1958 F1 World Championship

The 1958 F1 season was the 9th year of the World Championship of Drivers. It included 11 races from 19 January to 19 October 1958 and included five non-championship events. 1958 was also the first year of the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers (the Constructors Championship). The Indianapolis 500 counted towards the Drivers’ Championship but not the Manufacturers’ Cup.

Season

British driver Mike Hawthorn, racing for Ferrari, claimed his first and only Formula One World Championship, narrowly defeating compatriot Stirling Moss in a closely contested season. Despite Moss winning four races to Hawthorn’s single victory, a controversial penalty at the 1958 Portuguese Grand Prix nearly derailed Hawthorn’s title hopes. However, in a display of sportsmanship, Moss defended Hawthorn, allowing him to retain crucial points from the race. Ultimately, this allowed Hawthorn to secure the championship, making him the first driver to win the title with just one victory in a season—a feat later matched only by Keke Rosberg in 1982.

The 1958 season also marked the introduction of the Constructors’ Championship, with Vanwall winning the inaugural Manufacturers’ Cup.

A Tragic Season for Formula One

The season was overshadowed by the deaths of four drivers, making it one of the darkest years in Formula One history:

• Pat O’Connor (USA) – killed during the Indianapolis 500
• Luigi Musso (Italy, Ferrari) – crashed fatally at the French Grand Prix
• Peter Collins (UK, Ferrari) – lost his life at the German Grand Prix
• Stuart Lewis-Evans (UK, Vanwall) – succumbed to injuries from a crash at the Moroccan Grand Prix

Collins’ death deeply affected Hawthorn, who decided to retire from racing at the end of the season. However, in a tragic turn of events, he died in a road accident just three months after securing the championship.

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  List of Fatal Accidents in F1

The End of the Front-Engined Era

Since the early 1900s, Grand Prix racing had been dominated by front-engined cars, but the 1958 season marked the last championship victory for such a design. From 1959 onward, mid-engined cars became the dominant force in Formula One, offering better road holding, improved driver comfort, reduced weight, and greater efficiency in tyre and brake management. This shift would redefine the sport for decades to come.

Regulation Changes for the Season

Sporting Regulations

• The International Cup for F1 Manufacturers was introduced and awarded for the first time, marking a significant step toward recognizing constructors in Formula 1.
• Minimum race lengths were reduced to 300 kilometres (190 miles) or two hours, whichever came first, shortening the duration of races compared to previous seasons.
• Car-sharing during races was discouraged, as drivers who shared a car were no longer awarded championship points. For example, Masten Gregory and Carroll Shelby finished fourth in the Italian Grand Prix but did not receive points due to this rule.

Technical Regulations

• The use of commercial petrol became mandatory, replacing the previously used specialized alcohol-based racing fuels. This regulation aimed to standardize fuel compositions and align Formula 1 with road car technology.

1958 F1 Entries drivers and teams

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1958 FIA World Championship. The list does not include drivers who only contested the Indianapolis 500.

Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Driver	Rounds
Scuderia Sud Americana	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Juan Manuel Fangio	1
				Carlos Menditeguy	1
Ken Kavanagh	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Jean Behra	1
				Luigi Taramazzo	2
				Ken Kavanagh	2, 5
Jo Bonnier	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Harry Schell	1
				Jo Bonnier	2–3, 5, 7, 9
				Phil Hill	6
				Giulio Cabianca	10
				Hans Herrmann	10–11
Francesco Godia Sales				Paco Godia	1–2, 5–6
H.H. Gould	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Horace Gould	1–3
				Masten Gregory	3
R.R.C. Walker Racing Team	Cooper – Climax	T43 T45	Climax FPF 2.0 L4	Stirling Moss	1
				Maurice Trintignant	2–3, 7–11
				Ron Flockhart	2
		T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	François Picard*	11
Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari	246	Ferrari 143 2.4 V6	Luigi Musso	1–3, 5–6
				Peter Collins	1–3, 5–8
				Mike Hawthorn	1–3, 5–11
				Wolfgang von Trips	2, 6–10
				Olivier Gendebien	5, 10–11
				Phil Hill	10–11
		156	Ferrari D156 1.5 V6	Phil Hill*	8
Owen Racing Organisation	BRM	P25	BRM P25 2.5 L4	Jean Behra	2–3, 5–11
				Harry Schell	2–3, 5–11
				Maurice Trintignant	6
				Jo Bonnier	10–11
				Ron Flockhart	11
Bernie C. Ecclestone	Connaught – Alta	B	Alta GP 2.5 L4	Bernie Ecclestone	2, 7
				Bruce Kessler	2
				Paul Emery	2
				Jack Fairman	7
				Ivor Bueb	7
Cooper Car Company	Cooper – Climax	T45 T44	Climax FPF 2.0 L4	Jack Brabham	2–3, 5–7, 9–10
				Roy Salvadori	2–3, 5–11
				Ian Burgess	7
				Jack Fairman	11
		T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Bruce McLaren*	8, 11
				Jack Brabham*	8, 11
Team Lotus	Lotus – Climax	12 16	Climax FPF 2.0 L4 Climax FPF 2.2 L4	Cliff Allison	2–3, 5–8, 10–11
				Graham Hill	2–3, 5–7, 9–11
				Alan Stacey	7
		16	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Graham Hill*	8
Vandervell Products	Vanwall	VW 5	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4	Stirling Moss	2–3, 5–11
				Tony Brooks	2–3, 5–11
				Stuart Lewis-Evans	2–3, 5–7, 9–11
Maria Teresa de Filippis	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Maria Teresa de Filippis	2, 5, 10
Giorgio Scarlatti	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Giorgio Scarlatti	2–3
				Jo Bonnier	6
Scuderia Centro Sud	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Gerino Gerini	2, 6–7, 10–11
				Maurice Trintignant	5
				Masten Gregory	5
				Wolfgang Seidel	5, 11
				Carroll Shelby	6–7, 10
				Troy Ruttman	6, 8
				Jo Bonnier	8
				Hans Herrmann	8
				Cliff Allison	9
				Maria Teresa de Filippis	9
Scuderia Centro Sud	Cooper – Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Wolfgang Seidel*	8
OSCA Automobili	OSCA	F2	OSCA 372 1.5 L4	Giulio Cabianca	2
				Luigi Piotti	2
André Testut	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	André Testut	2
				Louis Chiron	2
Ecurie Maarsbergen	Porsche	RSK	Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4	Carel Godin de Beaufort	3
		RS550		Carel Godin de Beaufort*	8
Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Juan Manuel Fangio	6
Dick Gibson	Cooper – Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Dick Gibson*	8
Dr Ing F. Porsche KG	Porsche	RSK	Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4	Edgar Barth*	8
High Efficiency Motors	Cooper – Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Ian Burgess*	8
Ecurie Eperon d’Or	Cooper – Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Christian Goethals*	8
Ecurie Demi Litre	Lotus – Climax	12	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Ivor Bueb*	8
J.B. Naylor	Cooper – Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Brian Naylor*	8
Tony Marsh	Cooper – Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Tony Marsh*	8
Temple Buell	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Carroll Shelby	9–10
				Masten Gregory	10–11
André Guelfi	Cooper – Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	André Guelfi*	11
British Racing Partnership	Cooper – Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Tom Bridger*	11
Robert La Caze	Cooper – Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Robert La Caze*	11

1958 Formula 1 Race Calendar

Round	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date
1	Argentine Grand Prix	Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez , Buenos Aires	19 January
2	Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco , Monte Carlo	18 May
3	Dutch Grand Prix	Circuit Zandvoort , Zandvoort	26 May
4	Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis Motor Speedway , Speedway	30 May1
5	Belgian Grand Prix	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps , Stavelot	15 June
6	French Grand Prix	Reims-Gueux , Gueux	6 July
7	British Grand Prix	Silverstone Circuit , Silverstone	19 July
8	German Grand Prix	Nürburgring , Nürburg	3 August
9	Portuguese Grand Prix	Circuito da Boavista , Porto	24 August
10	Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza , Monza	7 September
11	Moroccan Grand Prix	Ain-Diab Circuit , Casablanca	19 October

The Dutch and Belgian Grands Prix returned to the Formula One calendar after a two-year absence, having been cancelled in 1956 and 1957 due to the Suez Crisis. Meanwhile, the Pescara Grand Prix, which had only served as a temporary replacement, was dropped from the schedule.

The Portuguese and Moroccan Grands Prix made their debuts as official World Championship rounds, expanding the season’s international reach. The French Grand Prix, which had been held at Rouen-Les-Essarts the previous year, returned to its traditional home at Reims-Gueux. Additionally, the British Grand Prix rotated venues as part of its event-sharing agreement, moving from Aintree to Silverstone for the season.

1958 Formula 1 Race Reports

Round 1: Argentine Grand Prix

Race date: 19 January 1958
Circuit: Autódromo Municipal Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Laps: 80
Circuit length: 3.912 km (2.431 miles)

Stirling Moss clinched a victory at the 1958 Argentine Grand Prix (the sixth running of the event) driving Rob Walker’s privately entered Cooper T43, just days after a playful mishap where his first wife, Katie, accidentally poked him in the eye. Despite being the only competitor in a non-Italian car among ten entries—three Ferraris and six Maseratis—Moss overtook defending champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who had set multiple track records, on the 35th lap. This was after Moss had his bandages removed just moments before the race began. Luigi Musso and teammate Mike Hawthorn finished in second and third for Ferrari, respectively.

