1959 Formula One season

13th season of FIA Formula One motor racing December 2023 1959 Drivers' Champion: Jack BrabhamInternational Cup Champion: Cooper-Climax thumb|Jack Brabham (pictured in 1966) won his first of three drivers' championships, driving a Cooper-Climax The 1959 Formula One season was the 13th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 10th World Championship of Drivers, the second International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and five non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship was contested over nine races between 10 May and 12 December 1959. At the beginning of the year, there were no world champions on the grid. Five-time champion Juan Manuel Fangio had retired after the previous season. The 1958 champion Mike Hawthorn was unable to defend his title, having retired from the sport, but also having been killed in a road accident. Going into the final race, there were three drivers that could clinch their first championship. Jack Brabham driving for Cooper ran out of fuel but pushed his car over the line to win his first Drivers' Championship.https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/1959/drivers.html 1959 Driver Standings Formula1.com 28 April 2024 He was the first Australian champion. Cooper also won their first Manufacturers' title.https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html/1959/team.html 1959 Constructor Standings Formula1.com 28 April 2024 Two F1 drivers lost their lives in racing accidents. Firstly, Jean Behra raced in the sports car race that preceded the 1959 German Grand Prix at AVUS. Rain had been falling and the track was slippery. After two teammates had already crashed, Behra's Porsche 718 RSK went over the top of the 43 degree banked turn and he incurred a skull fracture when he struck a flagpole with his head.Jean Behra Killed In Race Crack-Up, New York Times, August 2, 1959, Page S1. And Ivor Bueb crashed his BRP Formula Two car at the Charade Circuit. He was thrown from the car and died six days later in hospital.http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=93 Ivor Bueb at Motorsport Memorial motorsportmemorial.org 9 April 2017 Teams and drivers The following teams and drivers competed in the 1959 FIA World Championship. Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre Driver Rounds FRG Dr Ing F. Porsche KG Behra-Porsche-Porsche RSK Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4 Dunlop ITA Maria Teresa de Filippis 1 Porsche 718 RSK718/2 FRG Wolfgang von Trips 1, 6 BEL Equipe Nationale Belge Cooper-Climax T51 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop BEL Lucien Bianchi 1 BEL Alain de Changy 1 FRA Jean Lucienbonnet Cooper-Climax T45 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop FRA Jean Lucienbonnet 1 GBR Owen Racing Organisation BRM P25 BRM P25 2.5 L4 Dunlop USA 1959 Harry Schell 1, 3–8 SWE Jo Bonnier 1, 3–8 GBR Ron Flockhart 1, 4–5, 7–8 GBR Cooper Car Company Cooper-Climax T51 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Dunlop NZL Bruce McLaren 1, 4–9 AUS Jack Brabham 1, 3–9 USA 1959 Masten Gregory 1, 3–7 ITA Giorgio Scarlatti 8 GBR R.R.C. Walker Racing Team Cooper-Climax T51 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Stirling Moss 1, 3, 6–9 FRA Maurice Trintignant 1, 3–9 GBR British Racing Partnership BRM P25 BRM P25 2.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Stirling Moss 4–5 FRG Hans Herrmann 6 Cooper-Climax T51 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 GBR Ivor Bueb 1 Cooper-Borgward Borgward 1500 RS 1.5 L4 5 GBR Chris Bristow 5 GBR High Efficiency Motors Cooper-Maserati T45 Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Roy Salvadori 1, 4, 9 GBR Jack Fairman 8 Cooper-Climax T45 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 5 GBR Team Lotus Lotus-Climax 16 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Graham Hill 1, 3–8 USA 1912 Pete Lovely 1 GBR Innes Ireland 3–4, 6–9 GBR Alan Stacey 5, 9 GBR John Fisher Lotus-Climax 16 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Bruce Halford 1 ITA Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 246156 Ferrari 155 2.4 V6Ferrari D156 1.5 V6 Dunlop FRA Jean Behra 1, 3–4 USA 1959 Phil Hill 1, 3–4, 6–9 GBR Tony Brooks GBR Cliff Allison 1, 3, 6, 8–9 BEL Olivier Gendebien 4, 8 