1952 Formula One season

The 1952 Formula One season was the sixth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. In comparison to previous seasons, the 1952 season consisted of a relatively small number of Formula One races, following the decision to run all the Grand Prix events counting towards the World Championship of Drivers to Formula Two regulations rather than Formula One. The Indianapolis 500 was still run to AAA regulations as in previous seasons.

1952 Formula One season
Drivers' Champion: Alberto Ascari
Previous:	1951	Next:	1953
Races by country Races by season

The 3rd FIA World Championship of Drivers, which began on 18 May and ended on 7 September after eight races, was won by Alberto Ascari, driving for Scuderia Ferrari.

In addition to the Formula One races and the World Championship Formula Two races, numerous other Formula Two races, which did not count towards the Championship, were held during the year.

World Championship season summary

Alfa Romeo, unable to fund a new car, withdrew from racing, while BRM had been preparing two V16-powered cars for the season but withdrew them before an April race at Valentino Park, Turin, whilst attempting to enlist Juan Manuel Fangio as teammate to Stirling Moss, leaving Ferrari as the only serious Formula One contender. This led World Championship organizers to run their races for Formula Two,[1] utilising 2-litre naturally aspirated engines, which meant larger fields and a greater variety of cars, even if the victories all went to Ferrari. Ascari won the six Grands Prix he entered, missing the Swiss race because he was at Indianapolis qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 – the first European to do so in the World Championship era. Maserati and Gordini offered little challenge, but Mike Hawthorn's drives in his Cooper would earn him a works Ferrari drive in 1953. Reigning champion Fangio, badly injured in an early season crash at Monza, took no part in the championship, but was to go on to drive for BRM.

World Championship season review

The 1952 World Championship of Drivers was contested over an eight race series.

Rnd	Race	Circuit	Date	Pole position	Fastest lap	Winning driver	Constructor	Tyre	Report
1	Swiss Grand Prix	Bremgarten	18 May	Giuseppe Farina	Piero Taruffi	Piero Taruffi	Ferrari	P	Report
2	Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis	30 May	Fred Agabashian	Bill Vukovich	Troy Ruttman	Kuzma-Offenhauser	F	Report
3	Belgian Grand Prix	Spa-Francorchamps	22 June	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	P	Report
4	French Grand Prix	Rouen-Les-Essarts	6 July	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	P	Report
5	British Grand Prix	Silverstone	19 July	Giuseppe Farina	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	P	Report
6	German Grand Prix	Nürburgring	3 August	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	P	Report
7	Dutch Grand Prix	Zandvoort	17 August	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	P	Report
8	Italian Grand Prix	Monza	7 September	Alberto Ascari	Alberto Ascari José Froilán González	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	P	Report

All 1952 World Championship Grand Prix events were restricted to Formula Two cars and the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, which also counted towards the 1952 AAA Championship, was contested by AAA National Championship cars. The Spanish Grand Prix was scheduled to be held on October 26 at the Pedralbes Circuit in Barcelona, but was cancelled.[2]

Teams and drivers

Italian Alberto Ascari won the 1952 World Championship of Drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1952 FIA World Championship of Drivers. The list does not include those that contested only the Indianapolis 500 event.