Round 2: Monaco Grand Prix

Race date: 18 May 1958
Circuit: Circuit de Monaco
Laps: 100
Circuit length: 3.145 km (1.955 miles)

Maurice Trintignant took his second and final F1 win in a race of attrition at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix on May 18. Roy Salvadori led initially but pitted with a bent suspension arm after a mistake. Tony Brooks led for 22 laps before conceding to Jean Behra due to spark plug issues. Brake trouble ended Behra’s race, giving the lead to Mike Hawthorn. Stirling Moss then took the lead but retired with engine failure. Hawthorn also retired, handing the lead to Trintignant’s Cooper, who won by 20 seconds over Luigi Musso and Peter Collins‘ Ferraris.

Round 3: Dutch Grand Prix

Race date: 26 May 1958
Circuit: Circuit Park Zandvoort
Laps: 75
Circuit length: 4.193 km (2.605 miles)

Stirling Moss, driving a Vanwall, won the 1958 Dutch Grand Prix with the top six cars either from or featuring drivers from Britain. Moss dominated the race, lapping everyone except the BRM drivers Harry Schell and Jean Behra, who finished second and third.

Round 4: Indianapolis 500

Race date: 30 May 1958
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Laps: 200
Circuit length: 4.0225 km (2.499 mi)

A 15-car pile-up on the opening lap of the Indy 500 resulted in Pat O’Connor’s death. His car flew 50 feet through the air and burst into flames. Although he died from a broken neck, the incident led to safety changes at the track. Ed Elisian, who tried to save Vukovich three years earlier, was blamed for the crash and ostracised. He died in a crash the following year.

Round 5: Belgian Grand Prix

Race date: 15 June 1958
Circuit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Laps: 24
Circuit length: 14.12 km (8.774 miles)

Tony Brooks led a British dominance at the 1958 Belgian Grand Prix, driving a Vanwall, with Mike Hawthorn, Stuart Lewis-Evans, and Cliff Allison trailing, marking a nearly complete British sweep. Only Hawthorn’s Ferrari, also the lone non-British car in the lead pack, malfunctioned, emitting smoke and steam as he finished the race. Stirling Moss‘ Vanwall, however, succumbed after just one lap.

Round 6: French Grand Prix

Race date: 6 July 1958
Circuit: Reims Circuit, Reims, France
Laps: 50
Circuit length: 8.302 km (5.159 miles)

Mike Hawthorn secured a tainted victory for Ferrari at the 1958 French Grand Prix after his teammate, Italy’s top driver Luigi Musso, was tragically killed in an attempt to catch him. Hawthorn had been the faster driver all weekend. After a brief challenge from Harry Schell in a BRM, Hawthorn regained the lead. Musso was not far behind and was closing the gap as they approached the high-speed Geuz curve. With growing confidence, Musso attempted to take the corner flat-out for the first time. Unfortunately, this move exceeded the limits of the 246 Dino’s grip, causing the car to spin off the circuit. Travelling at approximately 150 mph, the car hit a ditch and somersaulted into the air, ejecting Musso from the driver’s seat. He was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries the same day.

Round 7: British Grand Prix

Race date: 19 July 1958
Circuit: Silverstone Circuit
Laps: 75
Circuit length: 4.7105 km (2.927 miles)

Peter Collins‘ victory at Silverstone for the 1958 British Grand Prix unfolded amid internal turmoil at Ferrari. Just two weeks earlier, the irritable Enzo Ferrari had demoted Collins to the No. 2 team, only to reverse his decision after Mike Hawthorn stood up for his teammate. Collins had a brilliant start, moving into the lead from sixth on the grid within a lap. When Stirling Moss‘ Vanwall blew its engine, Collins’ path to victory was all but assured.

Round 8: German Grand Prix

Race date: 3 August 1958
Circuit: Nürburgring, Nürburg, West Germany
Laps: 15
Circuit length: 22.810 km (14.173 miles)

Peter Collins tragically lost his life during the 1958 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring while chasing Tony Brooks‘ Vanwall in the Pflanzgarten section. After running wide and catching a wheel in a ditch, his Ferrari somersaulted across the track. Collins was thrown into a tree and succumbed to his head injuries later that day. Brooks went on to win the race, and later in life, in his biography, he stated that Collins drove more aggressively than any other driver he encountered throughout his racing career.

A favourite of Enzo Ferrari, Collins had previously shown his team spirit by giving up his car for teammate Juan Manuel Fangio at the 1956 Italian Grand Prix, even when Collins still had a chance to become the champion.