USA 1959 Dan Gurney 4, 6–8 FRG Wolfgang von Trips 9 ITA Scuderia Ugolini Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Dunlop ITA Giorgio Scarlatti 1, 4 NLD Carel Godin de Beaufort 4 MCO Monte Carlo Auto Sport Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Dunlop MCO André Testut 1 GBR David Brown Corporation Aston Martin DBR4 Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6 Avon GBR Roy Salvadori 3, 5, 7–8 USA 1959 Carroll Shelby 3, 5, 7–8 NLD Ecurie Maarsbergen Porsche 718 RSK Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4 Dunlop NLD Carel Godin de Beaufort 3 ITA Scuderia Centro Sud Cooper-Maserati T51 Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Ian Burgess 4–6, 8 GBR Colin Davis 4, 8 FRG Hans Herrmann 5 PRT Mario Araujo de Cabral 7 Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 URY Asdrúbal Fontes Bayardo 4 BRA 1889 Fritz d'Orey 4–5 GBR Vandervell Products Vanwall VW 59 Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Tony Brooks 5 GBR J.B. Naylor JBW-Maserati 59 Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Brian Naylor 5 GBR Ace Garage – Rotherham Cooper-Climax T51 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Trevor Taylor 5 GBR Alan Brown Equipe Cooper-Climax T45 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Mike Taylor 5 GBR Peter Ashdown 5 GBR Gilby Engineering Cooper-Climax T43 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Keith Greene 5 GBR United Racing Stable Cooper-Climax T51 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Bill Moss 5 GBR R.H.H. Parnell Cooper-Climax T51T45 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Henry Taylor 5 GBR Tim Parnell 5 GBR David Fry Fry-Climax F2 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Mike Parkes 5 GBR Dennis Taylor Lotus-Climax 12 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop GBR Dennis Taylor 5 GBR Dorchester Service Station Lotus-Climax 16 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 Dunlop GBR David Piper 5 FRA Jean Behra Behra-Porsche-Porsche RSK Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4 Dunlop FRA Jean Behra 6 CHE Ottorino Volonterio Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Dunlop ITA Giulio Cabianca 8 USA 1959 Leader Cards Inc. Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser Midget Offenhauser 1.7 L4 Firestone USA 1959 Rodger Ward 9 ITA OSCA Automobili Cooper-OSCA T43 OSCA 2.0 L4 Dunlop ARG Alejandro de Tomaso 9 USA 1959 Camoradi USA Tec-Mec-Maserati F415 Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Dunlop BRA 1889 Fritz d'Orey 9 GBR Taylor-Crawley Racing Team Cooper-Climax T45 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Dunlop USA 1959 George Constantine 9 USA 1959 Blanchard Automobile Co. Porsche 718 RSK Porsche 547/3 1.5 F4 Goodyear USA 1959 Harry Blanchard 9 GBR Connaught Cars-Paul Emery Connaught-Alta C Alta GP 2.5 L4 Dunlop USA 1959 Bob Said 9 FRA Ecurie Bleue Cooper-Climax T51 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 Dunlop USA 1959 Harry Schell 9 USA 1959 Phil Cade Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 Dunlop USA 1959 Phil Cade 9 Note: The above list does not reflect competitors in the 1959 Indianapolis 500. Team and driver changes thumb|right|Aston Martin debuted in F1 with average results but no championship points. Vanwall owner Tony Vandervell's health declined, which meant 1958 was their last full season. The team would enter a handful of races in the following years, of which just one in 1959. Ex-driver Stirling Moss moved to Rob Walker Racing Team, racing a private Cooper. Scuderia Ferrari started the season with a fresh line-up: 1958 champion Mike Hawthorn had retired from racing, Wolfgang von Trips moved to the new Porsche works team, and Olivier Gendebien went to focus on sports car and endurance racing. Joining the team were Jean Behra from BRM, Tony Brooks from Vanwall, and Cliff Allison from Lotus. After trying out their mid-engine 1500cc Porsche 550A and Porsche 718 sports cars with closed bodywork in a couple of proper Formula Two races and in the 1957 German Grand Prix that combined F1 and F2, the Porsche works team entered their cars in a proper F1 race despite having no 2500cc engine, just he 1500cc Porsche 547 engine "Fuhrmann" four cylinder. This year, it would only be the Monaco