1953 Belgian GP

## Track Facts

* Name – Spa-Franchorchamps
* Location – Belgium
* Corners – 13
* Laps – 36
* Base (Worst) Lap Time – 5:00.000
* Lap Record (Real Life) – 4:22.100 (Juan Manuel Fangio)
* Lap Record (F1R) – 4:25.045 (Toulo de Graffenried)
* Pit Lane Length – 40 seconds
* Fuel Consumption – High
* Tyre Wear – Very High

## Qualifying 1

STUNNING FINISH TO THE SESSION!!! The Ferrari's are swamped by an onslaught from none other than the HWM team! Collins becomes the 1st man to break the 4:20 barrier as the HWM car seems to suit the track conditions here in Belgium.

Scherrer, Mantovani and Lang follow up before the top Ferrari in 5th position of Whitehead, then Pietsch and Gerard. Another surprise in 8th place is Bira for Connaught who puts his car ahead of one Ferrari even, much to the embarrassment of Salvadori in 9th. Rounding out the top 10 is Ascari as the top Maserati, who as a team must be wondering why HWM have stolen their remit as Ferrari's main challengers!!!

**Qualifying 1 Results**

* 1st – Peter Collins [H] – 4:19.633 (5)
* 2nd – Albert Scherrer [H] – 4:20.420 (5)
* 3rd – Sergio Mantovani [H] – 4:20.763 (3)
* 4th – Hermann Lang [H] – 4:20.774 (3)
* 5th – Peter Whitehead [F] – 4:21.144 (4)
* 6th – Paul Pietsch [F] – 4:21.590 (5)
* 7th – Bob Gerard [F] – 4:21.780 (5)
* 8th – Prince Bira [CN] – 4:22.931 (2)
* 9th – Roy Salvadori [F] – 4:23.030 (2)
* 10th – Alberto Ascari [M] – 4:23.262 (8)
* 11th – Elie Bayol [M] – 4:24.609 (1)
* 12th – Johnny Claes [CN] – 4:24.978 (4)
* 13th – Stirling Moss [M] – 4:25.075 (10)
* 14th – Giuseppe Farina [M] – 4:25.334 (4)
* 15th – Erwin Bauer [CP] – 4:25.807 (4)
* 16th – Luigi Villoresi [O] – 4:25.955 (5)
* 17th – Toulo de Graffenried [M] – 4:26.074 (6)
* 18th – Jean Behra [G] – 4:26.250 (2)
* 19th – Umberto Maglioli [M] – 4:26.328 (4)
* 20th – Chico Landi [M] – 4:29.611 (2)
* 21st – Jimmy Stewart [CN] – 4:30.618 (2)
* 22nd – Charles de Tornaco [G] – 4:31.328 (5)
* 23rd – Maurice Trintignant [G] – 4:34.145 (2)
* 24th – Alan Brown [CN] – 4:34.470 (3)
* 25th – Hans Hermann [V] – 4:35.868 (2)
* 26th – Mike Hawthorn [CN] – 4:39.223 (2)
* 27th – Hans Stuck [CP] – 4:43.870 (3)
* 28th – Louis Rosier [G] – 4:50.358 (1)
* 29th – Luigi Musso [ B ] – 4:56.967 (2)
* 30th – Felice Bonetto [ B ] – 5:04.270 (2)
* 31st – Carlos Menditeguy [H] – No Time Set (0)
* 32nd – Jose Froilan Gonzalez [CP] – No Time Set (0)
* 33rd – John Barber [V] – No Time Set (0)
* 34th – Louis Chiron [CP] – No Time Set (0)
* 35th – Juan Manuel Fangio [CP] – No Time Set (0)

## Qualifying 2

Mantovani manages to hold on until the end of the session, with all 30 drivers managing to make it to the grid for the Belgian Grand Prix. Gerard is 2nd with Maglioli 3rd, Ascari 4th and Bayol 5th for Maserati, as another Maserati makes a strong finish to the session with Moss moving into 10th position ahead of Collins, although likely behind him after the latter's strong showing in Q1.

