1960 F1 World Championship

The 1960 F1 season was the 11th year of the World Championship of Drivers. It included 10 races from 7 February to 20 November 1960 and included five non-championship events. 1960 was also the 3rd year of the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers (the Constructors Championship).

Season

Jack Brabham secured his second consecutive Drivers’ Championship in 1960, driving for Cooper, while the team also claimed their second straight Manufacturers’ title. This season marked the final year of the 2.5-litre formula, as the FIA mandated a shift to 1.5-litre engines from 1961 onwards. Rear-engined cars, fielded by Cooper, Lotus, Porsche, and BRM, proved vastly superior to traditional front-engined designs from Ferrari, Scarab, and Aston Martin, signaling a permanent shift in Formula 1’s technical direction.

Ferrari secured a solitary victory at their home race in Italy, benefitting from a boycott by British teams, who protested the organisers’ decision to use Monza’s high-speed banked circuit. This was the last victory for a front-engined car in a World Championship race, marking the end of an era. The Indianapolis 500, which had been part of the Formula 1 calendar since 1950, also made its final appearance. However, the season was scarred by tragedy, with three drivers losing their lives in racing accidents: Harry Schell, who crashed during practice for the BRDC International Trophy, and Chris Bristow and Alan Stacey, both of whom suffered fatal crashes at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Formula One History Recommends

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  List of Fatal Accidents in F1

1960 F1 Entries drivers and teams

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1960 FIA World Championship. The table does not include drivers who only contested the World Championship race at Indianapolis and does not include teams that only contested that race.

Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Driver	Rounds
Camoradi International	Behra-Porsche – Porsche	RSK	Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4	Masten Gregory	1
				Fred Gamble	9
Scuderia Centro Sud	Cooper – Maserati	T51	Maserati 250S 2.5 L4	Roberto Bonomi	1
				Carlos Menditeguy	1
				Masten Gregory	2, 4, 6–8
				Ian Burgess	2, 6–7, 10
				Maurice Trintignant	2, 4, 6, 10
				Mário de Araújo Cabral	8
				Alfonso Thiele	9
				Wolfgang von Trips	10
Giorgio Scarlatti	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Giorgio Scarlatti	1
Nasif Estéfano	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Nasif Estéfano	1
Antonio Creus	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Antonio Creus	1
Gino Munaron	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Gino Munaron	1
Cooper Car Company	Cooper – Climax	T51 T53	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Bruce McLaren	1–2, 4–8, 10
				Jack Brabham	1–2, 4–8, 10
				Chuck Daigh	7
				Ron Flockhart	10
Team Lotus	Lotus – Climax	18 16	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Innes Ireland	1–2, 4–8, 10
				Alan Stacey	1–2, 4–5
				Alberto Rodriguez Larreta	1
				John Surtees	2, 7–8, 10
				Jim Clark	4–8, 10
				Ron Flockhart	6
Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari	246	Ferrari 155 2.4 V6	Cliff Allison	1–2
				Phil Hill	1–2, 4–9
				Wolfgang von Trips	1–2, 4–8
				José Froilán González	1
				Richie Ginther	4, 9
				Willy Mairesse	5–6, 9
		246 P	Ferrari 171 2.4 V6	Richie Ginther	2
			Ferrari 1.5 V6	Wolfgang von Trips	9
Ecurie Bleue	Cooper – Climax	T51	Climax FPF 2.2 L4	Harry Schell	1
R.R.C. Walker Racing Team	Lotus – Climax	18	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Stirling Moss	2, 4–5, 8, 10
	Cooper – Climax	T51	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Stirling Moss	1
				Maurice Trintignant	1
				Lance Reventlow	7
Owen Racing Organisation	BRM	P25 P48	BRM P25 2.5 L4	Jo Bonnier	1–2, 4–8, 10
				Graham Hill	1–2, 4–8, 10
				Dan Gurney	2, 4–8, 10
Ettore Chimeri	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Ettore Chimeri	1
Fred Tuck Cars	Cooper – Climax	T51	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Bruce Halford	2
				Lucien Bianchi	6–7
High Efficiency Motors C.T. Atkins	Cooper – Climax	T51	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Roy Salvadori	2, 10
				Jack Fairman	7
Yeoman Credit Racing Team	Cooper – Climax	T51	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Chris Bristow	2, 4–5
				Tony Brooks	2, 4–5, 7–8, 10
				Henry Taylor	4, 6–8, 10
				Olivier Gendebien	5–8, 10
				Bruce Halford	6
				Phil Hill	10
J.B. Naylor	JBW – Maserati	59	Maserati 250S 2.5 L4	Brian Naylor	2, 7, 9–10
Scuderia Eugenio Castellotti	Cooper – Castellotti	T51	Castellotti 2.5 L4	Gino Munaron	6–7, 9
				Giorgio Scarlatti	2, 9
				Giulio Cabianca	9
Reventlow Automobiles Inc.	Scarab	F1	Scarab 2.5 L4	Chuck Daigh	2, 4–6, 10
				Lance Reventlow	2, 4–5
				Richie Ginther	6
David Brown Corporation	Aston Martin	DBR4 DBR5	Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6	Roy Salvadori	4, 7
				Maurice Trintignant	7
Ecurie Maarsbergen	Cooper – Climax	T51	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Carel Godin de Beaufort	4
Taylor-Crawley Racing Team	Lotus – Climax	18	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Mike Taylor	5
Equipe Nationale Belge	Cooper – Climax	T45	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Lucien Bianchi	5
Vandervell Products	Vanwall	VW 11	Vanwall 254 2.5 L4	Tony Brooks	6
Robert Bodle Ltd	Lotus – Climax	16	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	David Piper	6–7
Gilby Engineering	Cooper – Maserati	T45	Maserati 250S 2.5 L4	Keith Greene	7
Arthur Owen	Cooper – Climax	T45	Climax FPF 2.2 L4	Arthur Owen	9
Wolfgang Seidel	Cooper – Climax	T45	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Wolfgang Seidel	9
Scuderia Colonia	Cooper – Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Piero Drogo	9
H.H. Gould	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6	Horace Gould	9
Dr Ing F. Porsche KG Porsche System Engineering	Porsche	718/2	Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4	Edgar Barth	9
				Hans Herrmann	9
Equipe Prideaux/ Dick Gibson	Cooper – Climax	T43	Climax FPF 1.5 L4	Vic Wilson	9
Joe Lubin	Maserati	250F	Maserati 250S 2.5 L4	Bob Drake	10
Jim Hall	Lotus – Climax	18	Climax FPF 2.5 L4	Jim Hall	10
Fred Armbruster	Cooper – Ferrari	T51	Ferrari 107 2.5 L4	Pete Lovely	10

Team and Driver Changes in 1960

The 1960 Formula One season saw significant team and driver reshuffling, as well as the debut of future champion John Surtees. Surtees, a highly successful motorcycle racer, switched to car racing and made his F1 debut with Lotus, marking the start of a career that would see him become the only driver to win world championships on both two and four wheels. Meanwhile, Dan Gurney left Ferrari for BRM, and Tony Brooks moved to BRP, competing under the Yeoman Credit Racing banner. Ferrari also hired Wolfgang von Trips as a full-time driver. Graham Hill departed Lotus for BRM, prompting Colin Chapman to bring in Surtees as his replacement. Carroll Shelby, who had driven for Aston Martin in Formula One and won the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans, retired from racing in 1960, later establishing Shelby American, the company behind the legendary AC Cobra sports car. Additionally, Lance Reventlow introduced Scarab, a new constructor to the grid, with Chuck Daigh and Reventlow himself as drivers. However, Scarab’s front-engined cars proved unreliable and uncompetitive against the rapidly advancing rear-engined designs, making 1960 their only F1 season.