Grand Prix, and in 1960, just the Italian Grand Prix. After that, however, with 1500cc F2 becoming the F1 capacity limit in 1961, they would go for two full-time seasons. Lotus replaced Cliff Allison with Pete Lovely. Cooper signed Masten Gregory to replace Roy Salvadori, who found a part-time seat at the new Aston Martin works team. He was joined by Carroll Shelby, who had made his debut in 1958 as Gregory's teammate at several private Maserati teams. Mid-season changes thumb|right|Jean Behra suffered a fatal accident ahead of the German Grand Prix. After two disappointing results, most notable his failure to qualify for the Monaco Grand Prix, Lotus driver Pete Lovely was sacked and replaced by successful sports car driver Innes Ireland. (After one more attempt in 1960, Lovely would wait until 1969 to make his return with money from his Volkswagen dealership.) Ireland was replaced by Alan Stacey in the British Grand Prix due to illness. After two races, Stirling Moss moved from Rob Walker Racing Team to BRP. After another two races, he moved back. Jean Behra was sacked by Scuderia Ferrari after the French Grand Prix as a result of punching team manager Romolo Tavoni and another patron at a restaurant when a discussion got heated. Behra would race for the works Porsche,https://revsinstitute.org/the-collection/1958-porsche-behra-formula-ii/ 1958 Porsche-Behra Formula 2 - Revs Institute Revs Institute 14 September 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210711174348/https://revsinstitute.org/the-collection/1958-porsche-behra-formula-ii/ 11 July 2021 live in which he had also taken up a managing role. However, he crashed his Porsche 718 RSK in the sports car race that supported the German Grand Prix at Berlin AVUS. His car went over the top of the banked corner and Behra incurred a skull fracture when he struck a flagpole with his head. Porsche withdrew the team for the remainder of the season. During the German Grand Prix, BRP driver Hans Herrmann lost his brakes and had a spectacular crash. He was thrown out and slid along the track while his car somersaulted multiple times. BRP withdrew the team for the remainder of the season. Hermann's teammate Ivor Bueb died when he crashed during a Formula Two race at the Charade Circuit. Cooper driver Masten Gregory missed the last two races because of an accident in another championship. He jumped out of his Jaguar before the impact, but sustained a broken leg and shoulder in his fall. Maserati driver Giorgio Scarlatti substituted for him in the Italian Grand Prix. Calendar Round Grand Prix Circuit Date 1 Monaco Grand Prix MCO Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo 10 May 2 Indianapolis 500 USA 1912 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway 30 MayThe Indianapolis 500 also counted towards the 1959 USAC National Championship Trail, and was run for USAC Championship cars, but did not count towards the International Cup for F1 Manufacturers. 3 Dutch Grand Prix NLD Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort 31 May 4 French Grand Prix FRA Reims-Gueux, Gueux 5 July 5 British Grand Prix GBR Aintree Motor Racing Circuit, Merseyside 18 July 6 German Grand Prix FRG AVUS, Berlin 2 August 7 Portuguese Grand Prix PRT Monsanto Park Circuit, Lisbon 23 August 8 Italian Grand Prix ITA Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza 13 September 9 United States Grand Prix USA Sebring International Raceway, Highlands County, Florida 12 December Calendar changes The United States Grand Prix was organised for the first time: Sebring International Raceway hosted the season finale on 12 December. The British Grand Prix was moved from Silverstone to Aintree, in keeping with the event-sharing arrangement between the two circuits. The German Grand Prix was moved from the Nürburgring to AVUS. The Portuguese Grand Prix was moved from Circuito da Boavista to Monsanto Park Circuit. The Argentine Grand Prix was originally scheduled for 25 January but was cancelled after local heroes Juan Manuel Fangio and Jose Froilan Gonzalez had retired and local interest faded. The Belgian Grand Prix was originally scheduled for 14 June, but it was cancelled due to a dispute over start money. The Moroccan Grand Prix was originally scheduled for 1 October but it was cancelled because of monetary