 Practice: The first real Formula 1 race since 1951 and Monaco is again the European GP. For security reasons the starting grid is limited to twenty cars. The starting line is moved away from the 'Gasworks' hairpin. Vanwall make their first appearance at Monaco. By taking short cuts over the curbs, Fangio beats Caracciola's record by a massive 5.3 seconds; in panic, the other drivers follow suit. Hans Hermann, Fangio's team mate, over doing it a little, drives his car into the concrete ramp at the Casino. Moss, driving Fangio's car, gets within 1/10 of a second of his time and in the last lap of practice. Then Ascari equals this. Before the start fifteen drivers have beaten Caracciola's record.
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Race Result
1 Maurice Trintignant (F) |
Ferrari 625 |
2h58’09.7” 105.914km/h |
2 Castelotti (I) |
Lancia D50 |
+ 20.3” |
3 Behra/Perdisa (F/I) |
Maserati 250F |
+ 1 lap |
4 Farina (I) |
Ferrari 625 |
+ 1 lap |
5 Villoresi (I) |
Lancia D50 |
+ 1 lap |
6 Chiron (MC) |
Lancia D50 |
+ 5 laps |
7 Pollet (F) |
Gordini 6 cyl |
+ 9 laps |
8 Taruffi/Frère (I/B) |
Ferrari 555 |
+ 1 laps |
9 Moss (GB) |
Mercedes Benz W196 |
+ 19 laps |
Fastest lap: Fangio, Mercedes 1’42”4 - 110.568 km/h
Retired:
Musso |
lap 8 |
transmission |
Rosier |
lap 9 |
oil |
Hawthorn |
lap 23 |
accelerator |
Simon |
lap 25 |
oil leak |
Fangio |
lap 50 |
gearbox |
Bayol |
lap 64 |
suspension |
Mieres |
lap 65 |
suspension |
Schell |
lap 69 |
engine |
Moss |
lap 81 |
gearbox |
Ascari |
lap 81 |
accident |
Behra/Perdisa |
lap 87 |
clutch |
World Driver Championship
1955 |
date |
winner |
Champion |
Buenos Aires |
01-16 |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
|
Monte Carlo |
05-22 |
Maurice Trintignant |
|
Indianapolis |
05-30 |
Bob Sweikert |
|
Spa Francorchamps |
06-05 |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
|
Zandvoort |
06-19 |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
|
Aintree |
07-16 |
Stirling Moss |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
Monza |
09-11 |
Juan Manuel Fangio |
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World Constructor Championship
1955 |
RA |
MC |
IN |
BE |
NL |
GB |
IT |
total |
Mercedes |
12 |
1 |
|
15 |
14 |
22 |
15 |
79 |
Ferrari |
10 |
11 |
|
7 |
2 |
|
4 |
34 |
Maserati |
2 |
4 |
|
2 |
8 |
2 |
5 |
23 |
John Zink |
|
|
8 |
|
|
|
|
8 |
Scud Lancia |
|
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
8 |
H A Chapman |
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
|
6 |
Pat Clancy |
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
|
4 |
Peter Schmidt |
|
|
3 |
|
|
|
|
3 |
Merz Eng. |
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
L. Hopkins |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
J. Massaglia |
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0 |
Equipe Gordini |
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|
|
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|
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0 |
Lancia and Lancia motor
Manzon in Gordini
Moss Mercedes on fire
Maurice Trintignant with the cup
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Race
The Mercedes W196 short of 1955 denominated “Monaco” had as opposed to the previous year moved the brakes back into the wheels.
Moss is first off but Fangio over takes him in the Gasworks hairpin, leaving his team mate under the attack of Castellotti. Ascari closes up, but Behra wants a piece of the action and overtakes the two Lancia’s,
But Behra has to visit the pits and so does Castellotti for hitting a curb. Meanwhile “Petoulet” Trintignant was driving a careful race and eats himself to 4th place.
Then Fangio has stopped at the station gearbox 'kaput' and Moss is the leader with 50 laps to go and Maurice in third place. Lap 75 shows Moss with 1’28” advance on Ascari and Trintignant all pleased in third.
 Then in lap 81 in the chicane thick fumes escape from the bonnet of Moss’s Mercedes, barely holding his car with one hand, trying to keep the oil fumes out of his face with the other hand he enters the pits.
Ascari takes the lead with Trintignant 20 seconds behind.
Immediately after in lap 82, Ascari with fading brakes, slips on an oil puddle, misses the chicane, spins, the rear heads into the crash barrier, then plunges with a tremendous splash right into the port. Ascari was quickly saved from the freezing port water.
Thus the pertinent Trintignant in the lead with wavering oil pressure. Castellotti on the contrary pushes up the pressure. But Trintignant is driving with a cotton foot and the “old” Ferrari produces a second life, taking another couple of seconds off Castellotti. It is the first time a Frenchman wins a Monaco Grand Prix and the first time Monaco is run under 3 hours. At the Mercedes stand the faces were grim.
Start
Ascari plunges into the port
Castelotti
Moss with Bella Darvi
Neubauer with Ascari
Perdisa, Fangio and Moss
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THE LEGEND OF THE GRAND PRIX OF MONACO BY ROY HULSBERGEN