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The 1954 French Grand Prix was the fourth race of the season. Held again at the Reims-Gueux circuit, it featured the overwhelming return to racing of Mercedes. Silver Arrows drivers Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling finished 1-2, a tenth of a second apart and a lap ahead of the field, while the third driver, Hans Herrmann, recorded the fastest lap before retiring with engine problems. The final spot on the podium was claimed by private Ferrari driver Robert Manzon, but the Scuderia was clearly outclassed this weekend.

Background[]

The Reims circuit had been slightly modified to shortcut the brick roundabout at Thillois. Ferrari was missing Giuseppe Farina, who had crashed heavily while leading in the Mille Miglia. Among his injuries was a broken arm.


Entry list[]

The full entry list for the 1954 French Grand Prix is outlined below:

No. Driver Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Model Tyre
2 Argentina José Froilán González Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 553 Ferrari 554 2.5 L4 P
4 France Maurice Trintignant Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 Ferrari 625 2.5 L4 P
6 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 553 Ferrari 554 2.5 L4 P
8 Italy Giuseppe Farina Italy Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 Ferrari 625 2.5 L4 P
10 Italy Alberto Ascari Italy Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 P
12 Argentina Onofre Marimón Italy Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 P
14 Italy Luigi Villoresi Italy Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 P
16 Argentina Roberto Mieres Argentina Privateer Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 P
18 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio West Germany Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz W196S Mercedes M196 2.5 L8 C
20 West Germany Karl Kling West Germany Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz W196S Mercedes M196 2.5 L8 C
22 West Germany Hans Herrmann West Germany Daimler-Benz AG Mercedes-Benz W196S Mercedes M196 2.5 L8 C
24 France Jean Behra France Equipe Gordini Gordini T16 Gordini 23 2.5 L6 E
26 France Jacques Pollet France Equipe Gordini Gordini T16 Gordini 23 2.5 L6 E
28 Belgium Paul Frère France Equipe Gordini Gordini T16 Gordini 23 2.5 L6 E
30 Belgium Georges Berger France Equipe Gordini Gordini T16 Gordini 23 2.5 L6 E
32 United Kingdom Lance Macklin United Kingdom H&W Motors HWM 53 Alta GP 2.5 L4 D
34 France Robert Manzon France Ecurie Rosier Ferrari 625 Ferrari 625 2.5 L4 P
36 France Louis Rosier France Ecurie Rosier Ferrari 500/625 Ferrari 625 2.5 L4 D
38 Belgium Jacques Swaters Belgium Ecurie Francorchamps Ferrari 500/625 Ferrari 625 2.5 L4 E
40 Italy Sergio Mantovani Italy Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 P
42 United Kingdom Ken Wharton United Kingdom Owen Racing Organisation Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D
44 United Kingdom Roy Salvadori United Kingdom Gilby Engineering Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 D
46 Thailand Prince Bira Thailand Privateer Maserati 250F Maserati 250F1 2.5 L6 P
48 United States Harry Schell United States Privateer Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 P
50 United Kingdom Peter Collins United Kingdom G.A. Vandervell Vanwall Special Vanwall 254 2.5 L4 P

Practice Overview[]

Qualifying Results[]

The full qualifying results for the 1954 French Grand Prix are outlined below:

