1954 Swiss Grand Prix

Switzerland  1954 Swiss Grand Prix
Race details
Race 7 of 9 in the 1954 Formula One season

Circuit Bremgarten track layout
Date 22 August 1954
Official name XIV Großer Preis der Schweiz
Location Bremgarten, Bern, Switzerland
Course Permanent racing facility
7.280 km (4.524 mi)
Distance 66 laps, 480.480 km (298.556 mi)
Weather Rain
Pole position
Driver Argentina José Froilán González Ferrari
Time 2:39.5
Fastest lap
Driver Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Mercedes
Time 2:39.7 on lap 34
Podium
First Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Mercedes
Second Argentina José Froilán González Ferrari
Third Germany Hans Herrmann Mercedes

The 1954 Swiss Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Bremgarten on 22 August 1954. It was the seventh round of the 1954 World Drivers' Championship.

Race report

The Mercedes domination continued as Fangio led from start to finish. Moss soon passed Gonzalez for 2nd and battled ferociously to catch Fangio. However, he was himself soon under pressure as Hawthorn caught him. The two duelled furiously in a superb patriotic spectacle, ended only when Moss's engine gave way. Hawthorn himself succumbed to fuel feed problems. Gonzalez thus ended in second, whilst Fangio lapped the entire field up to second, winning by nearly a minute. Hans Herrmann in the sister Mercedes took the final podium spot.

The Driver's championship was to be decided at this race. Works Ferrari driver José Froilán González needed to win to stay in contention to beat Mercedes driver Juan Manuel Fangio on points and after finishing 2nd to Fangio, he still had 23 1/7 points to Fangio's 42. With the rules in place at the time, González could not overhaul Fangio's total with 2 races left, and so the title went to Fangio for the 2nd time.

This would be the last F1 race in Switzerland. Following the 1955 Le Mans disaster the Swiss government banned all forms of motor racing. Swiss Grands Prix were subsequently held in 1975 (non-championship) and 1982 but both races took place in France.

Classification

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/retired Grid Points
1 4 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Mercedes 66 3:00' 34.5 2 9
2 20 Argentina José Froilán González Ferrari 66 +57.8 1 6
3 6 Germany Hans Herrmann Mercedes 65 +1 lap 7 4
4 30 Argentina Roberto Mieres Maserati 64 +2 laps 12 3
5 28 Italy Sergio Mantovani Maserati 64 +2 laps 9 2
6 18 United Kingdom Ken Wharton Maserati 64 +2 laps 8
7 24 Italy Umberto Maglioli Ferrari 61 +5 laps 11
8 2 Belgium Jacques Swaters Ferrari 58 +8 laps 16
Ret 8 Germany Karl Kling Mercedes 38 Fuel system 5
Ret 26 France Maurice Trintignant Ferrari 33 Engine 4
Ret 22 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Ferrari 30 Oil leak 6
Ret 34 United States Harry Schell Maserati 23 Oil pump 13
Ret 32 United Kingdom Stirling Moss Maserati 21 Oil pump 3
Ret 14 United States Fred Wacker Gordini 10 Transmission 15
Ret 10 France Jean Behra Gordini 8 Clutch 14
Ret 12 Argentina Clemar Bucci Gordini 0 Fuel pump 10
DNS 24 France Robert Manzon Ferrari Accident

Notes

Drivers' Championship standings after the race

Pos Driver Points
1 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio 42 (45 17)
2 Argentina José Froilán González 23 914
3 France Maurice Trintignant 15
4 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn 10 914
5 Germany Karl Kling 10
Previous race:
1954 German Grand Prix
FIA Formula One World Championship
1954 season
Next race:
1954 Italian Grand Prix
Previous race:
1953 Swiss Grand Prix
Swiss Grand Prix Next race:
1975 Swiss Grand Prix