reasons.April 2026 Championship report Rounds 1 to 4 With the Argentine Grand Prix gone, the season began at the latest point in the year since 1952, with the Monaco Grand Prix on 10 May 1959. Jean Behra for Ferrari, Jack Brabham for Cooper and Stirling Moss, driving a Cooper for Rob Walker, were fighting for pole position. It was Moss who set the fastest time in the end, with Behra and Brabham within half a second in second and third. On race day, Behra had the best start and went round the outside of Moss through the first hairpin. The lone works Porsche, driven by Wolfgang von Trips, spun on some oil on the second lap and was collected by three other drivers. The leading trio were nose-to-tail until, on lap 22, Behra's Ferrari developed an oil leak and retired. At half distance, only eight cars were left running, with Moss at a sizeable lead over Brabham and Tony Brooks, third in the championship last year. On lap 81, however, Moss sensed a vibration and visited the pits. Nothing was visibly wrong, so he rejoined in the lead, but later that lap, his transmission failed and his race was over. This left Brabham (Cooper) to claim his first career podium and win, 20 seconds ahead of Brooks (Ferrari) and two laps ahead of veteran racer and last year's Monaco winner Maurice Trintignant (Cooper).https://web.archive.org/web/20220810163007/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1959/51/xvii-grand-prix-of-monaco/ https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/june-1959/51/xvii-grand-prix-of-monaco/ 1959 Monaco Grand Prix race report: Brabham takes his and Cooper's debut win Motorsport Magazine Denis Jenkinson 10 May 1959 10 August 2022 30 April 2024 The Indianapolis 500 saw Rodger Ward take his first of two career victories. There was no overlap between the Indy 500 and F1 drivers. It would be the penultimate year in which the race counted towards the F1 championship. thumb|right|Stirling Moss (front) took the lead of the Dutch Grand Prix from Jo Bonnier (back), but soon after, he retired with mechanical woes, giving the Swede his maiden win. For the Dutch Grand Prix, Jo Bonnier, driving for the BRM works team, clinched his first career pole, ahead of Brabham, who achieved the same lap time but at a later moment, and Moss, two tenths behind. Bonnier held the lead at the start, but lost it on the second lap to seventh-starting Masten Gregory. On lap 12, Gregory's Cooper started jumping out of gear, so Bonnier went by. Brabham inherited second place and then challenged the Swede for the lead, but then had to manage similar problems to his teammate. Aston Martin were making their debut this race, but both cars soon retired with engine failure. Meanwhile, Moss was up to third place and the fastest man on track. He passed Brabham on lap 49 by out-braking him into Tarzan corner and then grabbed the lead on lap 60 when Bonnier was held up by a backmarker. A mere three laps later, however, the Cooper's transmission failed, causing Moss to retire from the lead for the second time in a row. Bonnier scored his first and only career win, ahead of Brabham and Gregory.https://web.archive.org/web/20231209051158/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-1959/55/dutch-grand-prix-a-brm-victory-at-last/ https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/july-1959/55/dutch-grand-prix-a-brm-victory-at-last/ 1959 Dutch Grand Prix race report: Bonnier makes his mark Motorsport Magazine Denis Jenkinson 31 May 1959 9 December 2023 30 April 2024 The French Grand Prix received the honorary title of European Grand Prix and was contested on the public highways around Reims. The Ferrari team entered five cars and their high-speed advantage put three of them on the first two rows of the grid. Pole position was for Brooks, ahead of championship leader Brabham and Ferrari teammate Phil Hill. Fifth-starting Moss, who had moved to the BRP team, passed three cars into the first corner, but was overtaken himself by seventh-starting Gregory. On lap 6, Trintignant, in the surprisingly quick Cooper, was the next driver to grab second place. Gregory retired when he was overcome by the summer heat, which reached 44 C on in the sun. His team then saw that the American's face was cut by the bitumen and stones that were becoming dislodged. Ron Flockhart took