1954 Belgian Grand Prix

  1954 Belgian Grand Prix

Race details
Race 3 of 9 in the 1954 Formula One season
Spa-Francorchamps layout
Date	20 June 1954
Official name	XVI Grand Prix de Belgique
Location	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Francorchamps, Belgium
Course	Permanent racing circuit
Course length	14.120 km (8.774 mi)
Distance	36 laps, 508.320 km (315.855 mi)
Weather	Sunny, mild, dry
Pole position
Driver	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati
Time	4:22.1
Fastest lap
Driver	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati
Time	4:25.5 on lap 13
Podium
First	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati
Second	Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari
Third	Stirling Moss	Maserati
Lap leaders

The 1954 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Spa-Francorchamps on 20 June 1954. It was the third round of the 1954 World Drivers' Championship.

Race report

This was to be Fangio's last Championship race of the season for Maserati as the new Mercedes cars would be ready in France. There were only three makes contesting this round – Maserati, Ferrari and Gordini. Despite Farina having an arm in plaster after a crash in the Mille Miglia he managed to lead away from the start. Fangio soon overtook him, but lost the lead whilst adjusting his rain visor. A frantic duel ensued, with the Argentine coming out in the lead. Farina battled furiously, but an engine blow-up cost him a chance of a race win. Fangio cruised home an easy winner from Trintignant and Moss in his privately entered Maserati.

Classification

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1	26	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	36	2:44:42.4	1	9
2	8	Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari	36	+ 24.2	6	6
3	22	Stirling Moss	Maserati	35	+ 1 Lap	9	4
4	10	Mike Hawthorn José Froilán González	Ferrari	35	+ 1 Lap	5	1.5 1.5
5	18	André Pilette	Gordini	35	+ 1 Lap	8	2
6	20	Prince Bira	Maserati	35	+ 1 Lap	13
7	30	Sergio Mantovani	Maserati	34	+ 2 Laps	11
Ret	4	Nino Farina	Ferrari	14	Ignition	3
Ret	16	Paul Frère	Gordini	14	Engine	10
Ret	12	Jean Behra	Gordini	12	Suspension	7
Ret	28	Onofre Marimón	Maserati	3	Engine	4
Ret	6	José Froilán González	Ferrari	1	Engine	2
Ret	2	Jacques Swaters	Ferrari	1	Engine	14
Ret	24	Roberto Mieres	Maserati	0	Fire	12
Source:[1]

Notes

• Shared Drive – Car #10: Hawthorn (20 laps) then González (15 laps)
• F1 Firsts: First podium finish for Trintignant and Moss; First points for Moss and Pilette (this would be Pilette's only points).
• Records broken: Fangio's 11th career fast lap gives him sole possession of most fast laps.
• This is the last race that Farina would start in 1954 (he would miss the rest of the season due to injury). He is the last driver to have started in all non-Indy 500 championship races. Thus ending his record string of 30 straight Grand Prix starts.
• de Graffenried (Maserati) also participated as a camera car to record footage for the film The Racers.

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings

	Pos	Driver	Points
	1	Juan Manuel Fangio	17
5	2	Maurice Trintignant	9
1	3	Bill Vukovich	8
1	4	José Froilán González	6.5
2	5	Nino Farina	6

• Note: Only the top five positions are included. Only the best 5 results counted towards the Championship.

References