1956 Argentine Grand Prix Explained

Type:F1
Country:Argentina
Grand Prix:Argentine
Official Name:IV Gran Premio de la Republica Argentina
Date:22 January
Year:1956
Previous Round:1955 Italian Grand Prix
Next Round:1956 Monaco Grand Prix
Location:Autódromo Municipal Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
Course:Permanent racing facility
Course Mi:2.431
Course Km:3.912
Distance Laps:98
Distance Mi:238.219
Distance Km:383.376
Weather:Overcast but dry
Pole Driver:Juan Manuel Fangio
Pole Team:Ferrari
Pole Time:1:42.5
Pole Country:Argentina
Fast Driver:Juan Manuel Fangio
Fast Team:Ferrari
Fast Time:1:45.3
Fast Country:Argentina
First Driver:Luigi Musso
Juan Manuel Fangio
First Team:Ferrari
First Country:Italy
Second Driver:Jean Behra
Second Team:Maserati
Second Country:France
Third Driver:Mike Hawthorn
Third Team:Maserati
Third Country:United Kingdom

The 1956 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 22 January 1956 at Buenos Aires. It was race 1 of 8 in the 1956 World Championship of Drivers. With the withdrawal of Mercedes from Formula One, Fangio and Moss would begin the season with new teams. Fangio would join Ferrari while Moss would lead the Maserati team. The grid in Argentina was composed entirely of Italian cars. Ferrari and Maserati showed up with five cars each. The other three cars were also Maseratis: two private entries and Hawthorn for the B.R.M. team.

Ferrari dominated practice and occupied the first three grid positions, with Fangio's pole time 2.2 sec faster than second. Maserati dominated the early race with Menditeguy and Moss leading the field. Fangio was a non-factor with a faulty fuel pump. He took over Musso's car after 30 laps and re-entered without losing Musso's fifth place in the race.[1] Meanwhile, Musso took over Fangio's ailing car but did not manage to finish in it even a single lap.[2] Fangio quickly passed Behra but lost his position after spinning. On laps 40–43, disaster struck the leaders. While third, Castellotti's gearbox broke, Menditeguy left the lead with a broken driveshaft, and new leader Moss's engine began to smoke. Fangio, who had overtaken Behra, passed the ailing Moss on lap 67, and finished unchallenged after Behra spun late in the race. The race was not without controversy when the Maserati team manager lodged a protest that Fangio was push-started after the earlier spin. The protest was ultimately rejected by both the stewards and the FIA.

Classification

Qualifying

PosNoDriverConstructorTimeGap
130 Juan Manuel FangioFerrari1:42.5
232 Eugenio CastellottiFerrari1:44.7+2.2
334 Luigi MussoFerrari1:44.7+2.2
44 Jean BehraMaserati1:45.1+2.6
512 José Froilán GonzálezMaserati1:45.2+2.7
66 Carlos MenditeguyMaserati1:45.6+3.1
72 Stirling MossMaserati1:45.9+3.4
814 Mike HawthornMaserati1:47.4+4.9
936 Peter CollinsFerrari1:47.7+5.2
1038 Olivier GendebienFerrari1:50.4+7.9
1110 Chico Landi
Gerino Gerini
Maserati1:52.1+9.6
128 Luigi PiottiMaserati1:57.9+15.4
1316 Alberto UriaMaserati
Source:[3]

Race

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
134 Luigi Musso
Juan Manuel Fangio
Ferrari983:00:03.734
5
24 Jean BehraMaserati98+24.446
314 Mike HawthornMaserati96+2 laps84
410 Chico Landi
Gerino Gerini
Maserati92+6 laps111.5
1.5
538 Olivier GendebienFerrari91+7 laps102
616 Alberto Uria
Óscar González
Maserati88+10 laps13
Ret2 Stirling MossMaserati81Engine7
Ret36 Peter CollinsFerrari58Accident9
Ret8 Luigi PiottiMaserati57Accident12
Ret6 Carlos MenditeguyMaserati42Halfshaft6
Ret32 Eugenio CastellottiFerrari40Gearbox2
Ret12 José Froilán GonzálezMaserati24Engine5
Ret30 Juan Manuel Fangio
Luigi Musso
Ferrari22Fuel pump1
Notes

Shared drives

Championship standings after the race

Drivers' Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
16
2 Juan Manuel Fangio5
3 Luigi Musso4
4 Mike Hawthorn4
5 Olivier Gendebien2
Source:[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Argentina 1956 – Lap by lap . StatsF1.com . 2023-03-31.
  2. Web site: 1956: Argentine Grand Prix – Classification . wildsoft.motorsport.com . 2023-03-31.
  3. Web site: 1956 Argentine GP Qualification. www.chicanef1.com. 14 July 2020.
  4. Web site: Argentina 1956 - Championship • STATS F1. www.statsf1.com. 6 March 2019.