The 1955 Formula One season was the sixth season of the World Championship of Drivers. The championship was contested over seven races, and was dominated by Mercedes-Benz, who won all but one of the races.
The season began on January 16, 1955, with the Argentine Grand Prix, and ended on September 11, 1955, with the Italian Grand Prix. Mercedes-Benz entered the season with a team of four drivers, which included the defending champion Juan Manuel Fangio, as well as Stirling Moss, Karl Kling, and Piero Taruffi.
Mercedes-Benz was the team to beat in the 1955 season, winning the first three races of the season with Fangio at the wheel. Fangio’s winning streak was broken at the Monaco Grand Prix, where he was forced to retire due to a fuel pump failure. The race was won by Maurice Trintignant in a Ferrari, giving the Italian team their only victory of the season.
Mercedes-Benz bounced back at the Belgian Grand Prix, with Fangio winning the race and Moss finishing in second place. The team then went on to win the next two races, with Fangio taking victories at the Dutch Grand Prix and the British Grand Prix.
The season was marred by the tragic Le Mans disaster, which took place on June 11, 1955. During the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, a crash occurred that resulted in the deaths of 83 spectators and one driver. The tragedy led to a temporary ban on motor racing in several countries, including Switzerland, which lasted for several years.
Despite the tragic events of the season, Mercedes-Benz continued their dominance of Formula One, with Fangio winning the championship with a total of 40 points. Moss finished in second place with 23 points, while Ferrari’s Trintignant finished in third place with 16 points.
In conclusion, the 1955 Formula One season was a season of dominance for Mercedes-Benz, with the team winning all but one of the races. The season will always be remembered for the tragic events of the Le Mans disaster, which had a lasting impact on the sport of motor racing. However, it was also a season that showcased the brilliance of Fangio and the emergence of Moss as a star driver.
Here is the final drivers’ championship standings for the 1955 Formula One season:
- Juan Manuel Fangio – Mercedes-Benz – 40 points
- Stirling Moss – Mercedes-Benz – 23 points
- Maurice Trintignant – Ferrari – 16 points
- Eugenio Castellotti – Lancia – 12 points
- Piero Taruffi – Mercedes-Benz – 10 points
- Giuseppe Farina – Ferrari – 9 points
- Jean Behra – Maserati – 8 points
- Mike Hawthorn – Vanwall – 6 points
- Paul Frère – Gordini – 6 points
- Sergio Mantovani – Maserati – 4 points
Note that only the best five results out of the seven races counted towards the final championship standings. Mercedes-Benz won the inaugural World Championship for Constructors with a total of 57 points.