1959 Formula One season


The 1959 Formula One season was the 13th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1959 World Championship of Drivers and the 1959 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, contested concurrently over a nine race series which commenced on 10 May and ended on 12 December. The season also included a number of non-championship Formula One races.
Jack Brabham won the World Championship of Drivers in a sport still reeling from the death of several drivers, including reigning champion Mike Hawthorn. The International Cup for F1 Manufacturers was awarded to Cooper–Climax.

Season summary

's withdrawal, believed to have been a result of the high mortality rate of the 1958 season, left Ferrari as the only race-winning team in the Championship. Similarly, Juan Manuel Fangio and Mike Hawthorn's retirement meant that for the very first time no world champion was on the grid. Cooper's revolutionary rear-engined cars, powered by the compact Coventry-Climax 2.5 litre engine, won five races with Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and Bruce McLaren. BRM also landed its maiden victory in the hands of Jo Bonnier. Aston Martin appeared with a car which, in the face of Cooper's rear-engined revolution, was outdated and overweight.
The German Grand Prix was held for the second time on the very high speed AVUS circuit, where Ferrari's Jean Behra was killed during an unrelated sports car race at the wheel of a Porsche.
Ferrari's Tony Brooks took the fight to the Coopers and going into the final race he, Moss or Brabham could win the title. Moss retired from the race, the inaugural United States Grand Prix, giving Brabham the lead. Brabham ran out of fuel on the last lap but pushed his car across the line to finish fourth. With Brooks unable to do better than third, Brabham became the first Australian World Champion while Cooper won the Constructors' crown.

Season review

There were 3 scheduled Grands Prix in 1959 that were canceled. The Argentine Grand Prix, scheduled to be held in January, was cancelled because with heroes such as Juan Manuel Fangio and Jose Froilan Gonzalez having retired, there was no local interest and the race was promptly cancelled. The Belgian Grand Prix was scheduled to be held in June but it was canceled due to a dispute over start money. And finally, the Moroccan Grand Prix was scheduled to be held in October at Ain-Diab but it was cancelled for monetary reasons. The Indianapolis 500 also counted towards the 1959 USAC Championship, and was run for USAC Championship cars, but did not count towards the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers.

