1954 Grand Prix of Argentina

 1954 Grand Prix of Argentina

Racing data
1st of 9 races of the 1954 Automobile World Championship
Surname:	II Gran Premio de la Republica Argentina
Date:	17th January 1954
Place:	Buenos Aires
Course:	Buenos Aires
Length:	340.344 km in 87 laps of 3.912 km
Weather:	sunny, later rain
Pole position
Driver:	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari
Time:	1: 44.8 min
Fastest lap
Driver:	José Froilán González	Ferrari
Time:	1: 48.2 min
Podium
First:	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati
Second:	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari
Third:	José Froilán González	Ferrari

The 1954 Argentine Grand Prix took place on January 17th in the Autódromo 17 de Octubre near Buenos Aires . It was the first of nine races in the 1954 World Cup .

background

The 1954 drivers' world championship was once again held according to the rules of Formula 1, which brought numerous innovations with it. Naturally aspirated engines with a displacement of 2500 cm ³ or supercharged engines with 750 cm ³ were now permitted . However, nobody made use of the latter solution. It was not until 1977 that Renault started using turbocharged engines in Formula 1.

There were two important changes among the drivers. Juan Manuel Fangio was supposed to drive the new Mercedes racing cars, which, however, were not finished until the French Grand Prix . That was how long Fangio drove for Maserati . Alberto Ascari , the reigning world champion, had fallen out with Ferrari and signed on to the newly founded Lancia team . These vehicles were only ready for the last race in Spain . Until then he had also sporadically driven a Maserati.

Only three factory teams competed in this first race of the season. Maserati made the new 250F available to Fangio and Marimón , Musso and Bira drove last year's A6GCM , albeit with a 2.5-liter engine. Ferrari was with four vehicles of the type 625 represented by Farina , Hawthorn , Gonzalez and Maglioli were controlled. It was more or less a Ferrari 500 from the previous year, which was equipped with a 2.5-liter engine adapted to the rules. The Maserati were inferior to the Ferrari in top speed, but their road holding was superior to the Ferrari. In addition to Behra and Bayol, Gordini sent debutant Roger Loyer into the race, who contested his only race in the drivers' world championship here.

training

The training was dominated by Ferrari. Only Fangio could keep up with his new Maserati and take third place on the grid. Pole position went to Farina, who was a tenth of a second faster than González.

run

Farina used his pole position and immediately took the lead in front of Fangio and Hawthorn. González was fourth, but overtook Hawthorn on lap 5 and Fangio on lap 8 and took the lead after 15 laps past Farina. He held the lead until lap 32, when suddenly rain set in and he spun on the slippery road and dropped back to fourth place. Farina stopped at the pits to get a rain visor. Hawthorn was in front, but also spun and had to let Fangio take the lead, who drove deliberately in the rain. When the rain stopped for a moment and the track dried up, the Ferrari drivers were able to fight their way past Fangio again, but only until the rain started again and they lost their motor skills. Fangio passed them again. Hawthorn spun again and was disqualified for seeking outside help. The same thing happened to Behra further back. By the 61st lap the rain had increased so much that Fangio headed for the pits to have rain tires fitted. Ferrari racing director Ugolini then protested to the race management because allegedly more than the allowed three mechanics were taking care of Fangio. He was so sure of his cause that he signaled the two leading drivers Farina and González to slow down. Fangio caught up again and passed them both and crossed the finish line as the winner. The Ferrari protest was dismissed.

Registration list

team	No.	driver	chassis	engine	tires
Officine Alfieri Maserati	2	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati 250F	Maserati 2.5 L6	P
	4th	Onofre Marimón
	6th	Luigi Musso	Maserati A6GCM
	8th	Birabongse Bira
Scuderia Ferrari	10	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari 625	Ferrari 2.5 L4	P
	12	José Froilán González
	14th	Mike Hawthorn
	16	Umberto Maglioli
Equipe Gordini	18th	Jean Behra	Gordini T16 (1954)	Gordini 2.5 L6	E.
	20th	Elie Bayol
	22nd	Roger Loyer
Ecurie Rosier	24	Louis Rosier	Ferrari 500	Ferrari 2.5 L4	D.
	26th	Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari 625		P
Team Harry Schell	28	Harry Schell	Maserati A6GCM	Maserati 2.5 L6	P
Equipe de Graffenried	30th	Emmanuel de Graffenried	Maserati A6GCM	Maserati 2.5 L6	P
Team Robert Mieres	32	Roberto Mieres	Maserati A6GCM	Maserati 2.5 L6	P
Team Jorge Daponte	34	Jorge Daponte	Maserati A6GCM	Maserati 2.5 L6	P
Team Onofre Marimon	36	Carlos Menditeguy	Maserati A6GCM	Maserati 2.5 L6	P

