1958 French Grand Prix

France  1958 French Grand Prix
Race details
Race 6 of 11 in the 1958 Formula One season

Reims-Gueux layout
Date 6 July 1958
Official name XLIV Grand Prix de l'ACF
Location Reims circuit, Reims, France
Course Temporary road course
8.302 km (5.159 mi)
Distance 50 laps, 415.1 km (257.95 mi)
Pole position
Driver United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Ferrari
Time 2:21.7
Fastest lap
Driver United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Ferrari
Time 2:24.9
Podium
First United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Ferrari
Second United Kingdom Stirling Moss Vanwall
Third Germany Wolfgang von Trips Ferrari

The 1958 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Reims on 6 July 1958. It was the sixth race of the 1958 Formula One season.

The race was won by Mike Hawthorn driving a Ferrari; it was his first Formula One victory since the 1954 Spanish Grand Prix and would prove to be his last. It was also the last Formula One race for five-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio. On the final lap, Hawthorn eased up to let Fangio, running fifth at the time, finish on the lead lap of his last race. This turned out to be a blessing, as Peter Collins crashed on the final lap, allowing Fangio to secure fourth.

The race was marred by Ferrari driver Luigi Musso's fatal accident at the Muzione hairpin. His car hurtled off course and crashed into a ditch. Musso was thrown out of the car, was critically injured and died later that day at a hospital near the track.

The race is a prime example of the danger of Formula One at the time. Of the 21 starters, five would die in racing cars within the next three years. Musso died in the race itself, while Peter Collins would die in that year's German Grand Prix, Lewis-Evans would die at the Moroccan Grand Prix, Jean Behra would die in a support race for the 1959 German Grand Prix, and Wolfgang von Trips and a dozen spectators would die at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix.

Classification

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 4 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Ferrari 50 2:03:21.3 1 9
2 8 United Kingdom Stirling Moss Vanwall 50 + 24.6 6 6
3 6 Germany Wolfgang von Trips Ferrari 50 + 59.7 21 4
4 34 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Maserati 50 + 2:30.6 8 3
5 42 United Kingdom Peter Collins Ferrari 50 + 5:24.9 4 2
6 22 Australia Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax 49 + 1 Lap 12  
7 36 United States Phil Hill Maserati 49 + 1 Lap 13  
8 38 Sweden Jo Bonnier Maserati 48 + 2 Laps 16  
9 32 Italy Gerino Gerini Maserati 47 + 3 Laps 15  
10 30 United States Troy Ruttman Maserati 45 + 5 Laps 18  
11 20 United Kingdom Roy Salvadori Cooper-Climax 37 + 13 Laps 14  
Ret 16 United States Harry Schell BRM 41 Overheating 3  
Ret 14 France Jean Behra BRM 41 Fuel Pump 9  
Ret 12 United Kingdom Stuart Lewis-Evans
United Kingdom Tony Brooks
Vanwall 35 Engine 10  
Ret 24 United Kingdom Graham Hill Lotus-Climax 33 Overheating 19  
Ret 40 Spain Paco Godia Maserati 28 Accident 11  
Ret 18 France Maurice Trintignant BRM 23 Fuel Pump 7  
Ret 10 United Kingdom Tony Brooks Vanwall 16 Engine 5  
Ret 2 Italy Luigi Musso Ferrari 9 Fatal Accident 2  
Ret 28 United States Carroll Shelby Maserati 9 Engine 17  
Ret 26 United Kingdom Cliff Allison Lotus-Climax 6 Engine 20  

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
Pos Driver Points
1 United Kingdom Stirling Moss 23
2 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn 23
3 Italy Luigi Musso 12
4 United States Harry Schell 10
5 France Maurice Trintignant 8

Constructors' Championship standings
Pos Constructor Points
1 Italy Ferrari 28
1 2 United Kingdom Vanwall 22
1 3 United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 19
4 United Kingdom BRM 10
1 5 Italy Maserati 6

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1958 Belgian Grand Prix
FIA Formula One World Championship
1958 season
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1958 British Grand Prix
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