1955 Italian Grand Prix: F1 Race, Qualifying & Winners

Juan Manuel Fangio closed the 1955 season with victory in the Italian Grand Prix, leading Taruffi home for Mercedes. Monza‘s newly combined road-and-banking circuit demanded major technical adjustments, and tyre concerns prevented Ferrari‘s newly acquired Lancias from starting.

Result	Driver / Time	Team
Pole position	Juan Manuel Fangio	Mercedes
Pole time	2:46.500
Fastest lap	Stirling Moss	Mercedes
Fastest-lap time	2:46.900 on lap 21
First	Juan Manuel Fangio	Mercedes
Second	Piero Taruffi	Mercedes
Third	Eugenio Castellotti	Ferrari

Weekend Schedule

Date	Session	Local Time
8 September 1955	Thursday banking familiarisation	Start time unconfirmed
9 September 1955	Friday timed practice	Start time unconfirmed
10 September 1955	Saturday final qualifying	Start time unconfirmed
11 September 1955	Race	Start time unconfirmed

All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.

Championship background

Juan Manuel Fangio arrived at round 7 leading the 1955 F1 World Championship on 33 points, with Stirling Moss on 22.

Race entries

Ferrari entered the Lancia D50s it had taken over as well as its own Super Squalo cars. Mercedes brought both streamlined and open-wheel machinery, and Maserati tried a streamlined 250F. Vanwall and Gordini also attended, with the new eight-cylinder Gordini making its championship appearance.

Thursday banking familiarisation

The opening period was restricted to the banking so drivers could learn its unusual demands. Farina survived a high-speed tyre failure, while many cars grounded over the bumps and needed suspension changes. Mercedes decided longer chassis handled better and arranged an urgent delivery from Stuttgart. The session exposed serious tyre and durability concerns before full-circuit qualifying began.

Friday timed practice

The complete ten-kilometre circuit opened for grid-setting laps. Fangio led the way, with Kling also quick and the Lancias showing strong pace. Moss waited for a preferred long-chassis car. Maserati evaluated its streamlined bodywork, while Mercedes experimented further with nose shapes to improve stability on the banking.

Saturday final qualifying

Heavy morning rain led to an afternoon extension. Moss’s replacement car had arrived and he improved, but Fangio’s earlier time secured pole. Vanwall adopted larger wheels to reduce tyre risk. Another warning sign on Farina’s tyre reinforced Ferrari‘s concern, and the Lancias were ultimately withdrawn; Castellotti switched to a Super Squalo for the race.

Qualifying Classification

Thursday’s banking-only running was familiarisation. Friday and Saturday laps on the full combined circuit established the grid. Castellotti retained a starting place after changing from the withdrawn Lancia to Ferrari machinery.

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Best Time
1	18	Juan Manuel Fangio	Mercedes	2:46.500
2	16	Stirling Moss	Mercedes	2:46.8
3	20	Karl Kling	Mercedes	2:48.3
4	4	Eugenio Castellotti	Ferrari	2:49.6
5	2	Nino Farina	Lancia	2:49.9
6	36	Jean Behra	Maserati	2:50.1
7	28	Roberto Mieres	Maserati	2:51.1
8	10	Luigi Villoresi	Lancia	2:51.6
9	14	Piero Taruffi	Mercedes	2:51.8
10	30	Luigi Musso	Maserati	2:52.1
11	32	Peter Collins	Maserati	2:55.3
12	12	Umberto Maglioli	Ferrari	2:55.4
13	42	Harry Schell	Vanwall	2:55.5
14	6	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	2:56.2
15	8	Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari	2:56.3
16	34	Carlos Menditeguy	Maserati	2:58.4
17	44	Ken Wharton	Vanwall	2:59.5
18	22	Hermano da Silva Ramos	Gordini	2:59.8
19	26	Jacques Pollet	Gordini	2:59.9
20	40	John Fitch	Maserati	3:03.1
21	38	Horace Gould	Maserati	3:05.2
22	24	Jean Lucas	Gordini	3:15.9
DNS	46	Luigi Piotti	Arzani-Volpini	No time

What happened in the 1955 Italian Grand Prix?