Mid-Season Changes and Tragic Losses

The season was marred by several serious accidents, with multiple drivers suffering injuries or losing their lives. Cliff Allison of Ferrari crashed heavily during practice for the Monaco Grand Prix, sustaining a broken left arm, rib fractures, facial cuts, and a concussion, sidelining him for nearly the entire season. Later in the year, Willy Mairesse made his debut with Ferrari. John Surtees debuted alongside Innes Ireland and Alan Stacey at Lotus, but due to his commitments in the Isle of Man TT, Jim Clark was promoted from Formula Junior to F1. When Surtees returned, both he and Clark became permanent drivers, as Alan Stacey was tragically killed during the Belgian Grand Prix. That same race also claimed the life of Chris Bristow, leading BRP to replace him with Henry Taylor and Olivier Gendebien. Mike Taylor suffered a horrific accident in Belgium when a steering column failure sent him off-track, cutting down a tree with his body. He was paralysed but later regained mobility through therapy and successfully sued Lotus for the faulty chassis. Further, Stirling Moss was injured in practice at Spa, forcing him to miss three races during his recovery.

1960 Formula 1 Race Calendar

Round	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date
1	Argentine Grand Prix	Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez , Buenos Aires	7 February
2	Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco , Monte Carlo	29 May
3	Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis Motor Speedway , Speedway	30 May1
4	Dutch Grand Prix	Circuit Zandvoort , Zandvoort	6 June
5	Belgian Grand Prix	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps , Stavelot	19 June
6	French Grand Prix	Reims-Gueux , Gueux	3 July
7	British Grand Prix	Silverstone Circuit , Silverstone	16 July
8	Portuguese Grand Prix	Circuito da Boavista , Porto	14 August
9	Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza , Monza	4 September
10	United States Grand Prix	Riverside International Raceway , Moreno Valley	20 November

The Argentine Grand Prix returned to the Formula One calendar after being absent in 1959, following the retirement of local heroes Juan Manuel Fangio and José Froilán González, which had led to a decline in national interest. Similarly, the Belgian Grand Prix also rejoined the schedule after its 1959 cancellation due to a dispute over start money.

Several races saw venue changes for the 1960 season. The British Grand Prix moved from Aintree back to Silverstone, continuing the event-sharing agreement between the two circuits. The Portuguese Grand Prix was relocated from Circuito de Monsanto to Circuito da Boavista. In the United States, the Grand Prix moved from Sebring to Riverside, as Sebring’s promoters struggled financially after barely breaking even in 1959. The German Grand Prix, initially planned for the high-speed AVUS circuit, was downgraded to a Formula Two race at the Nürburgring due to safety concerns. Meanwhile, the Moroccan Grand Prix, scheduled for October 1, was ultimately cancelled due to financial difficulties.

1960 Formula 1 Race Reports

Round 1: Argentine Grand Prix

Race date: 7 February 1960
Circuit: Autodromo Municipal Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Laps: 80
Circuit length: 3.912 km (2.431 miles)

Bruce McLaren secured his second Formula 1 victory at the 1960 Argentine Grand Prix, driving a Cooper Climax opening the season with a stroke of luck as mechanical issues forced Innes Ireland and Jo Bonnier out of the lead. Despite not winning any further races that year, McLaren’s steady performances earned him second place in the 1960 Drivers’ Championship. Cliff Allison, driving for Ferrari, finished second, while Maurice Trintignant’s Cooper Climax finished third.