Pos. No. Driver Constructor Time Gap Ave. Speed
1 18 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio West Germany Mercedes-Benz 2:29.4 200.048 km/h
2 20 West Germany Karl Kling West Germany Mercedes-Benz 2:30.4 +1.0s 198.718 km/h
3 10 Italy Alberto Ascari Italy Maserati 2:30.5 +1.1s 198.586 km/h
4 2 Argentina José Froilán González Italy Ferrari 2:30.6 +1.2s 198.454 km/h
5 12 Argentina Onofre Marimón Italy Maserati 2:31.6 +2.2s 197.145 km/h
6 46 Thailand Prince Bira Thailand Maserati 2:35.1 +5.7s 192.696 km/h
7 22 West Germany Hans Herrmann West Germany Mercedes-Benz 2:35.3 +5.9s 192.448 km/h
8 6 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Italy Ferrari 2:35.6 +6.2s 192.077 km/h
9 4 France Maurice Trintignant Italy Ferrari 2:36.1 +6.7s 191.462 km/h
10 44 United Kingdom Roy Salvadori United Kingdom Maserati 2:36.3 +6.9s 191.217 km/h
11 16 Argentina Roberto Mieres Argentina Maserati 2:38.7 +9.3s 188.325 km/h
12 34 France Robert Manzon France Ferrari 2:42.0 +12.6s 184.489 km/h
13 36 France Louis Rosier France Ferrari 2:42.1 +12.7s 184.375 km/h
14 14 Italy Luigi Villoresi Italy Maserati 2:42.7 +13.3s 183.695 km/h
15 32 United Kingdom Lance Macklin United Kingdom HWM-Alta 2:52.5 +23.1s 173.259 km/h
16 42 United Kingdom Ken Wharton United Kingdom Maserati 3:09.3 +39.9s 157.883 km/h
NC* 24 France Jean Behra France Gordini
NC* 26 France Jacques Pollet France Gordini
NC* 28 Belgium Paul Frère France Gordini
NC* 30 Belgium Georges Berger France Gordini
NC* 48 United States Harry Schell United States Maserati
WD 8 Italy Giuseppe Farina Italy Ferrari Injury
WD 38 Belgium Jacques Swaters Belgium Ferrari Withdrawn
WD 40 Italy Sergio Mantovani Italy Maserati Withdrawn
WD 50 United Kingdom Peter Collins United Kingdom Vanwall Withdrawn
  • Bold indicates a driver's best/qualifying time.
  • * Behra, Pollet, Frère, Berger, and Schell had taken the start at the back of the grid as they did not set their time in practice.

Grid[]

Pos Pos Pos
Driver Driver Driver
______________
______________ 1
______________ 2 Juan Manuel Fangio
3 Karl Kling
Alberto Ascari
______________
______________ 4
5 José Froilán González
Onofre Marimón
______________
______________ 6
______________ 7 Prince Bira
8 Hans Herrmann
Mike Hawthorn
______________
______________ 9
10 Maurice Trintignant
Roy Salvadori
______________
______________ 11
______________ 12 Roberto Mieres
13 Robert Manzon
Louis Rosier
______________
______________ 14
15 Luigi Villoresi
Lance Macklin
______________
______________ 16
______________ 17 Ken Wharton
18 Jean Behra
Jacques Pollet
______________
______________ 19
20 Paul Frère
Georges Berger
______________
______________ 21
______________ 22 Harry Schell
23

Race[]

Results[]

Pos No Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
1 18 Argentina Juan Manuel Fangio Germany Mercedes 61 2:42:47.9 1 8
2 20 Germany Karl Kling Germany Mercedes 61 + 0.1 2 6
3 34 France Robert Manzon Italy Ferrari 60 + 1 Lap 12 4
4 46 Thailand Prince Bira Italy Maserati 60 + 1 Lap 6 3
5 14 Italy Luigi Villoresi Italy Maserati 58 + 3 Laps 14 2
6 24 France Jean Behra France Gordini 56 + 5 Laps 17  
Ret 28 Belgium Paul Frère France Gordini 50 Axle 19  
Ret 4 France Maurice Trintignant Italy Ferrari 36 Engine 9  
Ret 36 France Louis Rosier Italy Ferrari 27 Engine 13  
Ret 12 Argentina Onofre Marimón Italy Maserati 27 Gearbox 5  
Ret 16 Argentina Roberto Mieres Italy Maserati 24 Engine 11  
Ret 42 United Kingdom Ken Wharton Italy Maserati 19 Transmission 16  
Ret 48 United States Harry Schell Italy Maserati 19 Fuel Pump 21  
Ret 22 Germany Hans Herrmann Germany Mercedes 16 Engine 7 1
Ret 44 United Kingdom Roy Salvadori Italy Maserati 15 Half Shaft 10  
Ret 2 Argentina José Froilán González Italy Ferrari 13 Engine 4  
Ret 32 United Kingdom Lance Macklin United Kingdom HWM-Alta 10 Engine 15  
Ret 30 Belgium Georges Berger France Gordini 9 Engine 20  
Ret 6 United Kingdom Mike Hawthorn Italy Ferrari 9 Engine 8  
Ret 26 France Jacques Pollet France Gordini 8 Engine 18  
Ret 10 Italy Alberto Ascari Italy Maserati 1 Transmission 3  
Source: [1]

