1956 Formula One season
The 1956 Formula One season was the tenth season of FIA's Formula One motor racing. It featured the seventh World Championship of Drivers as well as numerous non-championship races. The championship series commenced on 22 January 1956 and ended on 2 September after eight races. Juan Manuel Fangio won his third consecutive title, the fourth of his career. Until the season this was the last season during which no British constructor won any championship race.
Season summary
Fangio joined Ferrari after Mercedes-Benz, with whom he had won the 1954 and 1955 titles, withdrew from the sport. Ferrari acquired the folded Lancia team's D50 cars and put together a strong team containing Fangio, Eugenio Castellotti, Luigi Musso and Peter Collins. Fangio won the opening race after commandeering Musso's car after his own car had broken down. Collins and Fangio's teammate at Mercedes, Stirling Moss – now driving for Maserati provided the biggest challenge to his title defence, each winning two races. In an open season the British Connaughts, Vanwalls and BRMs also showed some signs of promise.Going into the final race of the season, Fangio had an eight-point lead over Collins and the consistent Jean Behra, driving for Maserati. The only way he could lose the title would be to score no points with Collins winning and setting fastest lap. Fangio retired, and with Musso unwilling to share his car with Fangio, Collins had a great chance of winning his first title. Collins, in a remarkable act of sportsmanship, instead chose to hand his car over to Fangio to allow the Argentine to finish second in the race and win his third title in a row.
Season review
The following races counted towards the 1956 World Championship of Drivers:| Rnd | Race | Circuit | Date | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Constructor | Tyre | Report |
| 1 |  Argentine Grand Prix | Buenos Aires | 22 January |  Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio |  Luigi Musso Juan Manuel Fangio | Ferrari | Report | |
| 2 |  Monaco Grand Prix | Monaco | 13 May | Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio |  Stirling Moss | Maserati | Report | |
| 3 |  Indianapolis 500 | Indianapolis | 30 May | Pat Flaherty | Paul Russo | Pat Flaherty | Watson-Offenhauser | Report | |
| 4 |  Belgian Grand Prix | Spa-Francorchamps | 3 June | Juan Manuel Fangio | Stirling Moss | Peter Collins | Ferrari | Report | |
| 5 |  French Grand Prix | Reims | 1 July | Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio | Peter Collins | Ferrari | Report | |
| 6 | British Grand Prix | Silverstone | 14 July | Stirling Moss | Stirling Moss | Juan Manuel Fangio | Ferrari | Report | |
| 7 |  German Grand Prix | Nürburgring | 5 August | Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio | Juan Manuel Fangio | Ferrari | Report | |
| 8 |  Italian Grand Prix | Monza | 2 September | Juan Manuel Fangio | Stirling Moss | Stirling Moss | Maserati | Report |
The Suez crisis was a contributing factor in Formula One in 1956. The Dutch and Spanish Grands Prix were affected by this crisis, and the oil prices were too high for the teams and drivers, so the two races that were originally supposed to be held at Zandvoort and Pedralbes were cancelled. The Indianapolis 500 was USAC-sanctioned so not run to Formula One specifications, and also counted towards the 1956 USAC Championship title.
