1953 Formula One season
The 1953 Formula One season was the seventh season of the FIA's Formula One racing. It consisted only of a number of non-championship motor races. As in, all races counting towards the World Championship of Drivers, apart from the Indianapolis 500, were held for cars complying with Formula Two regulations rather than with Formula One, with the Indianapolis 500 held to AAA regulations.
The 4th FIA World Championship of Drivers, which commenced on 18 January and ended on 13 September after nine races, was won by Alberto Ascari, driving for a Scuderia Ferrari. Ascari became the first driver to successfully defend his title.
In addition to the non-championship Formula One races and the World Championship Formula Two races, numerous other non-championship Formula Two races were also held during the year.
World Championship season summary
Ferrari drivers again dominated the championship, taking seven of the eight grands prix, although Juan Manuel Fangio's challenge in his more fragile Maserati took him to second place in the championship and a win at Monza. Ascari extended his unbeaten run to nine consecutive World Championship grand prix wins before his teammate Mike Hawthorn broke the sequence in becoming the first ever British winner in the French Grand Prix at Reims after a thrilling battle with Fangio.In 1953, all but one of the races counting towards the World Championship of Drivers were run under Formula 2 regulations, while the remaining one, the Indianapolis 500, was run under AAA Championship Car regulations. The 1953 championship was the first truly global World Championship of Drivers, with a championship event being staged outside of Europe or the United States for the first time. That race, the 1953 Argentine Grand Prix, was marred by an accident involving the Ferrari of Giuseppe Farina, which crashed into an unprotected crowd, killing nine spectators.
World Championship season review
The 1953 World Championship of Drivers was contested over a nine race series.| Rnd | Race | Circuit | Date | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Constructor | Tyre | Report |
| 1 |  Argentine Grand Prix | Buenos Aires | 18 January |  Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | Report | |
| 2 |  Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis | 30 May | Bill Vukovich | Bill Vukovich | Bill Vukovich | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | Report | |
| 3 |  Dutch Grand Prix | Zandvoort | 7 June | Alberto Ascari | Luigi Villoresi | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | Report | |
| 4 |  Belgian Grand Prix | Spa-Francorchamps | 21 June | Juan Manuel Fangio | José Froilán González | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | Report | |
| 5 |  French Grand Prix | Reims | 5 July | Alberto Ascari | Juan Manuel Fangio |  Mike Hawthorn | Ferrari | Report | |
| 6 | British Grand Prix | Silverstone | 18 July | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari José Froilán González | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | Report | |
| 7 |  German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | 2 August | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari | Giuseppe Farina | Ferrari | Report | |
| 8 |  Swiss Grand Prix | Bremgarten | 23 August | Juan Manuel Fangio | Alberto Ascari | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | Report | |
| 9 | Italian Grand Prix | Monza | 13 September | Alberto Ascari | Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati | Report |
The Spanish Grand Prix, scheduled to be staged on 26 October, was cancelled. The Indianapolis 500 also counted towards the 1953 AAA Championship.
Teams and drivers
The following teams and drivers competed in the 1953 FIA World Championship of Drivers.| Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Driver | Rounds |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 1, 3–9 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | José Froilán González | 1, 3–6 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Felice Bonetto | 1, 3, 5–9 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Oscar Gálvez | 1 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Johnny Claes | 4 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Onofre Marimón | 4–9 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Hermann Lang | 8 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Sergio Mantovani | 9 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Luigi Musso | 9 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 500 553 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 553 2.0 L4 | Alberto Ascari | 1, 3–9 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 500 553 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 553 2.0 L4 | Nino Farina | 1, 3–9 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 500 553 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 553 2.0 L4 | Luigi Villoresi | 1, 3–9 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 500 553 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 553 2.0 L4 | Mike Hawthorn | 1, 3–9 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 500 553 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 553 2.0 L4 | Umberto Maglioli | 9 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 500 553 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 553 2.0 L4 | Piero Carini | 9 | |
| Cooper Car Company | Cooper-Bristol Cooper-Alta | T20 T23 Special T24 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Alan Brown | 1 | |
| Cooper Car Company | Cooper-Bristol Cooper-Alta | T20 T23 Special T24 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Alta GP 2.5 L4 | John Barber | 1 | |
| Cooper Car Company | Cooper-Bristol Cooper-Alta | T20 T23 Special T24 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Adolfo Schwelm Cruz | 1 | |
| Cooper Car Company | Cooper-Bristol Cooper-Alta | T20 T23 Special T24 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Stirling Moss | 5, 7, 9 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini Simca-Gordini | Type 16 Type 15 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | Robert Manzon | 1 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini Simca-Gordini | Type 16 Type 15 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | Harry Schell | 1, 3–7, 9 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini Simca-Gordini | Type 16 Type 15 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | Maurice Trintignant | 1, 3–9 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini Simca-Gordini | Type 16 Type 15 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | Jean Behra | 1, 4–8 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini Simca-Gordini | Type 16 Type 15 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | Carlos Menditeguy | 1 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini Simca-Gordini | Type 16 Type 15 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | Pablo Birger | 1 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini Simca-Gordini | Type 16 Type 15 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | Roberto Mieres | 3, 5, 9 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini Simca-Gordini | Type 16 Type 15 | Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | Fred Wacker | 3–4, 8 | |
