pole position, ahead of Fangio and Ferrari teammates Luigi Villoresi and Nino Farina. The race attracted so many spectators that they were able to break through the security parameter and sit by the track. Only the fear of a riot resisted the organisers from cancelling the race. Ascari held the lead at the start, ahead of Fangio, as the lines of people grew thicker. On lap 21, Adolfo Schwelm Cruz's Cooper lost a wheel, which bounced into the crowd, and eleven laps later, Farina spun off, crushing bodies until his Ferrari came to a halt. At least nine people were killed, which became ten when, amidst the panic, a little boy ran onto the track and was hit by the Cooper of Alan Brown. The race continued, Fangio retired with a broken transmission and Ascari finished a lap ahead of Villoresi and Maserati's José Froilán González.
The Indianapolis 500 was included in the Formula One championship, but no F1 drivers attended. Bill Vukovich won the race for the second year in a row.
The Dutch Grand Prix, being the first round of the year in Europe, attracted no less than twenty entrants, and Maserati brought upgraded cars. Still, the starting grid looked almost the same as in Argentina: Ascari, with Fangio and Farina next to him, and Villoresi and González on the second row. At the start, Ascari took the lead, while his teammates converged on Fangio, squeezing him almost to a standstill. The three prancing horses led away unchallenged. Both González and Fangio retired with a broken rear axle. Villoresi retired when his injection failed. Ascari and Farina finished 1–2, while González managed to get third after taking over the car from a teammate.
In the Drivers' Championship, Alberto Ascari (Ferrari) was leading with 17 points. Bill Vukovich was second with 9, but he would not enter any other races. Luigi Villoresi (Ferrari) was third with 7 points.
Rounds 4 to 6 The Maseratis were favourites going into the Belgian Grand Prix because of their high top speed. Juan Manuel Fangio delivered and set pole position, ahead of championship leader Alberto Ascari and teammate José Froilán González. Ascari's Ferrari teammates Nino Farina and Luigi Villoresi occupied the second row. González took the lead at the start and the two Maseratis streaked away, until they retired with mechanical issues two laps from each other. Farina retired as well, leaving Ascari and Villoresi to finish 1–2, ahead of Onofre Marimón on his debut for Maserati.
Ascari continued his dominance with a pole position for the French Grand Prix, ahead of Maserati's Felice Bonetto (teammate González set the qualifying time, but it was in Bonetto's car) and Villoresi. Fangio and González stood on the second row, but the latter took the lead at the start. Farina had a good start, while Bonetto spun, so González was now under threat from a group of four Ferraris. But the Argentinian streaked away and it was Fangio who started pressuring the group from behind. At half-distance, González pitted to refuel, which explained his good pace. A tight group was formed of seven red cars, all fighting for the lead. The Ferraris were better through the corners, but the Maseratis had a higher top speed, and with two laps to go, Mike Hawthorn and Fangio were side-by-side over the line. Hawthorn managed to inch in front and won, ahead of Fangio and González.