The 11th Gran Premio Ciudad de Buenos Aires was a Formula Libre motor race held on 30 January 1955 at the Autódromo 17 de Octubre in Buenos Aires. It pitted regular 2500cc F1 cars against Mercedes F1 chassis that were fitted with larger sportscars engines of the upcoming Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR.
It followed the 16 January 1955 Argentine Grand Prix F1 race that opened the 1955 World Championship of Drivers season. Held at the same circuit in hot weather, the GP was won after 96 laps by Fangio while suffering burns to his legs in his Mercedes-Benz W196. In between, on a street circuit, the 23 January 1955 1000 km Buenos Aires sports cars race was held, opening the FIA 1955 World Sportscar Championship season with a private Ferrari winning points for the brand.
The new Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR sports car chassis was not ready yet, despite being closely related to the Mercedes-Benz W196 F1 cars. Some of the enlarged 3.0 litre pump gas sportscar engines were ready, and they were tested in the four F1 chassis, replacing the high revving high compression high octane fuel 2.5 litre F1 engines.
The Libre race was held over two heats of 30 laps, with the winner decided by aggregate time. The event was won by Juan Manuel Fangio in a Mercedes-Benz W196, his teammate Stirling Moss was second, Kling 4th, Herrmann DNF.
José Froilán González shared two Ferrari 625, for third place with Maurice Trintignant, and for 10th with Farina.
Classification Pos No. Driver Entrant Constructor Laps 1 2 Juan Manuel Fangio Daimler-Benz Mercedes-Benz W196 3.0 60 2 6 Stirling Moss Daimler-Benz Mercedes-Benz W196 3.0 60 3 12 José Froilán González Maurice Trintignant Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 60 4 4 Karl Kling Daimler-Benz Mercedes-Benz W196 3.0 60 5 16 Jean Behra Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F 60 6 24 Carlos Menditeguy Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F 60 7 20 Sergio Mantovani Harry Schell Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F 60 8 22 Luigi Musso Sergio Mantovani Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F 60 9 32 Clemar Bucci Clemar Bucci Ferrari 625 60 10 10 Giuseppe Farina José Froilán González Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 59 11 14 Maurice Trintignant Umberto Maglioli Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 59 12 40 Pablo Birger Equipe Gordini Gordini Type 16 58 13 38 Élie Bayol Equipe Gordini Gordini Type 16 58 14 30 Alberto Uría Alberto Uría Maserati 250F 54 15 48 Alfredo Pián Jose Manuel Faraoni Adolfo Schwelm Cruz Alfredo Pián Maserati A6GCM 47 16 42 Jesus Iglesias Equipe Gordini Gordini Type 16 47 17 18 Roberto Mieres Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F 45 8 Hans Herrmann Daimler-Benz Mercedes-Benz W196 3.0 18 36 Umberto Maglioli Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 118LM
References