Round 2: Monaco Grand Prix

Race date: 29 May 1960
Circuit: Circuit de Monaco
Laps: 100
Circuit length: 3.145 km (1.955 miles)

Stirling Moss claimed victory at the opening round of the European season at the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix, driving a Lotus 18 for Rob Walker’s privateer team. The race, held in wet conditions, saw all 16 starters break the previous lap record. British cars dominated the event, leading The Guardian to note that the Ferraris, “once the unchallenged masters, were able to provide only impressive exhaust noise out of proportion to their performance.” As the race neared its conclusion, only four cars remained in contention, prompting several damaged or partially repaired cars to reappear to qualify as finishers. This win marked the first F1 championship race victory for a Lotus car.

Bruce McLaren finished second in a Cooper-Climax, and American Phil Hill third for Ferrari.

Round 3: Indianapolis 500

Race date: 30 May 1960
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Laps: 200
Circuit length: 4.0225 km (2.499 mi)

The final year the Indy 500 counted towards the F1 championship featured an all-American entry, highlighting the initiative’s failure to attract European drivers. Held the day after the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix, the race saw Jim Rathmann and Rodger Ward locked in a fierce battle, with Rathmann winning due to better tyre management. This race had the most recorded lead changes in Indy 500 history at the time, with 29.

Round 4: Dutch Grand Prix

Race date: 6 June 1960
Circuit: Circuit Park Zandvoort
Laps: 75
Circuit length: 4.193 km (2.605 miles)

Jack Brabham clinched victory at the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, but the win was marred by an incident involving American racer Dan Gurney. Gurney’s BRM suffered brake failure, causing a fatal crash at the hairpin, claiming the life of a young spectator who had wandered into a prohibited area. The race also saw Innes Ireland and Graham Hill secure their first podium finishes, taking second and third place, respectively.

Round 5: Belgian Grand Prix

Race date: 19 June 1960
Circuit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Laps: 36
Circuit length: 14.12 km (8.774 miles)

One of the darkest days in F1 history occurred at Spa during the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix. The race claimed the lives of two British drivers in rapid succession under poor conditions. Stirling Moss had already crashed the day before. Chris Bristow, at just 22 years old, tragically lost his life after being thrown from his Cooper and suffering fatal injuries from a wire fence. Shortly afterwards, 26-year-old Alan Stacey’s Lotus crashed and caught fire, resulting in his death, which some speculated was caused by a bird strike that rendered him unconscious moments before. The area lacked spectators due to safety restrictions. Ultimately, Jack Brabham emerged as the race winner.

Round 6: French Grand Prix

Race date: 3 July 1960
Circuit: Reims Circuit, Reims, France
Laps: 50
Circuit length: 8.348 km (5.187 miles)

Jack Brabham claimed victory at the 1960 French Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Olivier Gendebien and Bruce McLaren. Brabham secured pole position, ahead of Phil Hill for Ferrari and Graham Hill for BRM. The race began chaotically, with Maurice Trintignant colliding with Graham Hill. Brabham and Phil Hill quickly pulled ahead, but Hill eventually retired due to transmission issues. As other cars also faced difficulties, Gendebien and McLaren secured unexpected podium finishes.

Round 7: British Grand Prix

Race date: 16 July 1960
Circuit: Silverstone Circuit
Laps: 77
Circuit length: 4.711 km (2.927 miles)

The 1960 British Grand Prix was notable for the blistering pace set by Graham Hill driving a BRM. Hill led until a few laps from the finish when he spun off under pressure from Jack Brabham, who took the win for the Cooper team. This race also highlighted the promising talent of John Surtees, who finished second in his Grand Prix debut for Lotus, ahead of his more experienced teammate Innes Ireland.

Round 8: Portuguese Grand Prix

Race date: 14 August 1960
Circuit: Circuito da Boavista Oporto (Porto), Portugal
Laps: 55
Circuit length: 7.4 km (4.625 miles)

Cooper driver Jack Brabham won the 1960 Portuguese Grand Prix, extending his championship lead over teammate Bruce McLaren. A promising young Scot named Jim Clark finished third for Team Lotus, securing his first of many podiums. The race was also notable for Clark’s teammate, John Surtees, who took his first F1 pole position.