Musso, de Tornaco and Brown all move up at the end to displace Hermann and Rosier to the back of the grid…the race should be a very exciting affair indeed!

**Qualifying 2 Results**

* 1st – Sergio Mantovani [H] – 4:19.226 (4)
* 2nd – Bob Gerard [F] – 4:19.432 (6)
* 3rd – Umberto Maglioli [M] – 4:19.856 (4)
* 4th – Alberto Ascari [M] – 4:20.107 (5)
* 5th – Elie Bayol [M] – 4:20.152 (4)
* 6th – Albert Scherrer [H] – 4:20.352 (4)
* 7th – Peter Whitehead [F] – 4:20.469 (4)
* 8th – Paul Pietsch [F] – 4:20.803 (6)
* 9th – Erwin Bauer [CP] – 4:20.855 (5)
* 10th – Stirling Moss [M] – 4:21.233 (2)
* 11th – Peter Collins [H] – 4:21.733 (5)
* 12th – Hermann Lang [H] – 4:21.911 (5)
* 13th – Jean Behra [G] – 4:22.005 (4)
* 14th – Chico Landi [M] – 4:22.025 (4)
* 15th – Prince Bira [CN] – 4:22.380 (4)
* 16th – Giuseppe Farina [M] – 4:22.733 (4)
* 17th – Toulo de Graffenried [M] – 4:22.734 (7)
* 18th – Hans Stuck [CP] – 4:22.814 (5)
* 19th – Roy Salvadori [F] – 4:23.344 (11)
* 20th – Luigi Villoresi [O] – 4:23.641 (6)
* 21st – Mike Hawthorn [CN] – 4:24.773 (4)
* 22nd – Johnny Claes [CN] – 4:25.333 (4)
* 23rd – Jimmy Stewart [CN] – 4:26.234 (2)
* 24th – Luigi Musso [ B ] – 4:27.528 (6)
* 25th – Felice Bonetto – 4:27.660 (4)
* 26th – Maurice Trintignant [G] – 4:27.903 (8)
* 27th – Charles de Tornaco [G] – 4:30.308 (4)
* 28th – Alan Brown [CN] – 4:31.205 (3)
* 29th – Hans Hermann [V] – 4:31.843 (3)
* 30th – Louis Rosier [G] – 4:34.243 (4)

## Overall Qualifying Results

Collins Q1 performance is enough for 3rd on the grid behind polesitter Mantovani, who achieves this feat for the 1st time - and duly becomes the 1st ever HWM driver to be on pole position, as well as only the 2nd Italian driver ever after Farina back in 1951 at Bremgarten.

Lang also does enough for a top 10 place, displacing none other than reigning champion Paul Pietsch into 10th position! Though it could be worse, as Salvadori proves for Ferrari after failing to improve on his Q1 time and therefore dropping to 19th place overall, which should make it a very interesting race indeed!

## Race Commentary

*Lap 1* - Chaos at the start!!! Gerard spins at the 1st corner, causing several drivers to swerve around him…Maglioli and Ascari particularly lose out, whilst it gets worse for Bayol who is hit by the fast-starting Brown as he takes serious evasive action. Rosier smashes into the pair of them meaning all 3 of them are out at Eau Rouge! Gerard recovers quickly enough to get away in front of both Maglioli and Ascari, but is still only 9th overall.

Instead the start belongs to the surprise package of Q1; as HWM take an unprecedented 1-2-3-4 with 5th belonging to the Maserati of de Graffenried with the points a Ferrari-free zone (although both Pietsch, Whitehead and Salvadori did gain at the start) as "the Baron" makes an incredible start to move through the 1st lap and come out ahead of no less than 12 drivers in total!

Also starting well are Farina (up 8 places to 8th), Landi, Hawthorn, Bonetto, Musso (all gaining 3 positions) and finally Hermann of Veritas, who moves from 29th to 23rd position.

*Lap 2* - Mantovani extend his lead at the front, whilst behind him there are battles throughout the field…the man really on the move is Farina, who passes all in front of him to sail into 2nd position! Whitehead reacts well to being overtaken, as he tucks in behind the Italian to claim 3rd place…squabbling between the HWM drivers demotes Scherrer and Lang to 4th and 5th respectively.

