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1959 FIA Formula One World Championship season
Previous: 1958 Next: 1960
Index: Races by country | Races by season

The 1959 Formula One season included the 10th FIA Formula One World Championship season, which commenced on May 10, 1959, and ended on December 12 after nine races. Jack Brabham won the title in a sport still reeling from the tragic loss of several drivers, including reigning champion Mike Hawthorn.

Jack Brabham became the first Australian World Champion.

Season summary[]

Vanwall's withdrawal, believed to have been a result of the high mortality rate of the 1958 season, left Ferrari as the only race-winning team in the Championship. However, the British dominance continued with Cooper's revolutionary rear-engined cars. Powered by the compact Coventry-Climax 2.5 litre engine, the Coopers driven by Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss and Bruce McLaren won five races and BRM finally won one in the hands of Jo Bonnier.

Aston Martin also appeared with a car which, in the face of Cooper's rear-engined revolution, was outdated and overweight. The German Grand Prix was held for the second time on the very high speed AVUS circuit, where Ferrari's Jean Behra was killed during an unrelated sports car race.

Ferrari's Tony Brooks took the fight to the Coopers and going into the final race he, Moss or Brabham could win the title. Moss retired from the race, the inaugural United States Grand Prix, giving Brabham the lead. Brabham ran out of fuel on the last lap but pushed his car across the line to finish fourth. With Brooks unable to do better than third Brabham became the first Australian World Champion while Cooper won the Constructors crown.

Season review[]

Rnd Race Circuit Date Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Constructor Tyre Report
1 25px Monaco Monaco Grand Prix Monaco May 10 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px Australia Jack Brabham 25px Australia Jack Brabham 25px UK Cooper-Climax D Report
2 25px United States Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis May 30 25px United States Johnny Thomson 25px United States Johnny Thomson 25px United States Rodger Ward 25px United States Watson-Offenhauser F Report
3 25px Netherlands Dutch Grand Prix Zandvoort May 31 25px Sweden Jo Bonnier 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px Sweden Jo Bonnier 25px UK BRM D Report
4 25px France French Grand Prix Reims July 5 25px UK Tony Brooks 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px UK Tony Brooks 25px Italy Ferrari D Report
5 25px UK British Grand Prix Aintree July 18 25px Australia Jack Brabham 25px UK Stirling Moss
25px New Zealand Bruce McLaren
25px Australia Jack Brabham 25px UK Cooper-Climax D Report
6 25px Germany German Grand Prix AVUS August 2 25px UK Tony Brooks 25px UK Tony Brooks 25px UK Tony Brooks 25px Italy Ferrari D Report
7 25px The flag of Portugal Portuguese Grand Prix Monsanto Park August 23 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px UK Cooper-Climax D Report
8 25px Italy Italian Grand Prix Monza September 13 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px United States Phil Hill 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px UK Cooper-Climax D Report
9 25px United States United States Grand Prix Sebring December 12 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px France Maurice Trintignant 25px New Zealand Bruce McLaren 25px UK Cooper-Climax D Report

Teams and drivers[]

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1959 FIA World Championship.

Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre Driver Rounds
25px Italy Maria Teresa de Filippis Behra-Porsche RSK Porsche 547/6 1.5 F4 D 25px Italy Maria Teresa de Filippis 1
25px West Germany Dr Ing F. Porsche KG Porsche 718 RSK
718/2
Porsche 547/6 1.5 F4 D 25px West Germany Wolfgang von Trips 1, 6
25px Belgium Equipe Nationale Belge Cooper T51 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Belgium Lucien Bianchi 1
25px Belgium Alain de Changy 1
25px France Jean Lucienbonnet Cooper T45 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px France Jean Lucienbonnet 1
25px Great Britain Owen Racing
Organisation
BRM P25 BRM P25 2.5 L4 D 25px USA Harry Schell 1, 3–8
25px Sweden Jo Bonnier 1, 3–8
25px Great Britain Ron Flockhart 1, 4–5, 7–8
25px Great Britain Cooper Car Company Cooper T51 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 D 25px New Zealand Bruce McLaren 1, 4–9
25px Australia Jack Brabham 1, 3–9
25px USA Masten Gregory 1, 3–7
25px Italy Giorgio Scarlatti 8
25px Great Britain R.R.C. Walker
Racing Team
Cooper T51 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Stirling Moss 1, 3, 6–9
25px France Maurice Trintignant 1, 3–9
25px Great Britain British Racing Partnership Cooper
BRM
T51
P25
Climax FPF 1.5 L4
BRM P25 2.5 L4
Borgward 1500 RS 1.5 L4
D 25px UK Ivor Bueb 1, 5
25px Great Britain Stirling Moss 4–5
25px Great Britain Chris Bristow 5
25px West Germany Hans Herrmann 6
25px Great Britain High Efficiency Motors Cooper T45 Maserati 250S 2.5 L4
Climax FPF 2.5 L4
D 25px Great Britain Roy Salvadori 1, 4, 9
25px Great Britain Jack Fairman 5, 8
25px Great Britain Team Lotus Lotus 16 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Graham Hill 1, 3–8
25px USA Pete Lovely 1
25px Great Britain Innes Ireland 3–4, 6–9
25px Great Britain Alan Stacey 5, 9
25px Great Britain John Fisher Lotus 16 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Bruce Halford 1
25px Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 246
156
Ferrari 155 2.4 V6
Ferrari D156 1.5 V6
D 25px France Jean Behra 1, 3–4
25px USA Phil Hill 1, 3–4, 6–9
25px Great Britain Tony Brooks 1, 3–4, 6–9
25px Great Britain Cliff Allison 1, 3, 6, 8–9
25px Belgium Olivier Gendebien 4, 8
25px USA Dan Gurney 4, 6–8
25px West Germany Wolfgang von Trips 9
25px Italy Scuderia Ugolini Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D 25px Italy Giorgio Scarlatti 1, 4
25px Netherlands Carel Godin de Beaufort 4
25px Monaco Monte Carlo Auto Sport Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D 25px Monaco André Testut 1
25px Great Britain David Brown Corporation Aston Martin DBR4 Aston Martin RB6 2.5 L6 A 25px Great Britain Roy Salvadori 3, 5, 7–8
25px USA Carroll Shelby 3, 5, 7–8
25px Netherlands Ecurie Maarsbergen Porsche 718 RSK Porsche 547/6 1.5 F4 D 25px Netherlands Carel Godin de Beaufort 3
25px Italy Scuderia Centro Sud Cooper
Maserati
T51
250F
Maserati 250S 2.5 L4
Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6
D 25px Great Britain Ian Burgess 4–6, 8
25px Great Britain Colin Davis 4, 8
25px Template:Country alias URU Asdrúbal Fontes Bayardo 4
25px Brazil Fritz d'Orey 4–5
25px West Germany Hans Herrmann 5
POR Mario Araujo de Cabral 7
25px Great Britain Vandervell Products Vanwall VW 59 Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Tony Brooks 5
25px Great Britain J.B. Naylor JBW 59 Maserati 250S 2.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Brian Naylor 5
25px Great Britain Ace Garage – Rotherham Cooper T51 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Trevor Taylor 5
25px Great Britain Alan Brown Equipe Cooper T45 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Mike Taylor 5
25px UK Peter Ashdown 5
25px Great Britain Gilby Engineering Cooper T45 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Keith Greene 5
25px Great Britain United Racing Stable Cooper T51 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Bill Moss 5
25px Great Britain R.H.H. Parnell Cooper T51
T45
Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Henry Taylor 5
25px Great Britain Tim Parnell 5
25px Great Britain David Fry Fry F2 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Mike Parkes 5
25px Great Britain Dennis Taylor Lotus 12 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain Dennis Taylor 5
25px Great Britain Dorchester Service Station Lotus 16 Climax FPF 1.5 L4 D 25px Great Britain David Piper 5
25px France Jean Behra Behra-Porsche RSK Porsche 547/6 1.5 F4 D 25px France Jean Behra 6
25px Switzerland Ottorino Volonterio Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D 25px Italy Giulio Cabianca 8
25px USA Leader Cards Inc. Kurtis Kraft Midget Offenhauser 1.7 L4 ? 25px USA Rodger Ward 9
25px Italy OSCA Automobili Cooper T43 OSCA 2.0 L4 D 25px Argentina Alejandro de Tomaso 9
25px USA Camoradi USA Tec-Mec F415 Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D 25px Brazil Fritz d'Orey 9
25px Great Britain Taylor-Crawley Racing Team Cooper T51 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 D 25px USA George Constantine 9
25px USA Blanchard Automobile Co. Porsche 718 RSK Porsche 547/6 1.5 F4 ? 25px USA Harry Blanchard 9
25px Great Britain Connaught Cars-Paul Emery Connaught C Alta GP 2.5 L4 D 25px USA Bob Said 9
25px France Ecurie Bleue Cooper T51 Climax FPF 2.5 L4 D 25px USA Harry Schell 9
25px USA Phil Cade Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D 25px USA Phil Cade 9