a stone to the eye but raced on to take sixth place. Graham Hill retired when one of those rocks went through his radiator. While Trintignant stopped to cool off, Bonnier's engine had seized, but the Swede pushed his car a full kilometer back to the pits. At the front, Brooks was leading Hill and Brabham and that became the order at the finish. Moss got up to second briefly but then retired when his clutch failed. He asked for a push start from bystanders, knowing that it would get him disqualified, but longing for the shade of the garages.https://web.archive.org/web/20220624224826/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/august-1959/36/45th-french-grand-prix-grand-prix-de-europe https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/august-1959/36/45th-french-grand-prix-grand-prix-de-europe/ 1959 French Grand Prix race report: Return of the Red Army Motorsport Magazine Denis Jenkinson 5 July 1959 24 June 2022 30 April 2024 In the Drivers' Championship, Jack Brabham (Cooper) was leading with 19 points, ahead of Tony Brooks (Ferrari) with 14 and Phil Hill (Ferrari) with 9. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Cooper was leading with 18 points, ahead of Ferrari with 16 and BRM with 8. Rounds 5 to 8 The Ferrari team did not compete in the British Grand Prix over labour disputes back in Italy. Tony Brooks borrowed a Vanwall from his old team boss to, at least theoretically, be able to challenge Jack Brabham for the lead in the championship. Brabham took pole position in his Cooper, ahead of Roy Salvadori in the Aston Martin, who set the same time but at a later moment, and Harry Schell in the BRM. Salvadori went down to ninth at the start and Brooks, from his seventeenth starting place, fell even further. Brabham held the lead ahead of Schell and Bonnier. After ten laps, Stirling Moss had gotten up to second place and on lap 25, Bruce McLaren went up to third, and so stayed the order until the finish. McLaren had managed to get side-by-side with Moss and finished two tenths of a second behind.https://web.archive.org/web/20230930095429/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/august-1959/9/12th-british-grand-prix/ https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/august-1959/9/12th-british-grand-prix/ 1959 British Grand Prix race report - A walk-over for British cars Motorsport Magazine Denis Jenkinson 18 July 1959 30 September 2023 30 April 2024 Instead of the traditional Nürburgring, the German Grand Prix was held at the AVUS circuit, which consisted of two Autobahn straights of 3.5 km on, linked together by a hairpin at one end and a 43 degre banked turn at the other.http://www.goldenera.fi/gp3703.htm#15 1937 Grand Prix Season – Part 2 The Golden Era of Grand Prix Racing 2025-01-07 2014-09-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20140924134848/http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gp372.htm#15 dead With fears about tyre safety, the Grand Prix was separated into two heats of one hour, adding the drivers' times together, and streamlining was forbidden by stipulating that all cars had to have the front wheels exposed at all times. In the supporting sports car race, it was the rain that caused peril: three of the leading Porsches crashed out, of which Jean Behra came off worst. His car flew over the banking, his head struck a flagpole and the Frenchman was killed. In a gloomy atmosphere, Brooks took pole position for the Grand Prix, ahead of Moss and Gurney. Fifth-starting Gregory was up to second after the first hairpin and Moss retired soon after with a failing transmission. Championship leader Brabham retired with the same issue. The remaining Coopers and Ferraris seemed equally strong and the lead switch hands multiple times, until the Climax engine broke and Gregory coasted to a standstill. Ferrari was 1-2-3 at the end of the first heat. After a short break to change tyres and mend some damage, nine cars were left to start the second heat. BRP driver Hans Herrmann lost his brakes and had a spectacular crash. He was thrown out and slid along the track while his car somersaulted multiple times. The red cars from Italy showed their dominance, taking an easy victory and completing a victory lap three-abreast. After adding up the heats, Brooks was given the victory, three