1953 British Grand Prix: Full Weekend Report & Highlights

Italian dominance, courtesy of Ferrari and Maserati, was anticipated at Silverstone for the 1953 British Grand Prix, and the race unfolded as expected.

Season: 1953 F1 World Championship
Race date: 18 July 1953
Circuit: Silverstone Circuit
Laps: 90
Circuit length: 4.7105 km (2.927 miles)

Alberto Ascari seized the lead from the start and maintained his position throughout, never once being challenged. He would go on to win the Drivers’ title that year.

Juan Manuel Fangio finished second for the Maserati team and Ascari’s teammate Nino Farina came in third.

Qualifying

OS.	NO.	DRIVER	TEAM	TIME
1	5	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	1:48.000
2	24	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	Maserati	1:49.000
3	8	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	1:49.000
4	23	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	1:50.000
5	6	Nino Farina	Ferrari	1:50.000
6	7	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	1:51.000
7	26	Onofre Marimon	Maserati	1:51.000
8	29	Maurice Trintignant	Gordini	1:52.000
9	28	Harry Schell	Gordini	1:52.000
10	14	Tony Rolt	Connaught Lea Francis	1:54.000
11	16	Ken Wharton	Cooper Bristol	1:54.000
12	1	Lance Macklin	HWM Alta	1:57.000
13	11	Kenneth McAlpine	Connaught Lea Francis	1:57.000
14	20	Peter Whitehead	Cooper Alta	1:57.000
15	18	Jimmy Stewart	Cooper Bristol	1:58.000
16	25	Felice Bonetto	Maserati	1:58.000
17	3	Duncan Hamilton	HWM Alta	2:02.000
18	17	Bob Gerard	Cooper Bristol	2:02.000
19	10	Prince Bira	Connaught Lea Francis	2:04.000
20	15	Ian Stewart	Cooper Bristol	2:04.000
21	19	Alan Brown	Cooper Bristol	2:04.000
22	30	Jean Behra	Gordini	2:04.000
23	2	Peter Collins	HWM Alta	2:06.000
24	9	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	2:07.000
25	22	Tony Crook	Cooper Bristol	2:07.000
26	31	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	2:09.000
27	4	Jack Fairman	HWM Alta	2:32.000
28	12	Roy Salvadori	Connaught Lea Francis

1953 British Grand Starting Grid

OS.	NO.	DRIVER	TEAM	TIME
1	5	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	1:48.000
2	24	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	Maserati	1:49.000
3	8	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	1:49.000
4	23	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	1:50.000
5	6	Nino Farina	Ferrari	1:50.000
6	7	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	1:51.000
7	26	Onofre Marimon	Maserati	1:51.000
8	29	Maurice Trintignant	Gordini	1:52.000
9	28	Harry Schell	Gordini	1:52.000
10	14	Tony Rolt	Connaught Lea Francis	1:54.000
11	16	Ken Wharton	Cooper Bristol	1:54.000
12	1	Lance Macklin	HWM Alta	1:57.000
13	11	Kenneth McAlpine	Connaught Lea Francis	1:57.000
14	20	Peter Whitehead	Cooper Alta	1:57.000
15	18	Jimmy Stewart	Cooper Bristol	1:58.000
16	25	Felice Bonetto	Maserati	1:58.000
17	3	Duncan Hamilton	HWM Alta	2:02.000
18	17	Bob Gerard	Cooper Bristol	2:02.000
19	10	Prince Bira	Connaught Lea Francis	2:04.000
20	15	Ian Stewart	Cooper Bristol	2:04.000
21	19	Alan Brown	Cooper Bristol	2:04.000
22	30	Jean Behra	Gordini	2:04.000
23	2	Peter Collins	HWM Alta	2:06.000
24	9	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	2:07.000
25	22	Tony Crook	Cooper Bristol	2:07.000
26	31	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	2:09.000
27	4	Jack Fairman	HWM Alta	2:32.000
28	12	Roy Salvadori	Connaught Lea Francis

1953 British Grand Race Results

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Laps	Time/retired	Pts
1	5	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	90	2:50:00.000	8.5
2	23	Juan Manuel Fangio	Maserati	90	+60.000s	6
3	6	Nino Farina	Ferrari	88	+2 laps	4
4	24	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	Maserati	88	+2 laps	3.5
5	8	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	87	+3 laps	2
6	25	Felice Bonetto	Maserati	82	+8 laps	0
7	10	Prince Bira	Connaught Lea Francis	82	+8 laps	0
8	16	Ken Wharton	Cooper Bristol	80	+10 laps	0
NC	18	Jimmy Stewart	Cooper Bristol	79	DNF	0
9	20	Peter Whitehead	Cooper Alta	79	+11 laps	0
10	9	Louis Rosier	Ferrari	78	+12 laps	0
NC	14	Tony Rolt	Connaught Lea Francis	71	DNF	0
NC	7	Luigi Villoresi	Ferrari	67	DNF	0
NC	26	Onofre Marimon	Maserati	67	DNF	0
NC	2	Peter Collins	HWM Alta	56	DNF	0
NC	19	Alan Brown	Cooper Bristol	56	DNF	0
NC	4	Jack Fairman	HWM Alta	54	DNF	0
NC	12	Roy Salvadori	Connaught Lea Francis	50	DNF	0
NC	31	Toulo de Graffenried	Maserati	34	DNF	0
NC	1	Lance Macklin	HWM Alta	31	DNF	0
NC	30	Jean Behra	Gordini	30	DNF	0
NC	15	Ian Stewart	Connaught Lea Francis	26	DNF	0
NC	29	Maurice Trintignant	Gordini	15	DNF	0
NC	3	Duncan Hamilton	HWM Alta	14	DNF	0
NC	17	Bob Gerard	Cooper Bristol	8	DNF	0
NC	28	Harry Schell	Gordini	5	DNF	0
NC	22	Tony Crook	Cooper Bristol	0	DNF	0
NC	11	Kenneth McAlpine	Connaught Lea Francis	0	DNF	0

1953 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Alberto Ascari	33.5 (36.5)
2	Mike Hawthorn	16
3	Jose Froilan Gonzalez	13.5 (14.5)
4	Luigi Villoresi	13
5	Juan Manuel Fangio	13

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Ben is a staff writer specialising in F1 from the 1990s to the modern era. Ben has been following Formula 1 since 1986 and is an avid researcher who loves understanding the technology that makes it one of the most exciting motorsport on the planet. He listens to podcasts about F1 on a daily basis, and enjoys reading books from the inspirational Adrian Newey to former F1 drivers.