With three races remaining in the 1959 Formula season there still wasn’t a clear title favourite. The next event was the Portuguese Grand Prix, held in Lisbon’s Monsanto Park.
Moss Wins Portuguese Grand Prix
Stirling Moss was on pole in his Cooper for the Portuguese Grand Prix, with Jack Brabham second on the grid and Masten Gregory third. Brabham had an unhappy race. While trying to avoid a backmarker his Cooper left the track and struck a telegraph pole. Brabham was thrown out, although not seriously injured. Gregory only just avoided running the Australian over. At the flag it was Moss first and Gregory second, albeit a whole lap behind. Dan Gurney was third, Maurice Trintignant fourth, Harry Schell fifth and Roy Salvadori sixth in the Aston Martin.
Moss Wins Again in Monza Formula 1 Race
The Italian Grand Prix at Monza was the penultimate round of the 1959 Formula 1 World Championship. Moss started from pole, with the Ferrari of Tony Brooks alongside. The latter’s race didn’t even get going, as his engine failed at the start.
Moss won the race by not stopping for fresh tyres, while his rivals did. Phil Hill finished second in his Ferrari, and Brabham was third for Cooper. Gurney finished fourth, ahead of Cliff Allison and Olivier Gendebien. The result meant that Moss, Brabham and Brooks all had a chance of taking the World Championship at the final Grand Prix of the season in America.
Brabham Wins the Formula 1 World Championship at US Grand Prix
Pole position once again went to Moss for the US Grand Prix at Sebring. His title rival Brabham started from second on the grid. Schell was third fastest and Brooks fourth.
Brabham led the race for a while, but Moss was in no mood to hang around. The Englishman passed the Australian and began to pull away. He was looking good for the World Championship. Then, his Cooper’s gearbox suddenly failed. Moss was left helpless at the side of the track.
Brabham inherited the lead due to Moss’s misfortune, but he would not win the race either. That honour went to McLaren, who scored his maiden Formula 1 World Championship victory. It was an extremely close finish. Trintignant was less than a second behind the winning Cooper, while Brooks was three tenths of a second further back. Brabham ran out of fuel, but pushed his Cooper across the line in fourth place. It gave him the points he needed to clinch the title.
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