Entrant	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Tyre	Driver	Rounds
AFM	AFM-Küchen	AFM	Küchen 2.0 V8	E	Hans Stuck	1
Toni Ulmen	Veritas	Meteor	Veritas 2.0 L6	D	Toni Ulmen	1, 6
Equipe Gordini	Gordini	16 16S 15	Gordini 20 2.0 L6 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4	E	Jean Behra	1, 3–4, 6–8
					Robert Manzon	1, 3–8
					Birabongse Bhanudej	1, 3–5
					Johnny Claes	3
					Maurice Trintignant	4–8
Ecurie Rosier	Ferrari	500 166/F2	Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12	D P	Louis Rosier	1, 3–4, 8
Ecurie Rosier	Ferrari	500 166/F2	Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12	D P	Maurice Trintignant	1
HW Motors	HWM-Alta	52 51/52	Alta F2 2.0 L4	D	George Abecassis	1
					Peter Collins	1, 3–6, 8
					Lance Macklin	1, 3–5, 7–8
					Stirling Moss	1
					Paul Frère	3, 6
					Roger Laurent	3
					Yves Giraud-Cabantous	4
					Duncan Hamilton	5, 7
					Johnny Claes	6
					Dries van der Lof	7
Scuderia Franera	Frazer-Nash-Bristol	FN48	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6	D	Ken Wharton	1, 3, 7–8
Ecurie Richmond	Cooper-Bristol	T20	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6	D	Eric Brandon	1, 3, 5, 8
Ecurie Richmond	Cooper-Bristol	T20	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6	D	Alan Brown	1, 3, 5, 8
Scuderia Ferrari	Ferrari	500 375S*	Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 375 4.5 V12*	P F	Giuseppe Farina	1, 3–8
					Piero Taruffi	1, 3–6, 8
					Andre Simon	1, 8
					Alberto Ascari	2–8
					Luigi Villoresi	7–8
Enrico Platé	Maserati-Platé	4CLT/48	Platé 2.0 L4	P	Toulo de Graffenried	1, 4–5, 8
					Harry Schell	1, 4–5
					Alberto Crespo	8
Ecurie Espadon	Ferrari	500 212	Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12	P	Rudi Fischer	1, 4–6, 8
					Peter Hirt	1, 4–5
					Rudolf Schoeller	6
					Hans Stuck	8
Alfred Dattner	Simca-Gordini	11	Gordini 1500 1.5 L4	E	Max de Terra	1
Leslie D. Hawthorn	Cooper-Bristol	T20	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6	D	Mike Hawthorn	3, 5, 7–8
English Racing Automobiles Ltd	ERA-Bristol	G	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6	D	Stirling Moss	3, 5, 7
Ecurie Francorchamps	Ferrari	500	Ferrari 500 2.0 L4	E	Charles de Tornaco	3, 7–8
Ecurie Francorchamps	Ferrari	500	Ferrari 500 2.0 L4	E	Roger Laurent	6
Arthur Legat	Veritas	Meteor	Veritas 2.0 L6	E	Arthur Legat	3
Robin Montgomerie-Charrington	Aston-Butterworth	NB42	Butterworth 2.0 F4	D	Robin Montgomerie-Charrington	3
Tony Gaze	HWM-Alta	52	Alta F2 2.0 L4	D	Tony Gaze	3, 5–6, 8
Robert O' Brien	Simca-Gordini	15	Gordini 1500 1.5 L4	E	Robert O' Brien	3
