1953 Belgian Grand Prix

The Grand Prix of Belgium 1953 was held on 21 June at the Spa- Francorchamps and was the fourth of nine races of the Formula 1 season 1953.

Background

Maserati was pleased with the debut of the new vehicles in the Netherlands, but provided them with reinforced rear axles. The factory cars drove Fangio and Gonzalez and the Argentine debutant Onofre Marimon. A fourth car was made ​​available to the Belgian local hero Johnny Claes available. Ferrari stepped into the usual four-car line-up with Ascari, Farina, Villoresi and Hawthorn. Louis Rosier and the Ecurie Francorchamps with the native Swaters and de Tornaco reported private Ferrari 500 At the Gordini team the free space of Manzon by Behra was occupied.

Training

The training showed that the new Maseratis were able to keep up with absolutely Ferrari. Fangio secured the pole position in front of the simultaneous Ascari and González.

Race

At the start of the Maseratis Gonzalez and Fangio accelerated from the Ferrari Ascaris and took the lead. González was before Fangio and increased his lead lap by lap. However, in the 10th round, he stayed with a broken accelerator are, Fangio automatically took the lead. This lasted for him but only 2 rounds, then he also had to retire with engine failure. Johnny Claes was brought in and handed Fangio his car, he fell by back to eighth place. The Ferraris of Ascari and Farina now lay ahead, but Farina could only hold three rounds its second position, then he was forced to retire with engine failure. Hawthorn took over the second position behind Ascari, but even he did not manage to claim it to the finish, because in the 29th round, he had to stop to repair the fuel line. Villoresi inherited the second place and drove to the finish. Less fortunate was Fangio, who had fought his way into Claes car down to the third position. In the last round he wanted to go past the parked cars from González, failed to see from a competitor of the runway thrown gravel and slide in the boundary ditch which overturned his vehicle. Fangio was uninjured. This ensured Marimon in only his second Grand Prix in third place on the podium. Ascari won unchallenged.

Message list

Classification

Line-up

Race results

Standings after the race

In 1953 the awarding points according to the following scheme:

• It included only the four best results from nine races. String results are shown in brackets.
• The figures marked with * include the point for the fastest lap.
• Same color fields marked point to shared vehicles.