| Ecurie Rosier | Ferrari | 500 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | Louis Rosier | 3–7, 9 | |
| Ecurie Rosier | Ferrari | 500 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | Louis Rosier | 8 | |
| Enrico Platé | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Toulo de Graffenried | 3 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | Roy Salvadori | 3, 5–7, 9 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | Kenneth McAlpine | 3, 6–7, 9 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | Stirling Moss | 3 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 |  Birabongse Bhanudej | 5–7 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | Jack Fairman | 9 | |
| Ecurie Belge | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | Johnny Claes | 3, 5, 7, 9 | |
| Ecurie Belge | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | André Pilette | 4 | |
| Ken Wharton | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Ken Wharton | 3, 5–6, 8–9 | |
| HW Motors | HWM-Alta | 53 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Peter Collins | 3–6 | |
| HW Motors | HWM-Alta | 53 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Lance Macklin | 3–6, 8–9 | |
| HW Motors | HWM-Alta | 53 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Paul Frère | 4, 8 | |
| HW Motors | HWM-Alta | 53 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Yves Giraud-Cabantous | 5, 9 | |
| HW Motors | HWM-Alta | 53 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Duncan Hamilton | 6 | |
| HW Motors | HWM-Alta | 53 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Jack Fairman | 6 | |
| HW Motors | HWM-Alta | 53 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Albert Scherrer | 8 | |
| HW Motors | HWM-Alta | 53 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | John Fitch | 9 | |
| Emmanuel de Graffenried | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Toulo de Graffenried | 4–9 | |
| Georges Berger | Simca-Gordini | Type 15 | Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 | Georges Berger | 4 | |
| Arthur Legat | Veritas | Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | Arthur Legat | 4 | |
| Ecurie Francorchamps | Ferrari | 500 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | Jacques Swaters | 4, 7–8 | |
| Ecurie Francorchamps | Ferrari | 500 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | Charles de Tornaco | 4 | |
 Louis Chiron | OSCA | 20 | OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 | Louis Chiron | 5–6, 8–9 | |
| Élie Bayol | OSCA | 20 | OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 | Élie Bayol | 5, 8 | |
| Bob Gerard | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Bob Gerard | 5–6 | |
| R.R.C. Walker Racing Team | Connaught-Lea-Francis | Type A | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 | Tony Rolt | 6 | |
| Ecurie Ecosse | Connaught-Lea-Francis Cooper-Bristol | Type A T20 | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Ian Stewart | 6 | |
| Ecurie Ecosse | Connaught-Lea-Francis Cooper-Bristol | Type A T20 | Lea-Francis 2.0 L4 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Jimmy Stewart | 6 | |
| R.J. Chase | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Alan Brown | 6 | |
| Atlantic Stable | Cooper-Alta | T24 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Peter Whitehead | 6 | |
| Tony Crook | Cooper-Bristol | T20 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Tony Crook | 6 | |
| Hans Stuck | AFM-Bristol | 6 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Hans Stuck | 7, 9 | |
| Wolfgang Seidel | Veritas | RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | Wolfgang Seidel | 7 | |
| Willi Heeks | Veritas | Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | Willi Heeks | 7 | |
| Theo Helfrich | Veritas | RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | Theo Helfrich | 7 | |
| Oswald Karch | Veritas | RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | Oswald Karch | 7 | |
| Helmut Niedermayr | AFM-BMW | U8 | BMW 328 2.0 L6 |  Theo Fitzau | 7 | |
| Ernst Loof | Veritas | Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | Ernst Loof | 7 | |
| Hans Herrmann | Veritas | Meteor | Veritas 2.0 L6 | Hans Herrmann | 7 | |
| Erwin Bauer | Veritas | RS | Veritas 2.0 L6 | Erwin Bauer | 7 | |
| Ecurie Espadon | Ferrari | 500 212 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 | Kurt Adolff | 7 | |
| Ecurie Espadon | Ferrari | 500 212 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 | Peter Hirt | 8 | |
| Ecurie Espadon | Ferrari | 500 212 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 | Max de Terra | 8 | |
 Rennkollektiv EMW | EMW | R2 | EMW 6 2.0 L6 | Edgar Barth | 7 | |
| Dora Greifzu | Greifzu-BMW | Eigenbau | BMW 328 2.0 L6 | Rudolf Krause | 7 | |
| Ernst Klodwig | Heck-BMW | Eigenbau | BMW 328 2.0 L6 | Ernst Klodwig | 7 | |
| Equipe Anglaise | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Alan Brown | 7, 9 | |
| Equipe Anglaise | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Helmut Glöckler | 7 | |
| Rodney Nuckey | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Rodney Nuckey | 7 | |
| Günther Bechem | AFM-BMW | 50–5 | BMW 328 2.0 L6 | Günther Bechem | 7 | |
 Escuderia Bandeirantes | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Chico Landi | 8 | |
| OSCA Automobili | OSCA | 20 | OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 | Élie Bayol | 9 | |
| Scuderia Milano | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Chico Landi | 9 | |
| Scuderia Milano | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati A6 2.0 L6 | Birabongse Bhanudej | 9 |
1953 World Championship of Drivers – final standings
Championship points were awarded to first five finishers in each race on an 8-6-4-3-2 basis. Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of the number of laps driven by each. One point was also awarded for the fastest lap in each race. The point was shared equally between drivers sharing the fastest lap. Only the best four results from the nine races counted towards a driver's total points in the World Championship. Numbers without parentheses are retained championship points and numbers within parentheses are total points scored.
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