Gerard moves up to 6th, from Pietsch in 7th, then Moss for Maserati in 8th place after a brilliant lap from the Englishman as he moves up 6 positions. Collins has a poor lap by his standards as he plummets from 2nd to 9th, though at least keeps ahead of de Graffenried who rounds out the top 10. Next up is Salvadori (who is recovering well from his early qualifying horror), Maglioli, Bira for Connaught, Ascari, Hawthorn, Claes and Bauer (these two within inches of one another), Stuck, Behra and Villoresi still completing the top 20 for O.S.C.A.

Further back the only action is Bonetto moving into 21st from Stewart but no-one is dropping back hand over fist as we often have seen this season!

*Lap 3* - Mantovani and Farina edge away, as Whitehead finds himself under pressure from behind…he manages to block Scherrer but both go wide at Burnenville and allow a whole host of cars through including the recovering de Graffenried, Moss and Collins, as the points are now entirely occupied once more by HWM and Maserati drivers!

Gerard retains 6th despite all the commotion around him, from Pietsch in 7th, Lang in 8th, Maglioli in 9th and then comes Whitehead and Scherrer who have dropped way down the order. 12th is now Bira, from Ascari 13th, Stuck in an impressive 14th place for Cooper and then Salvadori back down to 15th.

Landi is next across the line, from Behra in 17th, Bauer 18th, Hawthorn 19th and still Villoresi sits in 20th position ahead of the other drivers as before.

*Lap 4* - Things settle down a little more at the front (though Mantovani does make a small mistake which costs him about half of his lead), as the main action is de Graffenried passing Farina for 2nd at Eau Rouge in a brilliant piece of driving from the former championship runner-up. Whitehead is back up to 6th as he passes several drivers, with Gerard now 7th, Scherrer into 8th as he also recovers from his scuffle with Whitehead and Pietsch now 9th overall.

Rounding out the top 10 is Lang, from Stuck who is now up to 11th place as the German pushes the limits of what his Cooper can achieve, Bira is in 12th from Maglioli 13th and Ascari now 14th.

In to 17th is Hawthorn, from Behra, Bauer and Bonetto, who at long last displaces Villoresi from the top 20. Bizarrely Stewart pits for Connaught in what appears to be a scheduled stop, dropping him to the rear of the field behind Claes, Hermann, de Tornaco, Musso and Trintignant.

*Lap 5* - Moss has been relentless since the race started and forces his way past Farina and de Graffenried to claim 2nd position. The HWM's start to surge back through the field, as Lang moves into 7th behind Whitehead, from Scherrer, Gerard and into an unbelievable 10th position the electrically quick Stuck for Cooper!

Pietsch has dropped outside the top 10 for Ferrari, who must be beginning to panic at how the race is unfolding, but the defending champion has at least pulled out a gap on those behind, including Maglioli, Landi (who does well to move into 13th), Bira, Ascari, Salvadori, Hawthorn, Bauer (who puts a very convincing pass on Behra at Stavelot this lap) and Bonetto still in 20th.

Near the back de Tornaco is on the move as he muscles his way past home-grown talent Claes and Hermann for Veritas to claim 22nd position.

*Lap 6* - De Graffenried has a horrendous lap, as he almost spins at Masta Kink and loses 3rd to Farina and 4th to Collins as a result. Farina also manages to pass Moss for 2nd position too! Whitehead falls behind Gerard and Lang, with Pietsch now up to 9th from Maglioli 10th, Landi into 11th and Scherrer now dropped back to 12th place.

Bira and the fast-moving Salvadori force their way into 13th and 14th, ahead of Ascari and Stuck; the latter damages his under-body at Blanchimont as his pushing causes him to finally make a mistake that he pays for. Claes also passes de Tornaco on this lap to give the home fans something to cheer about at least.