From 32 race starts, Collins took three wins, nine podiums, and 47 career points driving for HWM, Vanwall, Maserati and Ferrari.

Round 9: Portuguese Grand Prix

Race date: 24 August 1958
Circuit: Circuito da Boavista Oporto (Porto), Portugal
Laps: 50
Circuit length: 7.4 km (4.625 miles)

Stirling Moss won the 1958 Portuguese Grand Prix, closing the gap in the Drivers’ Championship to just four points behind compatriot Mike Hawthorn. The paddock was a sombre place, as the race was held just three weeks after Peter Collins‘s fatal accident at the Nurburgring. Enzo Ferrari, who had also lost Luigi Musso weeks earlier, decided not to replace Collins, fielding only two cars for Hawthorn and Wolfgang Von Trips. Hawthorn briefly led the race before Moss took control and pulled away, securing victory with Vanwall ahead of Hawthorn’s Ferrari and his Vanwall teammate Stuart Lewis-Evans.

Round 10: Italian Grand Prix

Race date: 7 September 1958
Circuit: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Laps: 70
Circuit length: 5.750 km (3.573 miles)

Tony Brooks spoiled the day for the Tifosi by winning the 1958 Italian Grand Prix in his Vanwall, finishing ahead of Ferrari drivers Mike Hawthorn in second and Phil Hill in third. It was a race marked by high attrition, with pole-sitter Stirling Moss fading from contention, leaving Brooks as the sole Vanwall to challenge the Italian cars, eventually passing Hawthorn with ten laps remaining. With that win, Vanwall won the first-ever Formula One Constructor’s title with one race of the 1958 season to go.

Round 11: Moroccan Grand Prix

Race date: 19 October 1958
Circuit: Ain-Diab Circuit, Casablanca
Laps: 53
Circuit length: 7.618 km (4.734 miles)

Although Stirling Moss won the sole championship-ranking 1958 Morocco Grand Prix driving a Vanwall, the spotlight ultimately fell on Mike Hawthorn, who secured the 1958 World Championship by a single point. For Moss to claim the championship, he needed to win and set the fastest lap and for Hawthorn to finish below second. While Moss accomplished the first two, Hawthorn, in a Ferrari, finished second nearly 90 seconds behind, aided by his teammate Phil Hill, who allowed him to pass finishing third. At the finish line, as both drivers were surrounded by the crowd, Moss grinned and shook Hawthorn’s hand, saying, “So you got it, you old so-and-so.” However, the day was overshadowed by tragedy: Moss’ teammate, Stuart Lewis-Evans, suffered severe burns in a crash and died six days later.

1958 Formula 1 Race Results

Round	Grand Prix	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Winning constructor	Report
1	Argentine Grand Prix	Juan Manuel Fangio	Juan Manuel Fangio	Stirling Moss	Cooper Climax	Report
2	Monaco Grand Prix	Tony Brooks	Mike Hawthorn	Maurice Trintignant	Cooper Climax	Report
3	Dutch Grand Prix	Stuart Lewis-Evans	Stirling Moss	Stirling Moss	Vanwall	Report
4	Indianapolis 500	Dick Rathmann	Tony Bettenhausen	Jimmy Bryan	Epperly Offenhauser	Report
5	Belgian Grand Prix	Mike Hawthorn	Mike Hawthorn	Tony Brooks	Vanwall	Report
6	French Grand Prix	Mike Hawthorn	Mike Hawthorn	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	Report
7	British Grand Prix	Stirling Moss	Mike Hawthorn	Peter Collins	Ferrari	Report
8	German Grand Prix	Mike Hawthorn	Stirling Moss	Tony Brooks	Vanwall	Report
9	Portuguese Grand Prix	Stirling Moss	Mike Hawthorn	Stirling Moss	Vanwall	Report
10	Italian Grand Prix	Stirling Moss	Phil Hill	Tony Brooks	Vanwall	Report
11	Moroccan Grand Prix	Mike Hawthorn	Stirling Moss	Stirling Moss	Vanwall	Report

1958 Formula 1 Standings

Points were awarded to the top five classified finishers, with an additional point granted for setting the fastest lap, regardless of finishing position or classification. Only the best six results contributed to the championship standings. Formula 2 cars were not eligible for Championship points, and no points were awarded for shared drives. If multiple drivers recorded the same fastest lap time, the fastest lap point was equally divided among them.

For the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, only the highest-finishing driver from each team scored points per race, with fastest lap points excluded. Indy 500 results did not count towards the cup. As with the Drivers’ Championship, only the best six results were considered.

Points were awarded according to the following system:

Position	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Fastest Lap
Race	8	6	4	3	2	1

1958 Drivers’ standings

1958 Constructors’ standings