1959 British Grand Prix

The 1959 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Aintree Circuit on 18 July 1959. It was race 5 of 9 in the 1959 World Championship of Drivers and race 4 of 8 in the 1959 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. It was the 14th British Grand Prix and the third to be held at the Aintree Motor Racing Circuit, a circuit mapped out in the grounds of the Aintree Racecourse horse racing venue. The race was held over 75 laps of the four kilometre circuit for a race distance of 362 kilometres.

1959 British Grand Prix
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Race details
Date 18 July 1959
Official name 12th RAC British Grand Prix
Location Aintree Circuit, Liverpool, England
Course Permanent road course
Course length 4.828 km (3.000 miles)
Distance 75 laps, 362.10 km (225.00 miles)
Weather Dry and sunny.
Pole position
Driver Cooper-Climax
Time 1:58.0
Fastest lap
Drivers United Kingdom Stirling Moss (lap 69) BRM
Fastest lap New Zealand Bruce McLaren (lap 75) Cooper-Climax
Time 1:57.0
Podium
First Cooper-Climax
Second BRM
Third Cooper-Climax
Lap leaders

The race was won by Australian Jack Brabham taking his second Grand Prix victory in a works Cooper T51. Brabham dominated the race, leading all 75 laps to win by 22 seconds over British driver Stirling Moss driving a British Racing Partnership entered BRM P25. It was the first time a BRP entry finished in the top three. Brabham's Cooper Car Company teammate, New Zealander Bruce McLaren finished in third place, just 0.2 seconds behind Moss, having lost second place late in the race. Harry Schell finished fourth for the Owen Racing Organisation BRM team a lap behind Brabham.

The British Grand Prix had the biggest entry of the season outside the Indianapolis 500 with 30 cars competing and 24 starting the race, all despite the absence of Ferrari. Strikes in Italy trapped the team at home,[1] leaving the British teams to fight over the race. Ferrari's new lead driver Tony Brooks was given a release and started the race in a Vanwall but was the first to retire with misfire after 13 laps having started in a lowly 17th after winning the French Grand Prix a few weeks earlier.

The win saw Brabham expand his points lead over Brooks to 13 points. Moss and McLaren moved into fourth place just half a point behind the absent Phil Hill.

On the last lap of this race, McLaren became the youngest driver to set a fastest lap in Formula One, aged 21 years and 322 days. It was another 44 years before Fernando Alonso relieved him of that achievement with fastest lap in the 2003 Canadian Grand Prix. He was a day younger aged 21 years and 321 days.

The BRP-entered BRM P25 which Stirling Moss drove to second place in the 1959 British Grand Prix, BRP's first podium finish.

Classification

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Qualifying

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Pos No Driver Constructor Time Gap
1 12   Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax 1:58.0
2 2   Roy Salvadori Aston Martin 1:58.0 +0.0
3 8   Harry Schell BRM 1:59.2 +1.2
4 18   Maurice Trintignant Cooper-Climax 1:59.2 +1.2
5 14   Masten Gregory Cooper-Climax 1:59.4 +1.4
6 4   Carroll Shelby Aston Martin 1:59.6 +1.6
7 6   Stirling Moss BRM 1:59.6 +1.6
8 16   Bruce McLaren Cooper-Climax 1:59.6 +1.6
9 28   Graham Hill Lotus-Climax 2:00.0 +2.0
10 10   Jo Bonnier BRM 2:00.0 +2.0
11 42   Ron Flockhart BRM 2:00.2 +2.2
12 30   Alan Stacey Lotus-Climax 2:02.8 +4.8
13 22   Ian Burgess Cooper-Maserati 2:03.0 +5.0
14 36   Brian Naylor JBW-Maserati 2:03.0 +5.0
15 38   Jack Fairman Cooper-Climax 2:04.2 +6.2
16 48   Chris Bristow Cooper-Borgward 2:04.4 +6.4
17 20   Tony Brooks Vanwall 2:04.6 +6.6
18 46   Ivor Bueb Cooper-Borgward 2:04.8 +6.8
19 24   Hans Herrmann Cooper-Maserati 2:05.6 +7.6
20 40   Fritz d'Orey Maserati 2:05.6 +7.6
21 58   Henry Taylor Cooper-Climax 2:05.6 +7.6
22 64   David Piper Lotus-Climax 2:06.0 +8.0
23 52   Peter Ashdown Cooper-Climax 2:06.2 +8.2
24 50   Mike Taylor Cooper-Climax 2:07.0 +9.0
DNQ 56   Bill Moss Cooper-Climax 2:07.2 +9.2
DNQ 60   Mike Parkes Fry-Climax 2:07.6 +9.6
DNQ 44   Trevor Taylor Cooper-Climax 2:08.2 +10.2
DNQ 54   Keith Greene Cooper-Climax 2:09.8 +11.6
DNQ 62   Dennis Taylor Lotus-Climax
DNQ 66   Tim Parnell Cooper-Climax
Source:[2]