*Lap 7* - Mantovani makes a little headway as Farina loses out to Moss and Collins for 2nd place, whilst Whitehead puts a Ferrari back in the points with a succession of passes, followed by team-mate Pietsch in 6th. That demotes de Graffenried into 7th, Gerard in 8th and Lang in 9th, with Landi now into 10th place.

Scherrer is next up ahead of Maglioli and Salvadori, who passes Bira on this lap. Stuck continues to drop back with his damaged car, as Bauer moves into 16th position and Hawthorn pits to come out behind everyone besides Stewart. The joy of the home fans is short-lived as Claes loses out to de Tornaco this time around.

*Lap 8* - A couple of drivers pit on this lap, namely Moss, Farina and Maglioli all for Maserati. Whitehead continues to exert pressure and passes Collins to wind up in 2nd place now, with de Graffenried passing Pietsch as they renew their rivalry over 4th place.

Scherrer moves into 8th ahead of Landi and Salvadori. Musso passes Hermann for 20th position as all three Maserati pitters emerge outside the top 20!

*Lap 9* - No fewer than 9 drivers come into the pits this time around, including the leading pair, Pietsch, Gerard, Scherrer, Landi, Salvadori, Stuck (who finally comes in to fix his ailing machine) and de Tornaco. Those really losing out in the pits are Landi, de Tornaco and most shockingly of all the leader Mantovani, who simply cannot get away from his pit box!

That leaves de Graffenried to pass Collins and claim the lead of the race, with Lang now into 3rd, from Ascari in 4th, Bauer in 5th, Behra further back in 6th, Bonetto in 7th and Villoresi in 8th. Moss manages to stay ahead of the emerging Gerard who passes Pietsch and Whitehead in the pits. The latter loses out to Farina and Maglioli on this lap too.

Claes is now in 15th position, ahead of the unfortunate Mantovani in 16th, Musso, Hermann, Scherrer and Salvadori in 20th place. Also on this lap Bira comes to a stuttering halt at Holowell, completely out of fuel, which is a real shame for the Connaught driver who was running really strongly up to this point.

*Lap 10* - A few more drivers come into the pits here, including de Graffenried, Collins, Ascari, Bonetto and Villoresi. Lang is into the lead of the race as a result, from Bauer and Behra in a rather surprising 1-2-3 for HWM, Cooper and Gordini!!!

Gerard is back into 4th place as the top driver to have pitted, from Moss in 5th, Farina 6th, Pietsch 7th, Whitehead 8th, Maglioli 9th and Collins out in 10th place.

Mantovani is back into 11th place ahead of the emerging de Graffenried, Scherrer, Salvadori, Musso and Claes in 16th position.

*Lap 11* - Gerard passes Behra for 3rd position, as the Frenchman loses places to Moss and Pietsch too as those who are yet to pit are really struggling with their worn tyres. Pietsch takes 5th from Farina who is now 7th, whilst Collins moves into 9th place ahead of Maglioli.

Claes and Ascari pass Musso, Claes and Hermann as that trio are finding their lap-times falling well off the pace now. Hawthorn takes Stuck and Hermann too, Villoresi passes Trintignant and Stewart pits to drop into 26th place at the back of the field.

*Lap 12* - On this lap every driver who is yet to pit comes in, with the exception of Claes for Connaught and Stuck pits for the 2nd time also. All of that means Gerard now leads Moss, Pietsch, Farina and Whitehead in a points line-up that looks more like a normal race. Collins is 6th, from de Graffenried, Mantovani in 8th, Maglioli 9th and Scherrer in 10th place.

Salvadori into 11th, from Ascari, Landi, Musso, Hawthorn, Claes, Villoresi, Bonetto, Lang and Bauer rounding out the top 20. Behra is in 22nd place after his brief stint in the top 3.

*Lap 13* - Musso pits on this lap, and drops to 24th place as a result. Up front Moss has a small spin at Malmédy to lose places to Pietsch, Farina, de Graffenried (who passes Whitehead on this lap) and the aforementioned Whitehead. Villoresi passes Claes too, and Lang makes a move on Bonetto, who loses out to Bauer as well.