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1959 FIA World Championship.
EntrantConstructorChassisEngineTyreDriverRounds
Dr Ing F. Porsche KGBehra-Porsche-PorscheRSKPorsche 547/3 1.5 F4 Maria Teresa de Filippis1
Dr Ing F. Porsche KGPorsche718 RSK
718/2		Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4 Wolfgang von Trips1, 6
Equipe Nationale BelgeCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Lucien Bianchi1
Equipe Nationale BelgeCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Alain de Changy1
Jean LucienbonnetCooper-ClimaxT45Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Jean Lucienbonnet1
Owen Racing OrganisationBRMP25BRM P25 2.5 L4 Harry Schell1, 3–8
Owen Racing OrganisationBRMP25BRM P25 2.5 L4 Jo Bonnier1, 3–8
Owen Racing OrganisationBRMP25BRM P25 2.5 L4 Ron Flockhart1, 4–5, 7–8
Cooper Car CompanyCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Bruce McLaren1, 4–9
Cooper Car CompanyCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Jack Brabham1, 3–9
Cooper Car CompanyCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Masten Gregory1, 3–7
Cooper Car CompanyCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Giorgio Scarlatti8
R.R.C. Walker Racing TeamCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Stirling Moss1, 3, 6–9
R.R.C. Walker Racing TeamCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Maurice Trintignant1, 3–9
British Racing PartnershipBRMP25BRM P25 2.5 L4 Stirling Moss4–5
British Racing PartnershipBRMP25BRM P25 2.5 L4 Hans Herrmann6
British Racing PartnershipCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Ivor Bueb1
British Racing PartnershipCooper-BorgwardT51Borgward 1500 RS 1.5 L4 Ivor Bueb5
British Racing PartnershipCooper-BorgwardT51Borgward 1500 RS 1.5 L4 Chris Bristow5
High Efficiency MotorsCooper-MaseratiT45Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Roy Salvadori1, 4, 9
High Efficiency MotorsCooper-MaseratiT45Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Jack Fairman8
High Efficiency MotorsCooper-ClimaxT45Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Jack Fairman5
Team LotusLotus-Climax16Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Graham Hill1, 3–8
Team LotusLotus-Climax16Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Pete Lovely1
Team LotusLotus-Climax16Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Innes Ireland3–4, 6–9
Team LotusLotus-Climax16Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Alan Stacey5, 9
John FisherLotus-Climax16Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Bruce Halford1
Scuderia FerrariFerrari246
156		Ferrari 155 2.4 V6
Ferrari D156 1.5 V6		 Jean Behra1, 3–4
Scuderia FerrariFerrari246
156		Ferrari 155 2.4 V6
Ferrari D156 1.5 V6		 Phil Hill1, 3–4, 6–9
Scuderia FerrariFerrari246
156		Ferrari 155 2.4 V6
Ferrari D156 1.5 V6		 Tony Brooks1, 3–4, 6–9
Scuderia FerrariFerrari246
156		Ferrari 155 2.4 V6
Ferrari D156 1.5 V6		 Cliff Allison1, 3, 6, 8–9
Scuderia FerrariFerrari246
156		Ferrari 155 2.4 V6
Ferrari D156 1.5 V6		 Olivier Gendebien4, 8
Scuderia FerrariFerrari246
156		Ferrari 155 2.4 V6
Ferrari D156 1.5 V6		 Dan Gurney4, 6–8
Scuderia FerrariFerrari246
156		Ferrari 155 2.4 V6
Ferrari D156 1.5 V6		 Wolfgang von Trips9
Scuderia UgoliniMaserati250FMaserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Giorgio Scarlatti1, 4
Scuderia UgoliniMaserati250FMaserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Carel Godin de Beaufort4
Monte Carlo Auto SportMaserati250FMaserati 250F1 2.5 L6 André Testut1
David Brown CorporationAston MartinDBR4Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6 Roy Salvadori3, 5, 7–8
David Brown CorporationAston MartinDBR4Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6 Carroll Shelby3, 5, 7–8
Ecurie MaarsbergenPorsche718 RSKPorsche 547/3 1.5 F4 Carel Godin de Beaufort3
Scuderia Centro SudCooper-MaseratiT51Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Ian Burgess4–6, 8
Scuderia Centro SudCooper-MaseratiT51Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Colin Davis4, 8
Scuderia Centro SudCooper-MaseratiT51Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Hans Herrmann5
Scuderia Centro SudCooper-MaseratiT51Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Mario Araujo de Cabral7
Scuderia Centro SudMaserati250FMaserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Asdrúbal Fontes Bayardo4
Scuderia Centro SudMaserati250FMaserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Fritz d'Orey4–5
Vandervell ProductsVanwallVW 59Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 Tony Brooks5
J.B. NaylorJBW-Maserati59Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Brian Naylor5
Ace Garage – RotherhamCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Trevor Taylor5
Alan Brown EquipeCooper-ClimaxT45Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Mike Taylor5
Alan Brown EquipeCooper-ClimaxT45Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Peter Ashdown5
Gilby EngineeringCooper-ClimaxT43Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Keith Greene5
United Racing StableCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Bill Moss5
R.H.H. ParnellCooper-ClimaxT51
T45		Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Henry Taylor5
R.H.H. ParnellCooper-ClimaxT51
T45		Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Tim Parnell5
David FryFry-ClimaxF2Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Mike Parkes5
Dennis TaylorLotus-Climax12Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dennis Taylor5
Dorchester Service StationLotus-Climax16Climax FPF 1.5 L4 David Piper5
Jean BehraBehra-Porsche-PorscheRSKPorsche 547/3 1.5 F4 Jean Behra6
Ottorino VolonterioMaserati250FMaserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Giulio Cabianca8
Leader Cards Inc.Kurtis Kraft-OffenhauserMidgetOffenhauser 1.7 L4 Rodger Ward9
OSCA AutomobiliCooper-OSCAT43OSCA 2.0 L4 Alejandro de Tomaso9
Camoradi USATec-Mec-MaseratiF415Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Fritz d'Orey9
Taylor-Crawley Racing TeamCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 2.5 L4 George Constantine9
Blanchard Automobile Co.Porsche718 RSKPorsche 547/3 1.5 F4 Harry Blanchard9
Connaught Cars-Paul EmeryConnaught-AltaCAlta GP 2.5 L4 Bob Said9
Ecurie BleueCooper-ClimaxT51Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Harry Schell9
Phil CadeMaserati250FMaserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Phil Cade9

1959 World Championship of Drivers – final standings

Points were awarded on an 8-6-4-3-2 basis to the first five finishers at each Grand Prix with an additional point going to the driver who set the fastest lap. Only the best five results contributed to the World Championship.

  • Italics indicate fastest lap
  • Bold indicates pole position

    1959 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers – final standings

Points were awarded on an 8–6–4–3–2 basis to the first five finishers at each round. However, a manufacturer only received points for its highest placed car in each round, and only the best five results from the eight races were retained.
Pos.ManufacturerMON
NED
FRA
GBR
GER
POR
ITA
USA
Pts.
1 Cooper-Climax1111140
2 Ferrari2113232
3 BRMRet16255718
4 Lotus-ClimaxRet4Ret8RetRetRet55
— Cooper-Maserati6RetRet61011Ret0
— Aston MartinRet66100
— PorscheRet10DNS70
— MaseratiDNQ8RetWDWD15DNS0
— Cooper-Borgward100
— JBW-MaseratiRet0
— VanwallRet0
— Kurtis Kraft-OffenhauserRet0
— Cooper-OSCARet0
— Tec-Mec-MaseratiRet0
— Connaught-AltaWDRet0
— Behra-Porsche-PorscheDNQDNS0
— Fry-ClimaxDNQ0
Pos.ManufacturerMON
NED
FRA
GBR
GER
POR
ITA
USA
Pts.

  • Bold results counted to championship totals.

    Non-championship race results

Other Formula One races also held in 1959, which did not count towards the World Championship.
Race NameCircuitDateWinning driverConstructorReport
VII Glover TrophyGoodwood30 March Stirling Moss Cooper-ClimaxReport
XIV BARC Aintree 200Aintree18 April Jean Behra FerrariReport
XI BRDC International TrophySilverstone2 May Jack Brabham Cooper-ClimaxReport
VI International Gold CupOulton Park26 September Stirling Moss Cooper-ClimaxReport
IV Silver City TrophySnetterton10 October Ron Flockhart BRMReport

OWIKI.org. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.