1953 British Grand Prix
# 1953 British Grand Prix

The 1953 British Grand Prix was a Formula Two motor race held on 18 July 1953 at Silverstone Circuit. It was race 6 of 9 in the 1953 World Championship of Drivers, which was run to Formula Two rules in 1952 and 1953, rather than the Formula One regulations normally used. The 90-lap race was won by Ferrari driver Alberto Ascari after he started from pole position. Juan Manuel Fangio finished second for the Maserati team and Ascari's teammate Nino Farina came in third.

## Background

The Ferrari and Maserati lineup was unchanged from the French Grand Prix. Initially three Cooper Mk IIs were entered for Peter Whitehead, Tony Crook and Stirling Moss. However, due to Moss's retirement at the French Grand Prix his car had to be withdrawn.

## Classification

### Qualifying

| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 5 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | 1:48.0 | — |
| 2 | 24 | José Froilán González | Maserati | 1:49.0 | + 1.0 |
| 3 | 8 | Mike Hawthorn | Ferrari | 1:49.2 | + 1.2 |
| 4 | 23 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati | 1:50.0 | + 2.0 |
| 5 | 6 | Nino Farina | Ferrari | 1:50.5 | + 2.5 |
| 6 | 7 | Luigi Villoresi | Ferrari | 1:51.0 | + 3.0 |
| 7 | 26 | Onofre Marimón | Maserati | 1:51.3 | + 3.3 |
| 8 | 29 | Maurice Trintignant | Gordini | 1:52.0 | + 4.0 |
| 9 | 28 | Harry Schell | Gordini | 1:52.0 | + 4.0 |
| 10 | 14 | Tony Rolt | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 1:54.0 | + 6.0 |
| 11 | 16 | Ken Wharton | Cooper-Bristol | 1:54.0 | + 6.0 |
| 12 | 1 | Lance Macklin | HWM-Alta | 1:57.0 | + 9.0 |
| 13 | 11 | Kenneth McAlpine | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 1:57.6 | + 9.6 |
| 14 | 20 | Peter Whitehead | Cooper-Alta | 1:57.8 | + 9.8 |
| 15 | 18 | Jimmy Stewart | Cooper-Bristol | 1:58.0 | + 10.0 |
| 16 | 25 | Felice Bonetto | Maserati | 1:58.2 | + 10.2 |
| 17 | 3 | Duncan Hamilton | HWM-Alta | 2:02.0 | + 14.0 |
| 18 | 17 | Bob Gerard | Cooper-Bristol | 2:02.0 | + 14.0 |
| 19 | 10 | Prince Bira | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 2:04.0 | + 16.0 |
| 20 | 15 | Ian Stewart | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 2:04.0 | + 16.0 |
| 21 | 19 | Alan Brown | Cooper-Bristol | 2:04.0 | + 16.0 |
| 22 | 30 | Jean Behra | Gordini | 2:04.0 | + 16.0 |
| 23 | 2 | Peter Collins | HWM-Alta | 2:05.0 | + 17.0 |
| 24 | 9 | Louis Rosier | Ferrari | 2:07.0 | + 19.0 |
| 25 | 22 | Tony Crook | Cooper-Bristol | 2:07.4 | + 19.4 |
| 26 | 31 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati | 2:08.0 | + 20.0 |
| 27 | 4 | Jack Fairman | HWM-Alta | 2:08.4 | + 20.4 |
| 28 | 12 | Roy Salvadori | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 2:09.0 | + 21.0 |
| 29 | 27 | Louis Chiron | OSCA | No time | — |
| Source: ||||||

### Race

| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 5 | Alberto Ascari | Ferrari | 90 | 2:50:00 | 1 | 8.5 |
| 2 | 23 | Juan Manuel Fangio | Maserati | 90 | + 1:00 | 4 | 6 |
| 3 | 6 | Nino Farina | Ferrari | 88 | + 2 Laps | 5 | 4 |
| 4 | 24 | José Froilán González | Maserati | 88 | + 2 Laps | 2 | 3.5 |
| 5 | 8 | Mike Hawthorn | Ferrari | 87 | + 3 Laps | 3 | 2 |
| 6 | 25 | Felice Bonetto | Maserati | 82 | + 8 Laps | 16 | |
| 7 | 10 | Prince Bira | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 82 | + 8 Laps | 19 | |
| 8 | 16 | Ken Wharton | Cooper-Bristol | 80 | + 10 Laps | 11 | |
| 9 | 20 | Peter Whitehead | Cooper-Alta | 79 | + 11 Laps | 14 | |
| 10 | 9 | Louis Rosier | Ferrari | 78 | + 12 Laps | 24 | |
| Ret | 18 | Jimmy Stewart | Cooper-Bristol | 79 | Spun off | 15 | |
| Ret | 14 | Tony Rolt | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 70 | Halfshaft | 10 | |
| Ret | 7 | Luigi Villoresi | Ferrari | 65 | Axle | 6 | |
| Ret | 26 | Onofre Marimón | Maserati | 65 | Engine | 7 | |
| Ret | 19 | Alan Brown | Cooper-Bristol | 56 | Overheating | 21 | |
| Ret | 2 | Peter Collins | HWM-Alta | 56 | Spun off | 23 | |
| Ret | 4 | Jack Fairman | HWM-Alta | 54 | Clutch | 27 | |
| Ret | 12 | Roy Salvadori | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 50 | Wheel | 28 | |
| Ret | 31 | Toulo de Graffenried | Maserati | 34 | Clutch | 26 | |
| Ret | 1 | Lance Macklin | HWM-Alta | 31 | Clutch | 12 | |
| Ret | 30 | Jean Behra | Gordini | 30 | Fuel Pump | 22 | |
| Ret | 15 | Ian Stewart | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 24 | Ignition | 20 | |
| Ret | 29 | Maurice Trintignant | Gordini | 14 | Axle | 8 | |
| Ret | 3 | Duncan Hamilton | HWM-Alta | 14 | Clutch | 17 | |
| Ret | 17 | Bob Gerard | Cooper-Bristol | 8 | Suspension | 18 | |
| Ret | 28 | Harry Schell | Gordini | 5 | Electrical | 9 | |
| Ret | 11 | Kenneth McAlpine | Connaught-Lea-Francis | 0 | Retirement | 13 | |
| Ret | 22 | Tony Crook | Cooper-Bristol | 0 | Fuel System | 25 | |
| DNS | 27 | Louis Chiron | OSCA | 0 | Did not start | | |
| Source: ||||||||

**Notes**

* ^1 – Includes 0.5 points for shared fastest lap

## Championship standings after the race

### Drivers' Championship standings

| | Pos | Driver | Points |
| - | - | - | - |
| | 1 | Alberto Ascari | 33.5 (36.5) |
| | 2 | Mike Hawthorn | 16 |
| 1 | 3 | José Froilán González | 13.5 (14.5) |
| 1 | 4 | Luigi Villoresi | 13 |
| 2 | 5 | Juan Manuel Fangio | 13 |
| Source: ||||

* Note: Only the top five positions are included. Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.