seconds ahead of Gurney and a minute ahead of Hill.https://web.archive.org/web/20220811025112/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1959/47/the-21st-german-grand-prix https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/september-1959/47/the-21st-german-grand-prix/ 1959 German Grand Prix race report: Maranello masterclass Motorsport Magazine Denis Jenkinson 2 August 1959 11 August 2022 30 April 2024 The Portuguese Grand Prix was run on the much appraised Monsanto road course, and the twisty nature of the track gave the advantage to the lightweight Coopers: Moss qualified on pole, ahead of the two works drivers, Brabham and Gregory, and then came teammate Trintignant. Gurney was the first Ferrari in sixth. Eight-starting McLaren, the third works Cooper driver, joined the leading pack after the first lap. On lap 5, Phil Hill collided with Graham Hill and both retired on the spot. Moss was the fastest man on track, as he had been so many times, and this time, his car held on for him to take the win, a lap ahead of Gregory. Gurney had managed to get by Trintignant to take third. Brabham had crashed heavily on lap 24, but walked away unhurt, and McLaren retired with transmission failure.https://web.archive.org/web/20230405215338/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1959/28/viii-grand-prix-of-portugal-moss-and-cooper-walker/ https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1959/28/viii-grand-prix-of-portugal-moss-and-cooper-walker/ 1959 Portuguese Grand Prix race report: Moss trounces the field Motorsport Magazine Denis Jenkinson 23 August 1959 5 April 2023 30 April 2024 Even at Monza, the track synonymous with speed, the Cooper team was giving home favourite Ferrari a run for their money. Moss took pole, ahead of Brooks and Brabham. Brooks had a bad start and a piston broke, causing him to retire immediately. Moss let fifth-starting Hill by into the lead, to follow the Ferrari and conserve his tyres. Gurney completed the leading trio and positions changed every lap. Moss's plan worked, as Hill and Gurney had to change tyres on lap 33 and 34, so the only remaining fear was for his Cooper to let him down. But it held on, Moss even lapped the Ferrari of Cliff Allison, and took the win, ahead of Hill and Brabham.https://web.archive.org/web/20230405122039/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1959/15/the-xxxth-italian-grand-prix/ https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/october-1959/15/the-xxxth-italian-grand-prix/ 1959 Italian Grand Prix race report: Walker's cunning bests the reds Motorsport Magazine 13 September 1959 5 April 2023 30 April 2024 With one round to go, the Drivers' Championship had seen Jack Brabham (Cooper) in the lead since the beginning. The Australian had gathered 31 points. But Stirling Moss (Cooper) and Tony Brooks had scored two wins, just like Brabham, and were following on 25.5 and 23 points, respectively. In the Manufacturers' Championship, Cooper was leading with 38 points, ahead of Ferrari with 32 and BRM with 18. Round 9 The first United States Grand Prix was held at Sebring International Raceway, combining two runways of the regional airport and a series of technical corners. For the first time since 1951, three drivers were in contention for the title going into the final race. Jack Brabham would be the champion if he won the race. If he would not win, he would at least have to finish ahead of Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks. Meanwhile, Moss had to finish at least second with Brabham behind him. Brooks, because of his eight-point deficit, would simply have to win, while hoping for his rivals' misfortune. Moss took pole position, ahead of Brabham and Harry Schell, making it three Coopers on the front row. Brooks had to pit after the first lap, because his teammate Von Trips had rear-ended him, giving him no more realistic chances for the title. In five laps, Moss achieved a lead of ten seconds over Brabham, before his gearbox packed up and he coasted to a halt. After four years of finishing in second place, he would be denied the championship once again. Brabham and teammate McLaren ran to the finish as a solid duo, although Moss's teammate Trintignant was putting some real pressure on. A mere mile from the finish, drama ensued as