Peter Whitehead	Alta Ferrari	F2 125/F2	Alta F2 2.0 L4 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12	D	Peter Whitehead	4–5, 8
Peter Whitehead	Alta Ferrari	F2 125/F2	Alta F2 2.0 L4 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12	D	Graham Whitehead	5
Escuderia Bandeirantes	Maserati	A6GCM	Maserati A6 2.0 L6	P	Philippe Étancelin	4
					Gino Bianco	5–8
					Eitel Cantoni	5–6, 8
					Chico Landi	7–8
					Jan Flinterman	7
Ecurie Belge	Simca-Gordini	15	Gordini 1500 1.5 L4	E	Johnny Claes	4–5
Ecurie Belge	Simca-Gordini	15	Gordini 1500 1.5 L4	E	Paul Frère	7
Scuderia Marzotto	Ferrari	166/F2	Ferrari 166 2.0 V12	P	Franco Comotti	4
Scuderia Marzotto	Ferrari	166/F2	Ferrari 166 2.0 V12	P	Piero Carini	4, 6
Archie Bryde AHM Bryde	Cooper-Bristol	T20	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6	D	Mike Hawthorn	4
Archie Bryde AHM Bryde	Cooper-Bristol	T20	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6	D	Reg Parnell	5
W.S. Aston	Aston-Butterworth	NB41	Butterworth 2.0 F4	D	Bill Aston	5–6, 8
Connaught Engineering	Connaught-Lea Francis	A	Lea Francis 2.0 L4	D	Kenneth McAlpine	5, 8
					Ken Downing	5
					Eric Thompson	5
					Dennis Poore	5, 8
					Stirling Moss	8
Ecurie Ecosse	Cooper-Bristol	T20	Bristol BS1 2.0 L6	D	David Murray	5
G. Caprara	Ferrari	500	Ferrari 500 2.0 L4	D	Roy Salvadori	5
Tony Crook	Frazer-Nash-BMW	421	BMW 328 2.0 L6	D	Tony Crook	5
Marcel Balsa	Balsa-BMW	Spécial	BMW 328 2.0 L6	E	Marcel Balsa	6
Fritz Riess	Veritas	RS	Veritas 2.0 L6	?	Fritz Riess	6
Theo Helfrich	Veritas	RS	Veritas 2.0 L6	?	Theo Helfrich	6
Willi Heeks	AFM-BMW	8	BMW 328 2.0 L6	?	Willi Heeks	6
Helmut Niedermayr	AFM-BMW	6	BMW 328 2.0 L6	?	Helmut Niedermayr	6
Adolf Brudes	Veritas	RS	Veritas 2.0 L6	?	Adolf Brudes	6
Motor Presse Verlag	Veritas	Meteor	Veritas 2.0 L6	?	Paul Pietsch	6
Hans Klenk	Veritas	Meteor	Veritas 2.0 L6	?	Hans Klenk	6
Josef Peters	Veritas	RS	Veritas 2.0 L6	?	Josef Peters	6
Bernhard Nacke	Nacke-BMW	Eigenbau	BMW 328 2.0 L6	?	Günther Bechem	6
Ludwig Fischer	AFM-BMW	8	BMW 328 2.0 L6	?	Ludwig Fischer	6
Willi Krakau	AFM-BMW	6	BMW 328 2.0 L6	?	Willi Krakau	6
Willi Krakau	Krakau-BMW	Eigenbau	BMW 328 2.0 L6	?	Harry Merkel	6
Ernst Klodwig	Heck-BMW	Eigenbau	BMW 328 2.0 L6	?	Ernst Klodwig	6
Rudolf Krause	Reif-BMW	Eigenbau	BMW 328 2.0 L6	?	Rudolf Krause	6
Ken Downing	Connaught-Lea Francis	A	Lea Francis 2.0 L4	D	Ken Downing	7
Officine Alfieri Maserati	Maserati	A6GCM	Maserati A6 2.0 L6	P	Felice Bonetto	6, 8
					Franco Rol	8
					José Froilán González	8
Élie Bayol	OSCA	20	OSCA 2000 2.0 L6	P	Élie Bayol	8
Piero Dusio	Cisitalia-BPM	D46	BPM 2.0 L4	P	Piero Dusio	8
Vicomtesse de Walckiers	Simca-Gordini	15	Gordini 1500 1.5 L4	E	Johnny Claes	8