1959 Drivers Championship final standings[]

Pos. Driver MON
25px Monaco
500
25px United States
NED
25px Netherlands
FRA
25px France
GBR
25px UK
GER
25px Germany
POR
25px The flag of Portugal
ITA
25px Italy
USA
25px United States
Pts.[1]
1 25px Australia Jack Brabham 1 2 3 1 Ret Ret 3 4 31 (34)
2 25px UK Tony Brooks 2 Ret 1 Ret 1 9 Ret 3 27
3 25px UK Stirling Moss Ret Ret DSQ 2 Ret 1 1 Ret 25.5
4 25px United States Phil Hill 4 6 2 3 Ret 2 Ret 20
5 25px France Maurice Trintignant 3 8 11 5 4 4 9 2 19
6 25px New Zealand Bruce McLaren 5 5 3 Ret Ret Ret 1 16.5
7 25px United States Dan Gurney Ret 2 3 4 13
8 25px Sweden Joakim Bonnier Ret 1 Ret Ret 5 Ret 8 10
9 25px United States Masten Gregory Ret 3 Ret 7 Ret 2 10
10 25px United States Rodger Ward 1 Ret 8
11 25px United States Jim Rathmann 2 6
12 25px United States Johnny Thomson 3 5
13 25px United States Harry Schell Ret Ret 7 4 7 5 7 Ret 5
14 25px UK Innes Ireland 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret 5 5
15 25px Belgium Olivier Gendebien 4 6 3
16 25px United States Tony Bettenhausen 4 3
17 25px UK Cliff Allison Ret 9 Ret 5 Ret 2
18 25px France Jean Behra Ret 5 Ret 2
19 25px United States Paul Goldsmith 5 2
25px UK Roy Salvadori 6 Ret Ret 6 6 Ret Ret 0
25px UK Ron Flockhart Ret 6 Ret 7 13 0
25px UK Ian Burgess Ret Ret 6 14 0
25px Germany Wolfgang von Trips Ret 6 0
25px United States Johnny Boyd 6 0
25px UK Graham Hill Ret 7 Ret 9 Ret Ret Ret 0
25px United States Duane Carter 7 0
25px United States Harry Blanchard 7 0
25px United States Carroll Shelby Ret Ret 8 10 0
25px Italy Giorgio Scarlatti DNQ 8 12 0
25px UK Alan Stacey 8 Ret 0
25px United States Eddie Johnson 8 0
25px Netherlands Carel Godin de Beaufort 10 9 0
25px United States Paul Russo 9 0
25px Brazil Fritz d'Orey 10 Ret Ret 0
25px United States A. J. Foyt 10 0
25px UK Chris Bristow 10 0
25px The flag of Portugal Mario de Araujo Cabral 10 0
25px UK Colin Davis Ret 11 0
25px United States Gene Hartley 11 0
25px UK Henry Taylor 11 0
25px United States Bob Veith 12 0
25px UK Peter Ashdown 12 0
25px United States Al Herman 13 0
25px UK Ivor Bueb DNQ 13 0
25px United States Jimmy Daywalt 14 0
25px United States Chuck Arnold 15 0
25px Italy Giulio Cabianca 15 0
25px United States Jim McWithey 16 0
25px Germany Hans Herrmann Ret Ret 0
25px UK Jack Fairman Ret Ret 0
25px UK Bruce Halford Ret 0
25px United States Eddie Sachs Ret 0
25px United States Al Keller Ret 0
25px United States Dick Rathmann Ret 0
25px United States Bill Cheesbourg Ret 0
25px United States Don Freeland Ret 0
25px United States Ray Crawford Ret 0
25px United States Don Branson Ret 0
25px United States Bob Christie Ret 0
25px United States Bobby Grim Ret 0
25px United States Jack Turner Ret 0
25px United States Jud Larson Ret 0
25px United States Jimmy Bryan Ret 0
25px United States Red Amick Ret 0
25px United States Len Sutton Ret 0
25px United States Pat Flaherty Ret 0
25px United States Mike Magill Ret 0
25px United States Chuck Weyant Ret 0
25px UK Brian Naylor Ret 0
25px UK David Piper Ret 0
25px UK Mike Taylor Ret 0
25px Argentina Alessandro de Tomaso Ret 0
25px United States George Constantine Ret 0
25px United States Bob Said Ret 0
25px Belgium Alain de Changy DNQ 0
25px Belgium Lucien Bianchi DNQ 0
25px Italy Maria Teresa de Filippis DNQ 0
25px United States Pete Lovely DNQ 0
25px France Jean Lucienbonnet DNQ 0
25px Monaco André Testut DNQ 0
25px UK Bill Moss DNQ 0
25px UK Keith Greene DNQ 0
25px UK Mike Parkes DNQ 0
25px UK Trevor Taylor DNQ 0
25px UK Dennis Taylor DNQ 0
25px UK Tim Parnell DNQ 0
25px Template:Country alias Uruguay Azdrubal Fontes DNS 0
25px United States Phil Cade DNS 0
Pos. Driver MON
25px Monaco
500
25px United States
NED
25px Netherlands
FRA
25px France
GBR
25px UK
GER
25px Germany
POR
25px The flag of Portugal
ITA
25px Italy
USA
25px United States
Pts.
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish, inc. non-classified finish
Purple Did not finish (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Light blue Practiced only (PO)
Friday test driver (TD) - 2003-2007 only
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Injured or ill (Inj)
Excluded (EX)
Did not arrive (DNA)