Mercedes established control immediately, with Castellotti working hard to stay close. The banking and sustained speeds steadily exposed weaknesses elsewhere in the field. Moss and Kling eventually retired, leaving Fangio and Taruffi to complete the team’s challenge.

Fangio remained ahead, while Castellotti brought Ferrari home third. Behra finished fourth and Mieres fifth for Maserati. Moss retained the fastest-lap point despite his retirement, but could not add another victory to his Aintree success.

Fangio had already secured the championship after the cancellation of other rounds. Monza supplied a winning finale before Mercedes withdrew from Grand Prix racing, ending a dominant two-season campaign. The new circuit layout had produced an imposing spectacle and substantial engineering concerns.

After the race, Juan Manuel Fangio headed the drivers’ standings with 40 points, followed by Stirling Moss on 23.

1955 Italian Grand Prix race results

The 1955 Italian Grand Prix was held on 11 September 1955.

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time / Retired	Pts.
1	18	Juan Manuel Fangio	Mercedes	50	2:25:04.4	8
2	14	Piero Taruffi	Mercedes	50	+0.7	6
3	4	Eugenio Castellotti	Ferrari	50	+46.2	4
4	36	Jean Behra	Maserati	50	+3:57.5	3
5	34	Carlos Menditeguy	Maserati	49	+1 Lap	2
6	12	Umberto Maglioli	Ferrari	49	+1 Lap	0
7	28	Roberto Mieres	Maserati	48	+2 Laps	0
8	8	Maurice Trintignant	Ferrari	47	+3 Laps	0
9	40	John Fitch	Maserati	46	+4 Laps	0
10	6	Mike Hawthorn	Ferrari	38	Gearbox	0
Ret	20	Karl Kling	Mercedes	32	Gearbox	0
Ret	30	Luigi Musso	Maserati	31	Gearbox	0
Ret	38	Horace Gould	Maserati	31	Suspension	0
Ret	16	Stirling Moss	Mercedes	27	Engine	1
Ret	26	Jacques Pollet	Gordini	26	Engine	0
Ret	22	Hermano da Silva Ramos	Gordini	23	Fuel System	0
Ret	32	Peter Collins	Maserati	22	Suspension	0
Ret	42	Harry Schell	Vanwall	7	Suspension	0
Ret	24	Jean Lucas	Gordini	7	Engine	0
Ret	44	Ken Wharton	Vanwall	0	Injection	0
DNS	2	Nino Farina	Lancia		Tyre	0
DNS	10	Luigi Villoresi	Lancia		Tyre	0
DNS	46	Luigi Piotti	Arzani-Volpini		Engine	0

1 point for fastest lap

1955 Italian Grand Prix Fastest Laps

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Lap	Time
1	16	Stirling Moss	Mercedes	21	2:46.900

Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. One championship point was awarded for fastest lap, divided equally when shared.

1955 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings

Championship standings after the 1955 Italian Grand Prix.