* Car entered only in the Indianapolis 500 race

1952 Drivers' Championship – final standings

Alberto Ascari won the championship driving a Ferrari 500

Points were awarded to top five finishers in each race on an 8–6–4–3–2 basis. One point was awarded for fastest lap. Points for shared drives were divided equally between the drivers, regardless of who had driven more laps. Only the best four of eight scores counted towards the World Championship.

Pos.	Driver	SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	NED	ITA	Pts.
1	Alberto Ascari		Ret	1	1	1	1	(1)	(1)	36 (53.5)
2	Giuseppe Farina	Ret†		2	2	6	2	2	(4)	24 (27)
3	Piero Taruffi	1		Ret	3	2	4		7	22
4	Rudi Fischer	2			11†	13	3		Ret	10
=	Mike Hawthorn			4	Ret	3		4	NC	10
6 [3]	Robert Manzon	Ret		3	4	Ret	Ret	5	14	9
7	Troy Ruttman		1							8
=	Luigi Villoresi							3	3	8
9	José Froilán González								2	6.5
10	Jim Rathmann		2							6
=	Jean Behra	3		Ret	7		5	Ret	Ret	6
12	Sam Hanks		3							4
13	Ken Wharton	4		Ret				Ret	9	3
=	Dennis Poore					4			12	3
=	Duane Carter		4							3
16	Alan Brown	5		6		22			15	2
=	Maurice Trintignant	DNS			5	Ret	Ret	6	Ret	2
=	Paul Frère			5			Ret	Ret		2
=	Felice Bonetto						DSQ		5	2
=	Art Cross		5							2
=	Eric Thompson					5				2
22	Bill Vukovich		17							1
—	Roger Laurent			12			6			0
—	Toulo de Graffenried	6			Ret†	19			DNQ	0
—	Peter Collins	Ret		Ret	6	Ret	DNS		DNQ	0
—	André Simon	Ret†							6	0
—	Jimmy Bryan		6							0
—	Peter Hirt	7			11†	Ret				0
—	Charles de Tornaco			7				Ret	DNQ	0
—	Duncan Hamilton					Ret		7		0
—	Jimmy Reece		7							0
—	Reg Parnell					7				0
—	Fritz Riess						7			0
—	Lance Macklin	Ret		11	9	15		8	DNQ	0
—	Eric Brandon	8		9		20			13	0
—	Chico Landi							9†	8	0
—	Johnny Claes			8	Ret	14	10		DNQ	0
—	Toni Ulmen	Ret					8			0
—	George Connor		8							0
—	Philippe Étancelin				8					0
—	Roy Salvadori					8				0
—	Ken Downing					9		Ret		0
—	Cliff Griffith		9							0
—	Helmut Niedermayr						9			0
—	Jan Flinterman							9†		0
—	Birabongse Bhanudej	Ret		10	Ret	11				0
—	Louis Rosier	Ret		Ret	Ret				10	0
—	Peter Whitehead				Ret	10			DNQ	0
—	Johnnie Parsons		10							0
—	Yves Giraud-Cabantous				10					0
—	Eitel Cantoni					Ret	Ret		11	0
—	Jack McGrath		11							0
—	Hans Klenk						11			0
—	Jim Rigsby		12							0
—	Franco Comotti				12					0
—	Graham Whitehead					12				0
—	Ernst Klodwig						12			0
—	Joe James		13							0
—	Bill Schindler		14							0
—	Robert O'Brien			14						0
—	Tony Gaze			15		Ret	Ret		DNQ	0
—	George Fonder		15							0
—	Kenneth McAlpine					16			Ret	0
—	Eddie Johnson		16							0
—	Harry Schell	Ret			Ret†	17				0
—	Gino Bianco					18	Ret	Ret	Ret	0
—	Chuck Stevenson		18							0
—	Henry Banks		19							0
—	Manny Ayulo		20							0
—	Johnny McDowell		21							0
—	Tony Crook					21				0
—	Dries van der Lof							NC		0
—	Stirling Moss	Ret		Ret		Ret		Ret	Ret	0
—	Piero Carini				Ret		Ret			0
—	Bill Aston					DNS	Ret		DNQ	0
—	Hans Stuck	Ret							DNQ	0
—	George Abecassis	Ret								0
—	Max de Terra	Ret								0
—	Spider Webb		Ret							0
—	Rodger Ward		Ret							0
—	Tony Bettenhausen		Ret							0
—	Duke Nalon		Ret							0
—	Fred Agabashian		Ret							0
—	Bob Sweikert		Ret							0
—	Gene Hartley		Ret							0
—	Bob Scott		Ret							0
—	Chet Miller		Ret							0
—	Bobby Ball		Ret							0
—	Andy Linden		Ret							0
—	Robin Montgomerie-Charrington			Ret						0
—	David Murray					Ret				0
—	Willi Heeks						Ret			0
—	Adolf Brudes						Ret			0
—	Marcel Balsa						Ret			0
—	Günther Bechem						Ret			0
—	Rudolf Krause						Ret			0
—	Rudolf Schoeller						Ret			0
—	Paul Pietsch						Ret			0
—	Theo Helfrich						Ret			0
—	Josef Peters						Ret			0
—	Franco Rol								Ret	0
—	Élie Bayol								Ret	0
—	Willi Krakau						DNS			0
—	Ludwig Fischer						DNS			0
—	Harry Merkel						DNS			0
—	Alberto Crespo								DNQ	0
—	Piero Dusio								DNQ	0
Pos.	Driver	SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	NED	ITA	Pts.

Key
Colour	Result
Gold	Winner
Silver	2nd place
Bronze	3rd place
Green	Other points position
Blue	Other classified position
Blue	Not classified, finished (NC)
Purple	Not classified, retired (Ret)
Red	Did not qualify (DNQ)
Red	Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black	Disqualified (DSQ)
White	Did not start (DNS)
White	Race cancelled (C)
Blank	Did not practice (DNP)
	Excluded (EX)
	Did not arrive (DNA)
	Withdrawn (WD)
Text formatting	Meaning
Bold	Pole position
Italics	Fastest lap

Italics indicate fastest lap (1 point awarded – point shared equally between drivers sharing fastest lap)
Bold indicates pole position
† Position shared between more drivers of the same car
Only the best four results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.

Non-championship race results

Other Formula One/Formula Two races, which did not count towards the World Championship of Drivers, were also held in 1952.