Brabham ran out of fuel and McLaren went by to take the win, half a second ahead of Trintignant. With Moss out and Brooks not winning (he would finish third), the championship was sealed, but Brabham wanted to finish strong and started pushing his car towards the line. Five minutes after his teammate, he crossed the line to the cheers of the crowd. He was classified as fourth, as the three remaining runners were still multiple laps behind.https://web.archive.org/web/20230605225004/https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/january-1960/16/the-first-grand-prix-of-the-united-states/ https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/january-1960/16/the-first-grand-prix-of-the-united-states/ 1959 United States Grand Prix race report: Brabham gets it over the line Motorsport Magazine Michael Tee 12 December 1959 5 June 2023 30 April 2024 Jack Brabham, driving for Cooper, won his first Drivers' Championship with 31 points, ahead of Tony Brooks (Ferrari) with 27 and Stirling Moss (Cooper) with 25.5. Cooper won their first Manufacturers' Championship with 40 points, ahead of Ferrari with 32 and BRM with 18. Results and standings Grands Prix Round Grand Prix Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning constructor Tyre Report 1 MCO Monaco Grand Prix GBR Stirling Moss AUS Jack Brabham AUS Jack Brabham GBR Cooper-Climax Dunlop Report 2 USA 1912 Indianapolis 500 USA 1912 Johnny Thomson USA 1912 Johnny Thomson USA 1912 Rodger Ward USA 1912 Watson-Offenhauser Firestone Report 3 NLD Dutch Grand Prix SWE Jo Bonnier GBR Stirling Moss SWE Jo Bonnier GBR BRM Dunlop Report 4 FRA French Grand Prix GBR Tony Brooks GBR Stirling Moss GBR Tony Brooks ITA Ferrari Dunlop Report 5 GBR British Grand Prix AUS Jack Brabham GBR Stirling MossNZL Bruce McLaren AUS Jack Brabham GBR Cooper-Climax Dunlop Report 6 FRG German Grand Prix GBR Tony Brooks GBR Tony Brooks GBR Tony Brooks ITA Ferrari Dunlop Report 7 PRT Portuguese Grand Prix GBR Stirling Moss GBR Stirling Moss GBR Stirling Moss GBR Cooper-Climax Dunlop Report 8 ITA Italian Grand Prix GBR Stirling Moss United States 1959 Phil Hill GBR Stirling Moss GBR Cooper-Climax Dunlop Report 9 USA 1959 United States Grand Prix GBR Stirling Moss FRA Maurice Trintignant NZL Bruce McLaren GBR Cooper-Climax Dunlop Report Scoring system List of Formula One World Championship points scoring systems Points were awarded to the top five classified finishers, with an additional point awarded for setting the fastest lap, regardless of finishing position or even classification. Only the best five results counted towards the championship. No points were awarded for shared drives. If more than one driver set the same fastest lap time, the fastest lap point would be divided equally between the drivers. The International Cup for F1 Manufacturers only counted the points of the highest-finishing driver for each race, although fastest lap points were not counted. Indy 500 results did not count towards the cup. Additionally, like the Drivers' Championship, only the best five results counted towards the cup. Numbers without parentheses are championship points, from the best five results; numbers in parentheses are total points scored. Points were awarded in the following system: Position 1st  2nd  3rd  4th  5th FL Fastest lapRace86432 1Source:18 January 2019 World Championship points systems http://8w.forix.com/6thgear/points.html live https://web.archive.org/web/20190924032459/http://8w.forix.com/6thgear/points.html 24 September 2019 21 December 2020 8W Forix World Drivers' Championship standings Pos. Driver MONMCO 500USA 1912 NEDNLD FRAFRA GBRGBR GERFRG PORPRT ITAITA USAUnited States 1959 Pts.points Only the best 5 results counted towards the championship. Numbers without parentheses are championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored. 1 AUS Jack Brabham 1 f 2 3 1 p Ret Ret 3 (4) 31 (34) 2 GBR Tony Brooks 2 Ret 1 p Ret 1 p f 9 Ret 3 27 3 GBR Stirling Moss Ret p Ret f DSQ f 2 f Ret 1 p f 1 p Ret p 25.5 4 United States 1959 Phil Hill 4 6 2 3 Ret 2 f Ret 20 5 FRA Maurice Trintignant 3 8 11 5 4 4 9 2 f 19 6 NZL Bruce McLaren 5 5 3 f Ret Ret Ret 1 16.5 7 United States 1959 Dan Gurney Ret 2 3 4 13 8 SWE Jo Bonnier Ret 1 p Ret Ret 5 Ret 8 10 9 United States 1959 Masten Gregory Ret 3 Ret 7 Ret 2 10 10 United States 