The 1953 F1 season was the fourth year of the World Championship of Drivers. It included nine races from January 18 to September 13 and included 36 non-championship events and a separate East German Championship held over six events.
Season
As in the 1952 season, all World Championship races, except the Indianapolis 500, were held under Formula Two regulations, with only a few non-championship races run under Formula One specifications. Ferrari’s Alberto Ascari dominated the season, becoming the first driver to successfully defend his championship title since the series began in 1950. The title was his final championship, and as of 2024, he was the last Italian driver to win the Drivers’ Championship.
The 1953 season also broke new ground by hosting a championship event outside Europe, excluding the Indianapolis 500, with the 1953 Argentine Grand Prix. Tragically, the race was overshadowed by a severe accident involving former champion Nino Farina, whose crash into an unprotected crowd resulted in the deaths of nine spectators.
1953 F1 Entries drivers and teams
The following teams and drivers participated in the 1953 FIA World Championship of Drivers, excluding those who competed solely in the Indianapolis 500.
| Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Driver | Rounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | P | Juan Manuel Fangio | 1, 3–9 |
| Jose Froilan Gonzalez | 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 | 500 553 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 553 2.0 L4 | P | Alberto Ascari | 1, 3–9 |
| Giuseppe Farina | 1, 3–9 | |||||
| Luigi Villoresi | 1, 3–9 | |||||
| Mike Hawthorn | 1, 3–9 | |||||
| Umberto Maglioli | 9 | |||||
| Piero Carini | 9 | |||||
| Cooper Car Company | Cooper – Bristol Cooper – Alta | T20 T23 Special T24 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Alta GP 2.5 L4 | D | Alan Brown | 1 |
| John Barber | 1 | |||||
| Adolfo Schwelm Cruz | 1 | |||||
| Stirling Moss | 5, 7, 2009 | |||||
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini Simca-Gordini | Type 16 Type 15 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | E | Robert Manzon | 1 |
| Harry Schell | 1, 3–7, 9 | |||||
| Maurice Trintignant | 1, 3–9 | |||||
| Jean Behra | 1, 4–8 | |||||
| Carlos Menditeguy | 1 | |||||
| Pablo Birger | 1 | |||||
| Roberto Mieres | 3, 5, 2009 | |||||
| Fred Wacker | 3–4, 8 | |||||
| Ecurie Rosier | Ferrari | 500 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | D | Louis Rosier | 3–7, 9 |
| E | Louis Rosier | 8 | ||||
| Enrico Platé | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | P | Toulo de Graffenried | 3 |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught – Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | D | 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 | E | Johnny Claes | 3, 5, 7, 9 |
| André Pilette | 4 | |||||
| Ken Wharton | Cooper – Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Ken Wharton | 3, 5–6, 8–9 |
| HW Motors | HWM – Alta | 53 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | D | 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 | P | Toulo de Graffenried | 4–9 |
| Georges Berger | Simca-Gordini | Type 15 | Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | E | Georges Berger | 4 |
| Arthur Legat | Veritas | Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | E | Arthur Legat | 4 |
| Ecurie Francorchamps | Ferrari | 500 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | E | Jacques Swaters | 4, 7–8 |
| Charles de Tornaco | 4 | |||||
| Louis Chiron | OSCA | 20 | OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 | P | Louis Chiron | 5–6, 8–9 |
| Elie Bayol | OSCA | 20 | OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 | P | Élie Bayol | 5, 8 |
| Bob Gerard | Cooper – Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Bob Gerard | 5–6 |
| R.R.C. Walker Racing Team | Connaught – Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | D | Tony Rolt | 6 |
| Connaught – Lea-Francis Cooper – Bristol | Type A T20 | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Ian Stewart | 6 | |
| Jimmy Stewart | 6 | |||||
| R.J. Chase | Cooper – Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Alan Brown | 6 |
| Atlantic Stable | Cooper – Alta | T24 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | D | Peter Whitehead | 6 |
| Tony Crook | Cooper – Bristol | T20 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Tony Crook | 6 |
| Hans Stuck | AFM – Bristol | 6 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Hans Stuck | 7, 9 |
| Wolfgang Seidel | Veritas | RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | D | Wolfgang Seidel | 7 |
| Willi Heeks | Veritas | Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | D | Willi Heeks | 7 |
| Theo Helfrich | Veritas | RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | D | Theo Helfrich | 7 |
| Oswald Karch | Veritas | RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | D | Oswald Karch | 7 |
| Helmut Niedermayr | AFM – BMW | U8 | BMW 328 2.0 L6 | D | Theo Fitzau | 7 |