Teams and drivers
The following teams and drivers competed in the 1956 FIA World Championship.| Entrant | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Driver | Rounds |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Stirling Moss | 1–2, 4–8 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 |  Jean Behra | 1–2, 4–8 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Carlos Menditeguy | 1 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Luigi Piotti | 1 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 |  Chico Landi | 1 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Gerino Gerini | 1 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | José Froilán González | 1 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Cesare Perdisa | 2, 4–7 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 |  Paco Godia | 4–8 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Piero Taruffi | 5 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Umberto Maglioli | 7–8 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Luigi Villoresi | 8 | |
| Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 |  Jo Bonnier | 8 | |
| Owen Racing Organisation | Maserati BRM | 250F P25 | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 BRM P25 2.5 L4 | Mike Hawthorn | 1–2, 6 | |
| Owen Racing Organisation | Maserati BRM | 250F P25 | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 BRM P25 2.5 L4 | Tony Brooks | 2, 6 | |
| Owen Racing Organisation | Maserati BRM | 250F P25 | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 BRM P25 2.5 L4 | Ron Flockhart | 6 | |
 Alberto Uria | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Alberto Uria | 1 | |
| Alberto Uria | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Óscar González | 1 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | D50 555 | Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 1–2, 4–8 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | D50 555 | Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 | Eugenio Castellotti | 1–2, 4–8 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | D50 555 | Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 | Luigi Musso | 1–2, 7–8 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | D50 555 | Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 | Peter Collins | 1–2, 4–8 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | D50 555 | Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 |  Olivier Gendebien | 1, 5 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | D50 555 | Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 | Paul Frère | 4 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | D50 555 | Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 | André Pilette | 4 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | D50 555 | Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 | Alfonso de Portago | 5–8 | |
| Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | D50 555 | Ferrari DS50 2.5 V8 Ferrari 555 2.5 L4 | Wolfgang von Trips | 8 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini | T16 T32 | Gordini 23 2.5 L6 Gordini 25 2.5 L8 | Robert Manzon | 2, 5–8 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini | T16 T32 | Gordini 23 2.5 L6 Gordini 25 2.5 L8 | Élie Bayol | 2 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini | T16 T32 | Gordini 23 2.5 L6 Gordini 25 2.5 L8 | André Pilette | 2, 5, 7 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini | T16 T32 | Gordini 23 2.5 L6 Gordini 25 2.5 L8 | Hermano da Silva Ramos | 2, 5–6, 8 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini | T16 T32 | Gordini 23 2.5 L6 Gordini 25 2.5 L8 | André Milhoux | 7 | |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini | T16 T32 | Gordini 23 2.5 L6 Gordini 25 2.5 L8 | André Simon | 8 | |
| Ecurie Rosier | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Louis Rosier | 2, 4–7 | |
| Vandervell Products | Vanwall | VW 2 | Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 | Maurice Trintignant | 2, 4, 6, 8 | |
| Vandervell Products | Vanwall | VW 2 | Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 |  Harry Schell | 2, 4–6, 8 | |
| Vandervell Products | Vanwall | VW 2 | Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 | Mike Hawthorn | 5 | |
| Vandervell Products | Vanwall | VW 2 | Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 | Colin Chapman | 5 | |
| Vandervell Products | Vanwall | VW 2 | Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 | José Froilán González | 6 | |
| Vandervell Products | Vanwall | VW 2 | Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 | Piero Taruffi | 8 | |
| Gould's Garage H.H. Gould | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Horace Gould | 2, 4, 6–7 | |
| Giorgio Scarlatti | Ferrari | 500 | Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | Giorgio Scarlatti | 2 | |
| Scuderia Centro Sud | Maserati Ferrari | 250F 500 | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | Luigi Villoresi | 4 | |
| Scuderia Centro Sud | Maserati Ferrari | 250F 500 | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | Harry Schell | 7 | |
| Scuderia Centro Sud | Maserati Ferrari | 250F 500 | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 | Giorgio Scarlatti | 7 | |
| Scuderia Centro Sud | Maserati Ferrari | 250F 500 | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 |  Toulo de Graffenried | 8 | |
| Piero Scotti | Connaught-Alta | B | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Piero Scotti | 4 | |
| Automobiles Bugatti | Bugatti | T251 | Bugatti 2.5 L8 | Maurice Trintignant | 5 | |
| Luigi Piotti | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Luigi Villoresi | 5–7 | |
| Luigi Piotti | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Luigi Piotti | 7–8 | |
| André Simon | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | André Simon | 5 | |
| Scuderia Guastalla | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Umberto Maglioli | 6 | |
| Scuderia Guastalla | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Gerino Gerini | 8 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Alta | B | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Archie Scott-Brown | 6, 8 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Alta | B | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Desmond Titterington | 6 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Alta | B | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Jack Fairman | 6, 8 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Alta | B | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Les Leston | 8 | |
| Connaught Engineering | Connaught-Alta | B | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Ron Flockhart | 8 | |
| Bob Gerard | Cooper-Bristol | T23 | Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 | Bob Gerard | 6 | |
| Gilby Engineering | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Roy Salvadori | 6–8 | |
| Bruce Halford | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Bruce Halford | 6–8 | |
 Jack Brabham | Maserati | 250F | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Jack Brabham | 6 | |
| Emeryson Cars | Emeryson-Alta | 56 | Alta GP 2.5 L4 | Paul Emery | 6 | |
| Ottorino Volonterio | Maserati | A6GCM | Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 | Ottorino Volonterio | 7 |
The above list does not include competitors in the 1956 Indianapolis 500.
1956 Drivers' Championship – final standings
Championship points were awarded at each race on an 8–6–4–3–2 basis to the first five finishers, with an additional point awarded to the driver setting the fastest lap of the race. Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps. Only the best five round results were counted.
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