1959 Rodger Ward 1 Ret 8 11 USA 1912 Jim Rathmann 2 6 12 USA 1912 Johnny Thomson 3 p f 5 13 United States 1959 Harry Schell Ret Ret 7 4 7 5 7 Ret 5 14 GBR Innes Ireland 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret 5 5 15 BEL Olivier Gendebien 4 6 3 16 USA 1912 Tony Bettenhausen 4 3 17 GBR Cliff Allison Ret 9 Ret 5 Ret 2 18 FRA Jean Behra Ret 5 Ret DNS 2 19 USA 1912 Paul Goldsmith 5 2 — GBR Roy Salvadori 6 Ret Ret 6 6 Ret Ret 0 — GBR Ron Flockhart Ret 6 Ret 7 13 0 — GBR Ian Burgess Ret Ret 6 14 0 — FRG Wolfgang von Trips Ret DNS 6 0 — USA 1912 Johnny Boyd 6 0 — GBR Graham Hill Ret 7 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret 0 — USA 1912 Duane Carter 7 0 — United States 1959 Harry Blanchard 7 0 — United States 1959 Carroll Shelby Ret Ret 8 10 0 — ITA Giorgio Scarlatti DNQ 8 12 0 — GBR Alan Stacey 8 Ret 0 — USA 1912 Eddie Johnson 8 0 — NLD Carel Godin de Beaufort 10 9 0 — USA 1912 Paul Russo 9 0 — BRA 1889 Fritz d'Orey 10 Ret Ret 0 — USA 1912 A. J. Foyt 10 0 — GBR Chris Bristow 10 0 — PRT Mario de Araujo Cabral 10 0 — GBR Colin Davis Ret 11 0 — USA 1912 Gene Hartley 11 0 — GBR Henry Taylor 11 0 — USA 1912 Bob Veith 12 0 — GBR Peter Ashdown 12 0 — USA 1912 Al Herman 13 0 — GBR Ivor Bueb DNQ 13 0 — USA 1912 Jimmy Daywalt 14 0 — USA 1912 Chuck Arnold 15 0 — ITA Giulio Cabianca 15 0 — USA 1912 Jim McWithey 16 0 — FRG Hans Herrmann Ret Ret 0 — GBR Jack Fairman Ret Ret 0 — GBR Bruce Halford Ret 0 — USA 1912 Eddie Sachs Ret 0 — USA 1912 Al Keller Ret 0 — USA 1912 Pat Flaherty Ret 0 — USA 1912 Dick Rathmann Ret 0 — USA 1912 Bill Cheesbourg Ret 0 — USA 1912 Don Freeland Ret 0 — USA 1912 Ray Crawford Ret 0 — USA 1912 Don Branson Ret 0 — USA 1912 Bob Christie Ret 0 — USA 1912 Bobby Grim Ret 0 — USA 1912 Jack Turner Ret 0 — USA 1912 Chuck Weyant Ret 0 — USA 1912 Jud Larson Ret 0 — USA 1912 Mike Magill Ret 0 — USA 1912 Red Amick Ret 0 — USA 1912 Len Sutton Ret 0 — USA 1912 Jimmy Bryan Ret 0 — GBR Brian Naylor Ret 0 — GBR David Piper Ret 0 — GBR Mike Taylor Ret 0 — ARG Alejandro de Tomaso Ret 0 — United States 1959 George Constantine Ret 0 — United States 1959 Bob Said Ret 0 — BEL Alain de Changy DNQ 0 — BEL Lucien Bianchi DNQ 0 — ITA Maria Teresa de Filippis DNQ 0 — USA 1912 Pete Lovely DNQ 0 — FRA Jean Lucienbonnet DNQ 0 — MCO André Testut DNQ 0 — GBR Bill Moss DNQ 0 — GBR Keith Greene DNQ 0 — GBR Mike Parkes DNQ 0 — GBR Trevor Taylor DNQ 0 — GBR Dennis Taylor DNQ 0 — GBR Tim Parnell DNQ 0 — URY Asdrúbal Fontes Bayardo DNS 0 — United States 1959 Phil Cade DNS 0 Pos. Driver MONMCO 500USA 1912 NEDNLD FRAFRA GBRGBR GERFRG PORPRT ITAITA USAUnited States 1959 Pts. Italics indicates the fastest lap (One point awarded – point shared equally between drivers sharing fastest lap) Bold indicates pole position International Cup for F1 Manufacturers standings Pos. Manufacturer MONMCO NEDNLD FRAFRA GBRGBR GERFRG PORPRT ITAITA USAUSA 1959 Pts.points 1 GBR Cooper-Climax 1 (2) (3) 1 (4) 1 1 1 40 (53) 2 ITA Ferrari 2 (5) 1 1 3 2 (3) 32 (38) 3 GBR BRM Ret 1 6 2 5 5 7 18 4 GBR Lotus-Climax Ret 4 Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret 5 5 — GBR Cooper-Maserati 6 Ret Ret 6 10 11 Ret 0 — GBR Aston Martin Ret 6 6 10 0 — FRG Porsche Ret 10 DNS 7 0 — ITA Maserati DNQ 8 Ret WD WD 15 DNS 0 — GBR Cooper-Borgward 10 0 — GBR JBW-Maserati Ret 0 — GBR Vanwall Ret 0 — United States 1959 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser Ret 0 — GBR Cooper-OSCA Ret 0 — ITA Tec-Mec-Maserati Ret 0 — GBR Connaught-Alta WD Ret 0 — FRA Behra-Porsche-Porsche DNQ DNS 0 — GBR Fry-Climax DNQ 0 Pos. Manufacturer MONMCO NEDNLD FRAFRA GBRGBR GERFRG PORPRT ITAITA USAUSA 1959 Pts. Bold results counted to championship totals. Non-championship races Five Formula One races which did not count towards the World Championship were held in 1959. Race Name Circuit Date Winning driver Constructor Report GBR VII Glover Trophy Goodwood 30 March GBR Stirling Moss GBR Cooper-Climax Report GBR XIV BARC Aintree 200 Aintree 18 April FRA Jean Behra ITA Ferrari Report GBR XI BRDC International Trophy Silverstone 2 May AUS Jack Brabham GBR Cooper-Climax Report GBR VI International Gold Cup Oulton Park 26 September GBR Stirling Moss GBR Cooper-Climax Report GBR IV Silver City Trophy Snetterton 10 October GBR Ron Flockhart GBR BRM Report Notes References Category:Formula One seasons