Milestones[]

  • First races for Karl Kling, Jacques Pollet and Continental Tire.
  • First modern race for Mercedes.
  • First victory for Mercedes, Continental and a non-Italian constructor.

Standings after race[]

References[]


V T E France French Grand Prix
Circuits Le Mans (1906, 1921, 1929)
Dieppe (1907-1908, 1912)
Amiens (1913)
Lyon (1914, 1924)
Strasbourg (1922)
Tours (1923)
Montlhéry (1925, 1927, 1931, 1933-1937)
Reims-Gueux (1932, 1938-1939, 1948–1951, 1953–1954, 1956, 1958–1961, 1963, 1966)
Lyon-Parilly (1947)
Rouen-Les-Essarts (1952, 1957, 1962, 1964, 1968)
Charade Circuit (1965, 1969–1970, 1972)
Bugatti Circuit (1967)
Circuit Paul Ricard (1971, 1973, 1975–1976, 1978, 1980, 1982–1983, 1985–1990, 2018–2019, 2021-2022)
Dijon-Prenois (1974, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1984)
Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours (1991–2008)
PR Screen Shot 2017-03-23 at 12.15.31 AM
Races 195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009–201720182019202020212022
European Championship Races 193119321933–193719381939
Non-Championship Races 1906190719081909–19111912191319141915–192019211922192319241925192619271928192919301931–1932193319341935193619371938–1946194719481949
V T E 1954 Formula One Season
Constructors Connaught • Cooper • Ferrari • Gordini • HWM • Klenk • Lancia • Maserati • Mercedes-Benz • Vanwall
Engines Alta • BMW • Bristol • Ferrari • Gordini • Lancia • Lea-Francis • Maserati • Mercedes • Vanwall
Drivers Ascari • Bayol • Beauman • Behra • Berger • Bertocchi • Bira • Brandon • Brown • Bucci • Collins • Daponte • Fangio • Farina • Flockhart • Frère • Gerard • Godia-Sales • J. F. González • Gould • de Graffenried • Hawthorn • Helfrich • Herrmann • Kling • Lang • Loyer • Macklin • Maglioli • Mantovani • Marr • Manzon • Marimón • Menditeguy • Mieres • S. Moss • Musso • Nuckey • Parnell • Pilette • Pollet • Riseley-Prichard • de Riu • Rosier • Salvadori • Schell • Swaters • Taruffi • Thorne • Trintignant • Villoresi • Volonterio • Wacker • Wharton • Whitehead • Whitehouse
Cars Connaught A • Cooper T23 • Cooper T24 • Ferrari 500 • Ferrari 553 • Ferrari 625 • Gordini T16 • HWM 53 • Klenk Meteor  • Lancia D50  • Maserati 250F • Maserati A6GCM • Mercedes-Benz W196 • Vanwall Special
Tyres Avon • Continental • Dunlop • Englebert • Pirelli
Races Argentina • Indianapolis • Belgium • France • Britain • Germany • Switzerland • Italy • Spain
See also 1953 Formula One Season • 1955 Formula One Season • Category
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