1958 Formula 1 Season

Vanwall Became F1 Grand Prix Team to Beat

Dec 31, 2008

As the season progressed the Vanwall emerged as the best car in Formula 1. Stirling Moss won at Zandvoort in one, and Tony Brooks took victory in the Belgian GP.

The opening two races of the 1958 Formula 1 season produced unexpected winners. Stirling Moss won in Argentina and Maurice Trintignant took victory in the Monaco Grand Prix. On both occasions the winning car was a small rear-engined Cooper entered by Englishman Rob Walker.

Moss and Vanwall Victorious at Zandvoort

Stuart Lewis-Evans took pole for the race at the circuit on the Dutch coast in his Vanwall. Moss was second on the grid in his Vanwall, and Tony Brooks was third in a similar car. Jean Behra was next up in a BRM, followed by Jack Brabham’s Cooper and Mike Hawthorn’s Ferrari.

Moss got ahead of Lewis-Evans at the start, and the latter eventually retired from the Grand Prix with a broken engine. This left Harry Schell in second, but the American could do nothing about Moss. The Vanwall driver won easily, while BRM scored two podium finishes, with Schell second and Behra third. Fourth place went to Roy Salvadori, with Hawthorn fifth and Cliff Allison sixth in the Lotus.

Juan-Manuel Fangio journeyed to Indianapolis in 1958, but did not compete in the race after finding his car too slow during practice. Pole position went to Dick Rathmann, but the race was won by Jimmy Bryan. George Amick finished second and Johnny Boyd was third.

Much of the talk after the race centred on a controversial crash which left Pat O’Connor dead. Many racing people blamed Ed Elisian for the accident and shunned him. He even had his license suspended briefly. Elisian also eventually died in a racing accident.

Brooks Wins Belgian Grand Prix for Vanwall

Formula 1 returned to Spa-Francorchamps in 1958 and Ferrari proved to be more competitive than in recent Grands Prix. Hawthorn started from pole, with team-mate Luigi Musso second and Moss third. Moss jumped into the lead but missed a gear change soon after and wrecked his engine.

Ferrari’s challenge faltered as Peter Collins retired with a blown engine and Musso crashed out. Brooks was left to circulate alone at the head of the field, winning the race at an average speed of just under 130 mph. Hawthorn managed to finish second, ahead of Lewis-Evans. Cliff Allison was an excellent fourth in his Lotus, with Schell fifth and local driver Olivier Gendebien sixth. In tenth place was Maria Teresa de Fillipis, the first woman to compete in a World Championship Formula 1 race.

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