*Lap 14* - De Graffenried re-takes 3rd from Farina here, who also loses 4th position to Collins - the HWM driver having already passed both Whitehead and Moss on this lap too! Bauer has a great lap, as he moves past Villoresi, Lang and Claes, whilst Hawthorn's pit gifts him another position too. Behra moves past de Tornaco too on this lap.

*Lap 15* - Farina loses out to Whitehead and Mantovani, whilst Moss passes that trio and moves into 5th position. Scherrer is now into 9th place, whilst Maglioli pits and drops down the order as a result.

Lang takes Bauer and Villoresi this time around as he reclaims 13th position for himself.

*Lap 16* - Collins is the man on the move, as HWM refuse to give up the chase for a podium place as yet, as he passes both de Graffenried and Piestch, with the latter falling prey to his biggest rival too as the Swiss capitalises on the German running slightly wide at Burnenville.

Farina passes for 7th Mantovani too, Villoresi can simply not contend with the speed of Maglioli and Claes worn tyres are no match for the Gordini of Behra. Stuck also shows the benefit of new tyres as he puts a move on both de Tornaco and Hermann, the latter who also loses a position to Hawthorn as well.

*Lap 17* - Pietsch passes de Graffenried, whilst Moss pits and drops back to 15th place. Salvadori really pushes hard and manages to pass not only Scherrer and Mantovani, but Farina in the Maserati as well to move into a points paying position!

Maglioli passes Bauer too on this lap, whilst Hawthorn passes Stuck, de Tornaco and the ailing Claes, with Hermann passing the latter pair as well.

*Lap 18* - Many drivers pit on this lap; including the leader Gerard, Pietsch, Whitehead, Salvadori (for the full compliment of Ferrari's), Farina, Mantovani, Scherrer, de Tornaco and Stewart.

De Graffenried really capitalises on this lap, as he passes Collins to move into the lead of the race, with Ascari now into 3rd place overall, from Landi, Maglioli and Lang. Gerard emerges from the pits ahead of the others who came in, whilst Moss is next up as he passes Bauer, with Pietsch out behind them, then Salvadori, Whitehead, Scherrer and Farina, who's pit crew is surprisingly sluggish this time around.

At the back of the field Musso passes Claes as well, with Trintignant now ahead of de Tornaco and Stewart.

*Lap 19* - The top 4 all pit on this lap, with both Ascari and Landi losing a lot of time thanks to their less well drilled pit crews. Bonetto also comes in, and finally Claes does too! He emerges at the back of the field, but at least shouldn't have to pit again.

Gerard regains the lead after passes on Maglioli and Lang. Pietsch also moves past Lang, as well as Moss and Bauer too in a great lap for the defending champion.

Collins leapfrogs de Graffenried in the pits, with Salvadori also moving past Bauer too just behind them. Also Villoresi loses out easily to Mantovani this time around.

*Lap 20* - Villoresi comes in on this lap. De Graffenried really applies the pressure on those in front, with passes on both Collins and Lang, though the latter does also lose his place to the former. Bauer is really struggling to keep with the pace, as he drops behind Whitehead, Scherrer and Farina.

Landi passes Behra here too, as the Brazilian looks to recover from his appalling earlier pitstop…

*Lap 21* - Hawthorn pits on this lap, meanwhile Pietsch up front passes Maglioli, who also loses a position to de Graffenried too. Salvadori drops behind Whitehead and Scherrer, whilst Mantovani gets the better of Bauer. Musso also moves past Hermann on this lap, as the battle at the back continues to be as fierce as that at the front.

*Lap 22* - Maglioli comes in from 4th place on this lap, emerging in 16th position. Whitehead moves into 4th position from Collins in 5th, Scherrer in 6th, Salvadori in 7th and Moss down to 8th. Mantovani gets the better of Lang, whilst Bonetto takes Hermann and de Tornaco gets the better of Trintignant too.

*Lap 23* - De Graffenried passes Pietsch, and is now within 2 seconds of Gerard. Salvadori takes Scherrer, and Bauer continues to lose positions; this time to Ascari and he's now within striking distance of Lang.