Race

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Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 12   Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax 75 2:30:11.6 1 8
2 6   Stirling Moss BRM 75 + 22.2 7 6.51
3 16   Bruce McLaren Cooper-Climax 75 + 22.4 8 4.51
4 8   Harry Schell BRM 74 + 1 Lap 3 3
5 18   Maurice Trintignant Cooper-Climax 74 + 1 Lap 4 2
6 2   Roy Salvadori Aston Martin 74 + 1 Lap 2  
7 14   Masten Gregory Cooper-Climax 73 + 2 Laps 5  
8 30   Alan Stacey Lotus-Climax 71 + 4 Laps 12  
9 28   Graham Hill Lotus-Climax 70 + 5 Laps 9  
10 48   Chris Bristow Cooper-Borgward 70 + 5 Laps 16  
11 58   Henry Taylor Cooper-Climax 69 + 6 Laps 21  
12 52   Peter Ashdown Cooper-Climax 69 + 6 Laps 23  
13 46   Ivor Bueb Cooper-Borgward 69 + 6 Laps 18  
Ret 4   Carroll Shelby Aston Martin 69 Ignition 6  
Ret 40   Fritz d'Orey Maserati 57 Accident 20  
Ret 42   Ron Flockhart BRM 53 Spun Off 11  
Ret 38   Jack Fairman Cooper-Climax 39 Gearbox 15  
Ret 10   Jo Bonnier BRM 37 Brakes 10  
Ret 22   Ian Burgess Cooper-Maserati 31 Transmission 13  
Ret 24   Hans Herrmann Cooper-Maserati 21 Gearbox 19  
Ret 64   David Piper Lotus-Climax 19 Overheating 22  
Ret 36   Brian Naylor JBW-Maserati 18 Transmission 14  
Ret 50   Mike Taylor Cooper-Climax 17 Transmission 24  
Ret 20   Tony Brooks Vanwall 13 Ignition 17  
DNQ 54   Keith Greene Cooper-Climax        
DNQ 56   Bill Moss Cooper-Climax        
DNQ 60   Mike Parkes Fry-Climax        
DNQ 62   Dennis Taylor Lotus-Climax        
DNQ 44   Trevor Taylor Cooper-Climax        
DNQ 66   Tim Parnell Cooper-Climax        
Source:[3]
Notes
  • ^1 – Includes 0.5 points for shared fastest lap

Notes

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  • This race marked the first Formula One World Championship Grand Prix pole position for Jack Brabham and for an Australian driver.
  • This was Bruce McLaren's first fastest lap and podium finish. It also marked the first Formula One World Championship fastest lap and podium finish for a New Zealand driver.

Championship standings after the race

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  • Notes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.

References

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  1. ^ Hope-Frost, Henry. "Top 12: Ferrari‑free Grands Prix". www.goodwood.com. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  2. ^ "1959 British GP Qualification". www.chicanef1.com. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  3. ^ "1959 British Grand Prix". formula1.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Britain 1959 - Championship • STATS F1". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
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