| Ernst Loof | Veritas | Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | D | Ernst Loof | 7 |
| Hans Herrmann | Veritas | Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | D | Hans Herrmann | 7 |
| Erwin Bauer | Veritas | RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | D | Erwin Bauer | 7 |
| Ecurie Espadon | Ferrari | 500 212 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 | P | Kurt Adolff | 7 |
| Peter Hirt | 8 | |||||
| Max de Terra | 8 | |||||
| Rennkollektiv EMW | EMW | R2 | EMW 6 2.0 L6 | D | Edgar Barth | 7 |
| Dora Greifzu | Greifzu – BMW | Eigenbau | BMW 328 2.0 L6 | D | Rudolf Krause | 7 |
| Ernst Klodwig | Heck – BMW | Eigenbau | BMW 328 2.0 L6 | D | Ernst Klodwig | 7 |
| Equipe Anglaise | Cooper – Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Alan Brown | 7, 9 |
| Helmut Glöckler | 7 | |||||
| Rodney Nuckey | Cooper – Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | D | Rodney Nuckey | 7 |
| Günther Bechem | AFM – BMW | 50–5 | BMW 328 2.0 L6 | D | Günther Bechem | 7 |
| Escuderia Bandeirantes | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | P | Chico Landi | 8 |
| OSCA Automobili | OSCA | 20 | OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 | P | Élie Bayol | 9 |
| Scuderia Milano | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | P | Chico Landi | 9 |
| Birabongse Bhanudej | 9 |
1953 Formula 1 Race Calendar
| Round | Grand Prix | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentine Grand Prix | Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez | 18 January |
| 2 | Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 30 May1 |
| 3 | Dutch Grand Prix | Circuit Zandvoort | 7 June |
| 4 | Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | 20 June |
| 5 | French Grand Prix | Reims-Gueux | 5 July |
| 6 | British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit | 18 July |
| 7 | German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | 2 August |
| 8 | Swiss Grand Prix | Circuit Bremgarten | 23 August |
| 9 | Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza | 13 September |
1953 Formula 1 Race Results
| Round | Grand Prix | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Winning constructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentine Grand Prix | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari |
| 2 | Indianapolis 500 | Bill Vukovich | Bill Vukovich | Bill Vukovich | Kurtis Kraft – Offenhauser |
| 3 | Dutch Grand Prix | Alberto Ascari | Luigi Villoresi | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari |
| 4 | Belgian Grand Prix | Juan Manuel Fangio | Jose Froilan Gonzalez | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari |
| 5 | French Grand Prix | Alberto Ascari | Juan Manuel Fangio | Mike Hawthorn | Ferrari |
| 6 | British Grand Prix | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari / Jose Froilan Gonzalez | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari |
| 7 | German Grand Prix | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari | Giuseppe Farina | Ferrari |
| 8 | Swiss Grand Prix | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari |
| 9 | Italian Grand Prix | Alberto Ascari | Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati |
1953 Formula 1 Standings
Points were awarded to the top five finishers, with an additional point for the fastest lap, regardless of the driver’s finishing position or classification. Only a driver’s four best results contributed to their final championship standings. In cases where drivers shared a car and finished in a points position, they each received half the points for that position. If multiple drivers set identical fastest lap times, the fastest lap point was equally divided among them.
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | Fastest Lap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
1953 Driver standings
| Pos | Driver | Nationality | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alberto Ascari | ITA | Ferrari | 34.5 |
| 2 | Juan Manuel Fangio | ARG | Maserati | 27.5 |
| 3 | Giuseppe Farina | ITA | Ferrari | 26 |
| 4 | Mike Hawthorn | GBR | Ferrari | 19 |
| 5 | Luigi Villoresi | ITA | Ferrari | 17 |
| 6 | Jose Froilan Gonzalez | ARG | Maserati | 13.5 |
| 7 | Bill Vukovich | USA | Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser | 9 |
| 8 | Toulo de Graffenried | SUI | Maserati | 7 |
| 9 | Felice Bonetto | ITA | Maserati | 6.5 |
| 10 | Art Cross | USA | Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser | 6 |
| 11 | Onofre Marimon | ARG | Maserati | 4 |
| 11 | Maurice Trintignant | FRA | Gordini | 4 |
| 13 | Oscar Alfredo Galvez | ARG | Maserati | 2 |
| 13 | Sam Hanks | USA | Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser | 2 |
| 13 | Duane Carter | USA | Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser | 2 |
| 13 | Jack McGrath | USA | Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser | 2 |
| 13 | Hermann Lang | GER | Maserati | 2 |
| 18 | Fred Agabashian | USA | Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser | 1.5 |
| 18 | Paul Russo | USA | Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser | 1.5 |