Brabham’s victory meant he clinched the 1960 Driver’s World Championship with two races remaining.

Round 9: Italian Grand Prix

Race date: 4 September 1960
Circuit: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Laps: 50
Circuit length: 10.000 km (6.214 miles)

Ferrari dominated the 1960 Italian Grand Prix, with Phil Hill leading a 1-2-3 finish for the team, followed by teammates Richie Ginther and Willy Mairesse. Wolfgang von Trips capped off a fantastic day for Ferrari by finishing fifth in his F2 Ferrari, behind Giulio Cabianca’s Cooper-Castellotti.

The 1960 season had been frustrating for Ferrari’s Formula One team as they raced their outdated Dino 246, a front-engined car, while rear-engined designs were proving dominant. With the British teams boycotting the Italian Grand Prix and Jack Brabham already clinching the championship, Ferrari had yet to secure a victory. Seizing this opportunity, the Italian organisers chose to play to Ferrari’s strength in straight-line speed by using the combined Monza road and banked oval circuit, making the already fast Monza track even faster.

This race also marked the final Formula One World Championship win for a front-engined car, although the Ferguson P99, a front-engined car, did win the non-championship Gold Cup at Oulton Park in 1961.

Round 10: United States Grand Prix

Race date: 20 November 1960
Circuit: Riverside International Raceway Riverside, California
Laps: 75
Circuit length: 5.271 km (3.275 miles)

Stirling Moss clinched victory at the 1960 United States Grand Prix at Riverside International Raceway in California, finishing ahead of his Lotus teammate Innes Ireland. Despite the presence of American driver Dan Gurney, the event failed to generate significant interest among U.S. fans, drawing a modest crowd of 25,000. A public relations misstep by organiser Alec Ullmann, who alienated the local media, led to limited coverage of the race. Ullmann suffered substantial financial losses but paid Moss’s $7,500 prize and all other debts out of pocket. Gurney had a tough race, retiring on lap 18 due to an overheated engine. Bruce McLaren took third place, with newly crowned world champion Jack Brabham in fourth. Ferrari, having no stakes in the race, opted out, although drivers Wolfgang von Trips and Phil Hill participated with other teams.

1960 Formula 1 Race Results

Round	Grand Prix	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Winning constructor	Report
1	Argentine Grand Prix	Stirling Moss	Stirling Moss	Bruce McLaren	Cooper – Climax	Report
2	Monaco Grand Prix	Stirling Moss	Bruce McLaren	Stirling Moss	Lotus – Climax	Report
3	Indianapolis 500	Eddie Sachs	Jim Rathmann	Jim Rathmann	Watson – Offenhauser	Report
4	Dutch Grand Prix	Stirling Moss	Stirling Moss	Jack Brabham	Cooper – Climax	Report
5	Belgian Grand Prix	Jack Brabham	Jack Brabham / Innes Ireland / Phil Hill	Jack Brabham	Cooper – Climax	Report
6	French Grand Prix	Jack Brabham	Jack Brabham	Jack Brabham	Cooper – Climax	Report
7	British Grand Prix	Jack Brabham	Graham Hill	Jack Brabham	Cooper – Climax	Report
8	Portuguese Grand Prix	John Surtees	John Surtees	Jack Brabham	Cooper – Climax	Report
9	Italian Grand Prix	Phil Hill	United States Phil Hill	Phil Hill	Ferrari	Report
10	United States Grand Prix	Stirling Moss	Jack Brabham	Stirling Moss	Lotus – Climax	Report

1960 Formula 1 Standings

Points were awarded to the top six classified finishers, with only the best six results contributing to the championship standings. This was the first season in which no points were awarded for the fastest lap. Additionally, no points were given for shared drives.

For the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, only the highest-finishing driver from each team earned points per race. 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	6th
Race	8	6	4	3	2	1

1960 Drivers’ standings

1960 Constructors’ standings