  • Italics indicate fastest lap (1 point awarded – point shared equally between drivers sharing fastest lap)
  • Bold indicates pole position

1959 Constructors Championship final standings[]

Points were awarded on an 8-6-4-3-2 basis to the first five finishers at each race. However a manufacturer only received points for its highest placed car and only the best five results from the eight races were retained.

Pos. Manufacturer MON
25px Monaco
NED
25px Netherlands
FRA
25px France
GBR
25px UK
GER
25px Germany
POR
25px The flag of Portugal
ITA
25px Italy
USA
25px USA
Pts.[1]
1 25px Great Britain Cooper-Climax 1 2 3 1 4 1 1 1 40 (53)
2 25px Italy Ferrari 2 5 1 1 3 2 3 32 (38)
3 25px Great Britain BRM Ret 1 6 2 5 5 7 18
4 25px Great Britain Lotus-Climax Ret 4 Ret 8 Ret Ret Ret 5 5
25px Great Britain Cooper-Maserati 6 Ret Ret 6 10 11 Ret 0
25px Great Britain Aston Martin Ret 6 6 10 0
25px West Germany Porsche Ret 10 DNS 7 0
25px Italy Maserati DNQ 8 Ret WD WD 15 DNS 0
25px Great Britain Cooper-Borgward 10 0
25px Great Britain JBW-Maserati Ret 0
25px Great Britain Vanwall Ret 0
25px United States Kurtis Kraft-Offy Ret 0
25px Great Britain Cooper-OSCA Ret 0
25px Italy Tec-Mec-Maserati Ret 0
25px Great Britain Connaught-Alta WD Ret 0
25px Great Britain Fry-Climax DNQ 0
Pos. Manufacturer MON
25px Monaco
NED
25px Netherlands
FRA
25px France
GBR
25px UK
GER
25px Germany
POR
25px The flag of Portugal
ITA
25px Italy
USA
25px USA
Pts.
  • Bold results counted to championship totals.

Non-Championship race results[]

Other Formula One races also held in 1959, which did not count towards the World Championship.

Race Name Circuit Date Winning driver Constructor Report
25px UK VII Glover Trophy Goodwood March 30 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px UK Cooper-Climax Report
25px UK XIV BARC Aintree 200 Aintree April 18 25px France Jean Behra 25px Italy Ferrari Report
25px UK XI BRDC International Trophy Silverstone May 2 25px Australia Jack Brabham 25px UK Cooper-Climax Report
25px UK VI International Gold Cup Oulton Park September 26 25px UK Stirling Moss 25px UK Cooper-Climax Report
25px UK IV Silver City Trophy Snetterton October 10 25px UK Ron Flockhart 25px UK BRM Report

Notes[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Only the best 5 results counted towards the Championship. Numbers without parentheses are Championship points; numbers in parentheses are total points scored.
Formula One World Championship seasons

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Smallwikipedialogo.png This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at 1959 Formula One season. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Autopedia, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


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