DataGrange Motorsport

1955 Championship

J.M. Fangio-ARG 41, S. Moss-GBR 23, E. Castellotti-ITA 12.
Fangio earns his third drivers’ championship, setting him atop the tables as the all-time career leader (Ascari).

Putative Constructors’ Championship
Daimler Benz AG 79, Scuderia Ferrari 34, Officine Alfieri Maserati 22. Daimler Benz earns its maiden constructors’ championship, finally dethroning the mighty Ferrari, yet the June disaster at Le Mans with driver Pierre Levegh prompts the werks to withdraw from international motor sport (eight career F1 victories).

Fangio stands atop the tables with his eighteenth career P1 grid position and seventeenth career Grand Prix victory.

Longtime Italian driving ace Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina retires from Grand Prix racing at season end.

The Fabulous Mercedes 196 W Silver Arrow

The New Mercedes Entries Turn Formula 1 Upon Its Head at Reims in 1954.

1954 RACE 4
Reims, France

4 July, Forty-First Grand Prix de l’Automobile Club de France
Reims-Gueux

P1 Grid: J.M. Fangio, ARG, Mercedes 196W 2.5 liter fuel injection inline eight. Continental (12th, career).

K. Kling (Mercedes) wins the start.
Fangio (Mercedes) assumes the lead with a pass on Lap 3.
Kling assumes the lead with a pass on Lap 29.
Fangio assumes the lead with a pass on Lap 34.
Kling assumes the lead with a pass on Lap 38.
Fangio assumes the lead with a pass on Lap 39.
Kling assumes the lead with a pass on Lap 54.
Fangio assumes the lead with a pass on Lap 58.
Kling assumes the lead with a pass on Lap 60.
Fangio assumes the lead with a pass on Lap 61 (final lap) and drives on to victory.

Reims marks the racing debut of Daimler-Mercedes’ now legendary 196W Silver Arrows in Type Monza (aluminum body) trim under the trusting hands of Juan Manuel Fangio, a defector from Maserati, and a set of German drivers. The Mercedes easily prove out as the class of the field as Fangio and teammate Karl Kling dominate the contest in a glorious side by side duel on the venerable French circuit. After a breathtaking yet still mechanical exchange of P1 between the two drivers across the afternoon, Daimler orders Kling on the final lap to cede the battle to Fangio for the victory.

1. Fangio, ARG, Mercedes 196W 2.5 liter fuel injection inline eight. Continental (10th, career).
2. Kling, GER, Mercedes, -0.1 sec (parade result).
3. R. Manzon, FRA, Ecurie Rosier-Ferrari.

Constructor Victor: Daimler Benz-Mercedes (maiden).
Engine Victor: Mercedes (maiden).

Championship
J.M. Fangio-ARG 25, M. Trintignant-FRA 9, W. Vukovich-USA 8.

Scuderia Ferrari 20, Officine Alfieri Maserati 19, Kurtis Kraft 18.