1959 French Grand Prix

The 1959 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Reims on 5 July 1959. It was race 4 of 9 in the 1959 World Championship of Drivers and race 3 of 8 in the 1959 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. It was the 37th French Grand Prix and the twelfth to be held at the Reims highway circuit and the fourth to be held on the longer and faster 8.348 km layout. The race was held over 50 laps of the eight kilometre circuit for a race distance of 417 kilometres.

1959 French Grand Prix
Reims layout
Race details
Date 5 July 1959
Official name XLV Grand Prix de l'ACF
Location Reims circuit, Reims, France
Course Temporary road course
Course length 8.348 km (5.187 mi)
Distance 50 laps, 417.383 km (259.350 mi)
Weather Hot, dry
Pole position
Driver
Ferrari
Time 2:19.4
Fastest lap
Driver Stirling Moss BRM
Time 2:22.8
Podium
First
Ferrari
Second
Ferrari
Third
Cooper-Climax

The race was won by British driver Tony Brooks driving a Ferrari 246 F1. Brooks dominated the race, leading all 50 laps and winning by 27 seconds over his American Scuderia Ferrari team mate Phil Hill. Brooks said after the race a sticking throttle in the closing laps made it more difficult than the result seemed. Australian driver Jack Brabham was over a minute behind in third position driving a Cooper T51 for the factory Cooper racing team after stopping to get new goggles as the circuit broke up.

Race day was very hot, to the point where the bitumen started to melt. Race cars were dislodging aggregate stones as the race went on causing American Masten Gregory to retire with cuts to his face, and Graham Hill to retire his Lotus 16 after his radiator was holed.

Stirling Moss was disqualified from eighth position after receiving a push-start in his British Racing Partnership entered BRM P25. Moss had pushed his car hard trying to overcome a failing gearbox, claiming a new lap record. Jean Behra too pushed hard in his Ferrari 246 F1, climbing into third racing against no less than four team mates at this race.[1] Behra's engine broke under his charge and the Frenchman had a heated discussion with team manager Romolo Tavoni which ended with Behra punching Tavoni. It would be Behra's last race for Ferrari, with the Frenchman being fired for the assault.[2]

The win was the first of the season for Scuderia Ferrari and moved Brooks into second place overall, five points behind Brabham. Hill's second position moved him into third in the championship.

Classification

Qualifying
Pos No Driver Constructor Time Gap
1 24 Tony Brooks Ferrari 2:19.4 —
2 8 Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax 2:19.7 +0.3
3 26 Phil Hill Ferrari 2:19.8 +0.4
4 2 Stirling Moss BRM 2:19.9 +0.5
5 30 Jean Behra Ferrari 2:20.2 +0.8
6 4 Jo Bonnier BRM 2:20.6 +1.2
7 10 Masten Gregory Cooper-Climax 2:20.8 +1.4
8 14 Maurice Trintignant Cooper-Climax 2:21.3 +1.9
9 6 Harry Schell BRM 2:21.5 +2.1
10 12 Bruce McLaren Cooper-Climax 2:21.5 +2.1
11 22 Olivier Gendebien Ferrari 2:21.5 +2.1
12 28 Dan Gurney Ferrari 2:21.9 +2.5
13 44 Ron Flockhart BRM 2:23.4 +4.0
14 32 Graham Hill Lotus-Climax 2:23.7 +4.3
15 34 Innes Ireland Lotus-Climax 2:24.2 +4.8
16 16 Roy Salvadori Cooper-Maserati 2:26.4 +7.0
17 20 Colin Davis Cooper-Maserati 2:32.3 +12.9
18 38 Fritz d'Orey Maserati 2:34.0 +14.6
19 18 Ian Burgess Cooper-Maserati 2:35.2 +15.8
20 42 Carel Godin de Beaufort Maserati 2:35.4 +16.0
21 40 Giorgio Scarlatti Maserati 2:35.6 +16.2
DNS 36 Asdrúbal Fontes Bayardo Maserati
Source:[3]

Race
PosNoDriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
1 24 Tony Brooks Ferrari 50 2:01:26.5 1 8
2 26 Phil Hill Ferrari 50 + 27.5 3 6
3 8 Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax 50 + 1:37.7 2 4
4 22 Olivier Gendebien Ferrari 50 + 1:47.5 11 3
5 12 Bruce McLaren Cooper-Climax 50 + 1:47.7 10 2
6 44 Ron Flockhart BRM 50 + 2:05.7 13  
7 6 Harry Schell BRM 47 + 3 Laps 9  
8 40 Giorgio Scarlatti Maserati 41 + 9 Laps 21  
9 42 Carel Godin de Beaufort Maserati 40 + 10 Laps 20  
10 38 Fritz d'Orey Maserati 40 + 10 Laps 18  
11 14 Maurice Trintignant Cooper-Climax 36 + 14 Laps 8  
DSQ 2 Stirling Moss BRM 42 Disqualified 4 11
Ret 30 Jean Behra Ferrari 31 Engine 5  
Ret 16 Roy Salvadori Cooper-Maserati 20 Engine 16  
Ret 28 Dan Gurney Ferrari 19 Radiator 12  
Ret 34 Innes Ireland Lotus-Climax 14 Wheel 15  
Ret 18 Ian Burgess Cooper-Maserati 13 Engine 19  
Ret 10 Masten Gregory Cooper-Climax 8 Physical 7  
Ret 32 Graham Hill Lotus-Climax 7 Radiator 14  
Ret 20 Colin Davis Cooper-Maserati 7 Oil Leak 17  
Ret 4 Jo Bonnier BRM 6 Engine 6  
DNS 36 Asdrúbal Fontes Bayardo Maserati        
Source:[4]
Notes
  • ^1 – 1 point for fastest lap

Championship standings after the race
  • Notes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

References
  1. "Dino 156 Formula 2 s/n 0011". barchetta.cc. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  2. Williamson, Martin (18 December 2009). "Grit, punches and shattered goggles". ESPN F1. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
  3. "1959 ACF GP Qualification". www.chicanef1.com. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  4. "1959 French Grand Prix". formula1.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  5. "France 1959 - Championship • STATS F1". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
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1959 Dutch Grand Prix		 FIA Formula One World Championship
1959 season		 Next race:
1959 British Grand Prix
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1958 French Grand Prix		 French Grand Prix Next race:
1960 French Grand Prix
Previous race:
1958 Belgian Grand Prix		 European Grand Prix
(Designated European Grand Prix)		 Next race:
1960 Italian Grand Prix
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