Race Name	Circuit	Date	Winning driver	Constructor	Report
XI Grande Prêmio Cidade do Rio de Janeiro	Gávea	20 January	José Froilán González	Ferrari	Report
II Gran Premio di Siracusa	Syracuse	16 March	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	Report
VI Gran Premio del Valentino	Valentino Park	6 April	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	Report
IV Richmond Trophy	Goodwood	14 April	José Froilán González	Ferrari	Report
IV Lavant Cup	Goodwood	14 April	Mike Hawthorn	Cooper-Bristol	Report
XIII Pau Grand Prix	Pau	14 April	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	Report
I Ibsley Grand Prix	Ringwood	19 April	Mike Hawthorn	Cooper-Bristol	Report
X Grand Prix de Marseille	Marseille	27 April	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	Report
I Aston Martin Owners Club Grand Prix	Snetterton	3 May	Dickie Stoop	Frazer Nash	Report
IV BRDC International Trophy	Silverstone	10 May	Lance Macklin	HWM-Alta	Report
XIV Eläintarhanajot	Eläintarharata	11 May	Roger Laurent	Talbot-Lago	Report
V Gran Premio di Napoli	Posillipo	11 May	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari	Report
XVI Internationales ADAC Eifelrennen	Nürburgring	25 May	Rudi Fischer	Ferrari	Report
VI Grand Prix de Paris	Montlhéry	25 May	Piero Taruffi	Ferrari	Report
XIV Grand Prix de l'Albigeois	Albi	1 June	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	Report
XXII Grand Prix des Frontières	Chimay	1 June	Paul Frère	HWM-Alta	Report
VI Ulster Trophy	Dundrod	7 June	Piero Taruffi	Ferrari	Report
V Gran Premio dell'Autodromo di Monza	Monza	8 June	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari	Report
IV Aix les Bains Circuit du Lac	Aix-les-Bains	8 June	Jean Behra	Gordini	Report
I West Essex CC Race	Boreham	21 June	Reg Parnell	Cooper-Bristol	Report
XVI Grand Prix de la Marne	Reims	29 June	Jean Behra	Gordini	Report
II Grand Prix de Sables d'Olonne	Sables	13 July	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	Report
I Grand Prix de Caen	Caen	27 July	Maurice Trintignant	Gordini	Report
II Daily Mail Trophy	Boreham	2 August	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	Report
XVI Grand Prix de Comminges	Comminges	10 August	André Simon Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	Report
I National Trophy	Turnberry	23 August	Mike Hawthorn	Connaught	Report
XI Grand Prix de la Baule	La Baule	24 August	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	Report
III Gran Premio di Modena	Modena	14 September	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	Report
IV Circuit de Cadours	Cadours	14 September	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	Report
II Skarpnäcksloppet	Skarpnäck	14 September	Gunnar Carlsson	Mercury	Report
V Madgwick Cup	Goodwood	27 September	Ken Downing	Connaught	Report
VIII Internationales Avusrennen	AVUS	28 September	Rudi Fischer	Ferrari	Report
I Joe Fry Memorial Trophy	Castle Combe	4 October	Roy Salvadori	Ferrari	Report
I Newcastle Journal Trophy	Charterhall	11 October	Dennis Poore	Connaught	Report
XII Grande Prêmio Cidade do Rio de Janeiro	Gávea	14 December	Henrique Casini	Ferrari	Report

East German Championship

Race Name	Circuit	Date	Winning driver	Constructor	Report
I Rostock Osthafenkurs	Rostock	20 April	Paul Greifzu	BMW-Eigenbau	Report
I Bernau Autobahnschleife	Bernau	4 May	Rudolf Krause	BMW-Reif	Report
I Dessau Autobahnspinne	Dessau	11 May	Fritz Riess	Veritas-Meteor	Report
III Leipzig Stadtparkrennen	Leipzig	2 June	Edgar Barth	IFA-Kollektiv	Report
III Strassen-Rennen Halle-Saale-Schleife	Halle-Saale-Schleife	8 June	Edgar Barth	IFA-Kollektiv	Report
I Strassen-rennen Leipzig	Leipzig	17 August	Hans Stuck	AFM-BMW	Report
V DMV Grenzlandringrennen	Grenzlandring	31 August	Toni Ulmen	Veritas	Report
IV Sachsenringrennen	Sachsenring	7 September	Edgar Barth	EMW-BMW	Report

References

Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, 1995, page 12
"Grand Prix Cancelled". Autosport. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
1952 World Championship of Drivers results in the FIA Yearbook of Automobile Sport 1974, pages 118-119 show Manzon placed 6th below Hawthorn and Fischer who are shown as equal 4th

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[1] Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, 1995, page 12

[2] "Grand Prix Cancelled". Autosport. Retrieved 23 January 2016.

[3] 1952 World Championship of Drivers results in the FIA Yearbook of Automobile Sport 1974, pages 118-119 show Manzon placed 6th below Hawthorn and Fischer who are shown as equal 4th