# 1956 New Zealand Grand Prix

The 1956 New Zealand Grand Prix was a motor race held at the Ardmore Circuit on 7 January 1956. This was the fourth running of the marquee event and was run to Formula Libre regulations.
Stirling Moss entered the weekend as the favourite and would deliver with a commanding victory, with the fastest lap to boot. Tony Gaze and Peter Whitehead completed the podium for the second year running.

## Race report

Gaze initially lead the race off the starting line, but would be passed soon after by Moss, who thereafter enjoyed a largely trouble-free race to the flag, with the only problems encountered being a broken fuel lead which sprayed fuel back into the cockpit and forced the Brit to make another pitstop toward the end. The lead was such however that the Ferrari's of Gaze and Whitehead could not hope to challenge for a potential victory.

## Classification

| Pos | No. | Driver | Car | Laps | Time | Grid |
| 1 | 7 | Stirling Moss | Maserati 250F / Maserati 2497cc 6cyl | 100 | 2hr 32min 23.1sec | 1 |
| 2 | 4 | Tony Gaze | Ferrari 500/750S / Ferrari 2968cc 4cyl | 100 | + 43.6 | 3 |
| 3 | 3 | Peter Whitehead | Ferrari 500/750S / Ferrari 2968cc 4cyl | 99 | + 1 lap | 2 |
| 4 | 2 | Leslie Marr | Connaught B Type / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl | 99 | + 1 lap | 20 |
| 5 | 6 | Reg Parnell | Cooper T38 / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl | 98 | + 2 laps | 6 |
| 6 | 19 | Ron Roycroft | Bugatti Type 35A / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl | | | 5 |
| 7 | | Syd Jensen | Cooper Mk IX / Norton 530cc 1cyl | | | 7 |
| 8 | 22 | Tom Clark | Maserati 8CM / Maserati 2992cc 8cyl s/c | | | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | Frank Kleinig | Porsche Spyder 550 / Porsche 1498cc 4cyl | | | 11 |
| 10 | | Reg McCutcheon | Normac Special / Chevrolet 3870cc 6cyl | | | 14 |
| 11 | | Frank Shuter | Cadillac Special / Cadillac 5200cc V8 | | | 22 |
| 12 | 12 | Fred Zambucka | Maserati 8CLT-50 / Maserati 2984cc 8cyl s/c | | | 9 |
| 13 | | Arnold Stafford | Cooper Mk IX / Norton 530cc 1cyl | | | 16 |
| 14 | | John McMillan | Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c | | | 18 |
| 15 | | Des McDonagh | Thomas-Mercury / Mercury 4100cc V8 | | | 19 |
| Ret | | Rob Hugill | Cooper Mk VIII / Norton 498cc 1cyl | | Retired | 25 |
| Ret | 15 | Ron Frost | Cooper Mk IX / Norton 530cc 1cyl | | Retired | 12 |
| Ret | 39 | David McKay | Aston Martin DB3S / Aston 2996cc 6cyl | | Retired | 10 |
| Ret | | Tom Sulman | Aston Martin DB3S / Aston 2996cc 6cyl | | Retired | 15 |
| Ret | | Morrie Stanton | Stanton Special / de Havilland 6124cc 4cyl | | Retired | 13 |
| Ret | 20 | Ross Jensen | Austin-Healey 100S / Austin 2660cc 4cyl | 15 | Crankshaft | 17 |
| Ret | | Fred Crowther | Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c | 7 | Retired | 24 |
| Ret | | Lionel Bulcraig | Northland Special / Mercury 4100cc V8 | 5 | Engine | 23 |
| Ret | | Alec Mildren | Cooper T23 / Bristol 1971cc 6cyl | 0 | Head Gasket | 21 |
| DNS | | Jack Brabham | Cooper T40 / Bristol 1971cc 6cyl | 0 | Gearbox | 4 |
| DNQ | | George Smith | GeeCeeEss / Mercury 4071cc V8 | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Roly Crowther | Maserati 6CM / Maserati 1493cc 6cyl s/c | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Harley Beckett | Maserati 8CLT-50 / Maserati 2984cc 8cyl s/c | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Allan Freeman | Talbot-Lago T26C / Talbot 4485cc 6cyl | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Len Gilbert | Cooper Mk VI / Norton 498cc 1cyl | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Gordon Brown | Buckler Mk VI / Ford 1172cc 4cyl s/c | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Ronnie Moore | Cooper Mk V / Vincent 998c V2 | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Les Moore | Kieft C50 / Vincent 998cc V2 s/c | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Snow Petersen | Cooper Mk IV / JAP 497cc 1cyl | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Bruce Wood | Staride 52 / JAP 497cc 1cyl | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Terry Nixon | Cooper Mk VIII / Norton 498cc 1cyl | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | 36 | Ted Bristed | Triumph TR2 / Standard 2088cc 4cyl | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Bruce Webster | Cooper Mk VII / JAP 497cc 1cyl | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNQ | | Ray Drew | Cooper Mk IX / Norton 498cc 1cyl | | Did Not Qualify | |
| DNA | | Dave Caldwell | Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa 2905cc 8cyl s/c | | Did Not Arrive | |
| DNA | | Stan Jones | Maybach Special / Maybach 4640cc 6cyl | | Did Not Arrive | |
| DNA | | Paul England | Ausca / Holden 2350cc 6cyl | | Did Not Arrive | |
| DNA | | George Palmer | Cooper T20 / Bristol 1971cc 6cyl | | Did Not Arrive | |
| DNA | 16 | John Seabrook | Austin-Healey 100M / Austin 2660cc 4cyl | | Did Not Arrive | |
| DNA | 17 | Phil Neill | Austin-Healey 100/4 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl | | Did Not Arrive | |
| DNA | 19 | Bruce McLaren | Austin-Healey 100/4 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl | | Did Not Arrive | |
| DNA | | Ray Archibald | Jaguar XK120 / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl | | Did Not Arrive | |
| Source: |||||||