Bonetto takes Musso, and Stewart passes Trintignant also…it's clear that no-one wants to be the man with the wooden spoon; which is currently home talent Claes.

*Lap 24* - Lang, Bauer, Behra, Stuck, Hermann and Trintignant all pit on this lap, with Stuck managing to leapfrog Behra here. Hawthorn passes Musso too, and Trintignant is now the man at the back with Claes moving past him while he pits

*Lap 25* - De Graffenried is right behind Gerard, as the Swiss continues to press for glory! Musso and Stewart pit on this lap, but it is still Trintignant at the back of the pack.

Maglioli uses his new tyres to pass Landi, whilst Lang also passes Bonetto. Stuck moves past de Tornaco also on this lap.

*Lap 26* - Moss pits on this lap, he drops down to 13th position as a result. De Graffenried takes the initiative around Stavelot to make a move on Pietsch that demotes the German to 2nd position. Scherrer passes Salvadori here too, for 6th place.

*Lap 27* - Gerard, Pietsch, Whitehead, Scherrer, Salvadori, Mantovani, Ascari, Landi and de Tornaco all come into the pits on this lap. That puts Collins into 2nd, Farina into 3rd and Maglioli back up to 4th position. Gerard comes out in 5th, from Pietsch and Whitehead then Moss, whilst Salvadori passes Scherrer behind.

Lang takes both Villoresi and Bauer on this lap too, with Bauer getting the better of the lone O.S.C.A driver too.

*Lap 28* - The top 3 all pit here, along with Bonetto and Hawthorn, and as Gerard moves past Maglioli he re-inherits the lead from Pietsch and Whitehead in a top 5 that looks a lot more expected, as de Graffenried rounds out the points scoring positions.

Collins and Farina come out behind Scherrer, as the Maserati driver loses so much time in the pits. Landi passes Villoresi, and Musso moves past Claes too.

*Lap 29* - Maglioli pits here to relinquish 2nd place, and drops till 12th position. Salvadori also moves past Moss too for 5th position, Bonetto takes Hawthorn, and Hermann loses out to both of them. De Tornaco also moves past Stewart, who spins at Holowell and damages his car as a result.

*Lap 30* - Villoresi pits and loses a couple of positions as a result. Collins passes Scherrer for 7th place, whilst Hawthorn moves past Bonetto too.

*Lap 31* - The only action on track is Scherrer passing Collins for 7th position.

*Lap 32* - Pietsch is right on Gerard's tail now, as the Englishman is struggling to hold on to his lead. Collins passes both Scherrer and Moss, and moves right onto the back of Salvadori in 5th, as Moss falls to 8th place.

Landi passes Bauer for 14th and de Tornaco takes 23rd from Claes, whose tyres are beginning to struggle. Stewart pits to mend his broken car, and falls to the rear of the field, much to the relief of Trinignant.

*Lap 33* - De Graffenried passes Whitehead for 3rd position, and really opens up a gap on the Englishman too. Scherrer re-takes 6th from Collins, whilst Maglioli goes up to 11th past Ascari.

*Lap 34* - Whitehead passes de Graffenried for 3rd at La Source, as these two continue to fight over the final podium position. Lang passes Ascari for 12th too, and Villoresi moves into 17th from Behra. At the back Stewart is making huge inroads into the gap to Trintignant in the battle to avoid the wooden spoon.

*Lap 35* - De Graffenried is back into 3rd position, with Pietsch not completely out of reach in 2nd place either! Gerard is looking nailed on for the victory though. Collins re-passes Scherrer, but both of them have now dropped off the back of Salvadori in 5th place.

Villoresi passes Stuck here, and Stewart moves out of last place from Trintignant too…

*Lap 36* - Pietsch spins under the pressure!!! Unbelievable scenes here as the German relinquishes 2nd place to de Graffenried (which will really hurt) and 3rd place to his team-mate Whitehead too. Gerard does win the race, with Salvadori closing out 5th place and Scherrer in 6th as he re-passes Collins at La Source.

Farina moves past Moss for 8th position, and the only other change is Musso passing Hermann for 21st position.