1955 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings

POS	Driver	Nationality	Car	PTS
1	Juan Manuel Fangio	Argentine	Mercedes	40
2	Stirling Moss	British	Mercedes	23
3	Eugenio Castellotti	Italian	Lancia / Ferrari	12
4	Maurice Trintignant	French	Ferrari	11 1/3
5	Nino Farina	Italian	Ferrari	10 1/3
6	Piero Taruffi	Italian	Ferrari / Mercedes	9
7	Bob Sweikert	American	Kurtis Kraft	8
8	Roberto Mieres	Argentine	Maserati	7
9	Jean Behra	French	Maserati	6
10	Luigi Musso	Italian	Maserati	6
11	Karl Kling	German	Mercedes	5
12	Jimmy Davies	American	Kurtis Kraft	4
13	Tony Bettenhausen	American	Kurtis Kraft	3
14	Paul Russo	American	Kurtis Kraft	3
15	Paul Frère	Belgian	Ferrari	3
16	Johnny Thomson	American	Kuzma	3
17	José Froilán González	Argentine	Ferrari	2
18	Cesare Perdisa	Italian	Maserati	2
19	Carlos Menditeguy	Argentine	Maserati	2
20	Luigi Villoresi	Italian	Lancia / Ferrari	2
21	Umberto Maglioli	Italian	Ferrari	1 1/3
22	Hans Herrmann	German	Mercedes	1
23	Walt Faulkner	American	Kurtis Kraft	1
24	Bill Homeier	American	Kurtis Kraft	1
25	Bill Vukovich	American	Kurtis Kraft	1
—	Mike Hawthorn	British	Vanwall / Ferrari	0
—	Harry Schell	American	Maserati / Ferrari / Vanwall	0
—	Louis Chiron	Monegasque	Lancia	0
—	Andy Linden	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Jacques Pollet	French	Gordini	0
—	Sergio Mantovani	Italian	Maserati	0
—	Al Herman	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Mike Sparken	French	Gordini	0
—	Hermano da Silva Ramos	Brazilian	Gordini	0
—	Pat O'Connor	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Lance Macklin	British	Maserati	0
—	Louis Rosier	French	Maserati	0
—	Ken Wharton	British	Vanwall	0
—	Jimmy Daywalt	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	John Fitch	American	Maserati	0
—	Pat Flaherty	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Johnny Claes	Belgian	Maserati / Ferrari	0
—	Duane Carter	American	Kuzma	0
—	Chuck Weyant	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Eddie Johnson	American	Trevis	0
—	Jim Rathmann	American	Epperly	0
—	Clemar Bucci	Argentine	Maserati	0
—	Jesús Iglesias	Argentine	Gordini	0
—	Alberto Ascari	Italian	Lancia	0
—	Jack Brabham	Australian	Cooper	0
—	Horace Gould	British	Maserati	0
—	Robert Manzon	French	Gordini	0
—	Kenneth McAlpine	British	Connaught	0
—	Élie Bayol	French	Gordini	0
—	Peter Collins	British	Maserati	0
—	Alberto Uria	Uruguayan	Maserati	0
—	Don Freeland	American	Phillips	0
—	Peter Walker	British	Maserati / Connaught	0
—	Cal Niday	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Roy Salvadori	British	Maserati	0
—	André Simon	French	Mercedes / Maserati	0
—	Art Cross	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Shorty Templeman	American	Trevis	0
—	Sam Hanks	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Tony Rolt	British	Connaught	0
—	Jean Lucas	French	Gordini	0
—	Pablo Birger	Argentine	Gordini	0
—	Keith Andrews	American	Schroeder	0
—	Leslie Marr	British	Connaught	0
—	Johnnie Parsons	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Eddie Russo	American	Pawl	0
—	Ray Crawford	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Luigi Piotti	Italian	Arzani-Volpini	0
—	Jimmy Bryan	American	Kuzma	0
—	Jack Fairman	British	Connaught	0
—	Jack McGrath	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Al Keller	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Rodger Ward	American	Kuzma	0
—	Johnny Boyd	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Ed Elisian	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Jerry Hoyt	American	Stevens	0
—	Fred Agabashian	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Jimmy Reece	American	Pankratz	0

There was no constructors’ championship in this season; the manufacturers’ competition began in 1958.

Drivers counted their best 5 results. The first five places earned 8–6–4–3–2 points, with one further point for fastest lap, shared equally when necessary. Points from shared drives were divided between the eligible drivers; individual allocations are shown in driver order.

1955 Formula 1 Race Calendar

Round	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date
1	1955 Argentine Grand Prix	Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires	16 January
2	1955 Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo	22 May
3	1955 Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Indiana	30 May
4	1955 Belgian Grand Prix	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot	5 June
5	1955 Dutch Grand Prix	Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort	19 June
6	1955 British Grand Prix	Aintree Motor Racing Circuit, Liverpool	16 July
7	1955 Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza	11 September