Starting grid

Item	Start no.	driver	constructor	time	km / h	Starting row
1	10	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari	1: 44.800	134.38	1R
2	12	José Froilán González	Ferrari	1: 44,900	134.25	1RM
3	2	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	1: 45.700	133.24	1LM
4th	14th	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	1: 47,000	131.62	1L
5	26th	Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari	1: 47.700	130.76	2R
6th	4th	Onofre Marimón	Maserati	1: 47.700	130.76	2M
8th	32	Roberto Mieres	Maserati	1: 49,000	129.20	3R
9	8th	Birabongse Bira	Maserati	1: 49.300	128.85	3RM
10	28	Harry Schell	Maserati	1: 50,000	128.03	3LM
11	16	Umberto Maglioli	Ferrari	1: 50.200	127.80	3L
12	30th	Emmanuel de Graffenried	Maserati	1: 51,000	126.88	4R
13	24	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	1: 51.600	126.19	4M
14th	20th	Elie Bayol	Gordini	1: 52.600	125.07	4L
15th	22nd	Roger Loyer	Gordini	1: 52.600	125.07	5RM
16	18th	Jean Behra	Gordini	1: 53,000	124.63	5LM
17th	34	Jorge Daponte	Maserati	1: 56.700	120.68	5L
DNS	6th	Luigi Musso	Maserati	1: 48,200	130.16
DNS	36	Carlos Menditeguy	Maserati	1: 49.200	128.97

run

Item	driver	constructor	Round	time	km / h	Residue	failure	Fastest lap
1.	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	87	3: 00: 55,800	112.86
2.	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari	87	3: 02: 14,800	112.05	+1: 19 min
3.	José Froilán González	Ferrari	87	3: 02: 56.800	111.62	+2: 01 min		1: 48,200
4th	Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari	86	3: 01: 40.800	111.11	+1 lap
5.	Elie Bayol	Gordini	85	3: 02: 45,900	109.16	+2 rounds
6th	Harry Schell	Maserati	84	3: 02: 21,800	108.12	+3 rounds
7th	Birabongse Bira	Maserati	83	3: 02: 20.800	106.84	+4 rounds
8th.	Emmanuel de Graffenried	Maserati	83	3: 02: 41,400	106.64	+4 rounds
9.	Umberto Maglioli	Ferrari	82	3: 02: 05,900	105.70	+5 laps
DSQ	Jean Behra	Gordini	61				disqualified
DSQ	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	52				disqualified
DNF	Onofre Marimón	Maserati	48				engine
DNF	Roberto Mieres	Maserati	37				engine
DNF	Roger Loyer	Gordini	19th				engine
DNF	Jorge Daponte	Maserati	19th				transmission
DNF	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	2				accident

World Cup stand after the race

In 1954, points were awarded according to the following scheme:

1st place	place 2	place 3	4th place	5th place	Fastest lap
8th	6th	4th	3	2	1

• Only the five best results from nine races counted. Deleted results are shown in brackets.
• The numbers marked with * include the point for the fastest lap.
• Fields marked in the same color indicate shared vehicles.

Item	driver	constructor										Points
1.	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	8th									8th
2.	Giuseppe Farina	Ferrari	6th									6th
3.	José Froilán González	Ferrari	5 *									5
4th	Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari	3									3
5.	Elie Bayol	Gordini	2									2

Remarks

1. ↑ In Internationaler Motorsport , Jahrbuch 1954, edited by ADAC and AvD, the description of the course of the race deviates in some places from the report here in the article. After that, for example, the order after the start was: Farina, Fangio, Gonzáles, Hawthorn. Hawthorn passed Gonzáles on lap four.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ David Hodges: Racing Cars. Motorbuchverlag, Stuttgart 1990, ISBN 3-613-01477-7 , p. 95.
2. ^ Stirling Moss: Fangio. Heel Verlag, Königswinter 1991, ISBN 3-89365-236-1 , p. 103.
3. ↑ Unless otherwise stated based on: Mike Lang: Grand Prix 1950 - 1965. Haynes Publishing Group, Sparkford Sommerset 1981, ISBN 0-85429-276-4 , p. 69. (Eng.)