The 1952 Formula One season was the sixth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. The 3rd World Championship of Drivers—contested over eight races between 18 May and 7 September 1952—was to be held under F1 regulations, but the national clubs chose to run their championship events as Formula Two races out of fear for a smaller number of entrants. The Indianapolis 500 continued to be run under the formula dictated by the Contest Board of the American Automobile Association.Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, 1995, page 12 The season also included several non-championship races for both F1 and F2 cars.
The World Drivers' Championship was won by Alberto Ascari driving for Scuderia Ferrari. The Italian won six out of the seven races he entered.
The 1951 champion Juan Manuel Fangio was unable to defend his title, having been injured in the non-championship Monza Grand Prix early in the season.
Neither British driver nor British constructor won a championship round. This would not happen again until .
Teams and drivers The following teams and drivers competed in the 1952 FIA World Championship of Drivers. The list does not include those that contested only the Indianapolis 500.
Entrant Constructor Chassis Engine Tyre Driver Rounds AFM AFM-Küchen AFM Küchen 2.0 V8 Hans Stuck 1 Toni Ulmen Veritas Meteor Veritas 2.0 L6 Toni Ulmen 1, 6 Équipe Gordini Gordini 1616S15 Gordini 20 2.0 L6Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 Jean Behra 1, 3–4, 6–8 Robert Manzon 1, 3–8 Birabongse Bhanudej 1, 3–5 Johnny Claes 3 Maurice Trintignant 4–8 Écurie Rosier Ferrari 500166/F2 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 Louis Rosier 1, 3–4, 8 Maurice Trintignant 1 HW Motors HWM-Alta 5251/52 Alta F2 2.0 L4 George Abecassis 1 Peter Collins 1, 3–6, 8 Lance Macklin 1, 3–5, 7–8 Stirling Moss 1 Paul Frère 3, 6 Roger Laurent 3 Yves Giraud-Cabantous 4 Duncan Hamilton 5, 7 Johnny Claes 6 Dries van der Lof 7 Scuderia Franera Frazer-Nash-Bristol FN48 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Ken Wharton 1, 3, 7–8 Écurie Richmond Cooper-Bristol T20 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Eric Brandon 1, 3, 5, 8 Alan Brown 1, 3, 5, 8 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 500375S* Ferrari 500 2.0 L4Ferrari 375 4.5 V12* Giuseppe Farina 1, 3–8 Piero Taruffi 1, 3–6, 8 André Simon 1, 8 Alberto Ascari 2–8 Luigi Villoresi 7–8 Enrico Platé Maserati-Platé 4CLT/48 Platé 2.0 L4 Toulo de Graffenried 1, 4–5, 8 Harry Schell 1, 4–5 Alberto Crespo 8 Écurie Espadon Ferrari 500212 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 Rudi Fischer 1, 4–6, 8 Peter Hirt 1, 4–5 Rudolf Schoeller 6 Hans Stuck 8 Alfred Dattner Simca-Gordini 11 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 Max de Terra 1 Leslie D. Hawthorn Cooper-Bristol T20 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Mike Hawthorn 3, 5, 7–8 English Racing Automobiles Ltd ERA-Bristol G Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Stirling Moss 3, 5, 7 Écurie Francorchamps Ferrari 500 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Charles de Tornaco 3, 7–8 Roger Laurent 6 Arthur Legat Veritas Meteor Veritas 2.0 L6 Arthur Legat 3 Robin Montgomerie-Charrington Aston-Butterworth NB42 Butterworth 2.0 F4 Robin Montgomerie-Charrington 3 Tony Gaze HWM-Alta 52 Alta F2 2.0 L4 Tony Gaze 3, 5–6, 8 Robert O'Brien Simca-Gordini 15 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 Robert O'Brien 3 Peter Whitehead AltaFerrari F2125/F2 Alta F2 2.0 L4Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 Peter Whitehead 4–5, 8 Graham Whitehead 5 Escuderia Bandeirantes Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 Philippe Étancelin 4 Gino Bianco 5–8 Eitel Cantoni 5–6, 8 Chico Landi 7–8 Jan Flinterman 7 Écurie Belge Simca-Gordini 15 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 Johnny Claes 4–5 Paul Frère 7 Scuderia Marzotto Ferrari 166/F2 Ferrari 166 2.0 V12 Franco Comotti 4 Piero Carini 4, 6 Archie Bryde AHM Bryde Cooper-Bristol T20 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 Mike Hawthorn 4 Reg Parnell 5 W. S. Aston Aston-Butterworth NB41 Butterworth 2.0 F4 Bill Aston 5–6, 8 Connaught Engineering Connaught-Lea Francis A Lea Francis 2.0 L4 Kenneth McAlpine 5, 8 Ken Downing 5 Eric Thompson 5 Dennis Poore 5, 8 Stirling Moss 8 Ecurie Ecosse Cooper-Bristol T20 Bristol BS1 2.0 L6 David Murray 5 G. Caprara Ferrari 500 Ferrari 500 2.0 L4 Roy Salvadori 5 Tony Crook Frazer-Nash-BMW 421 BMW 328 2.0 L6 Tony Crook 5 Marcel Balsa Balsa-BMW Spécial BMW 328 2.0 L6 Marcel Balsa 6 Fritz Riess Veritas RS Veritas 2.0 L6 ? Fritz Riess 6 Theo Helfrich Veritas RS Veritas 2.0 L6 ? Theo Helfrich 6 Willi Heeks AFM-BMW 8 BMW 328 2.0 L6 ? Willi Heeks 6 Helmut Niedermayr AFM-BMW 6 BMW 328 2.0 L6 ? Helmut Niedermayr 6 Adolf Brudes Veritas RS Veritas 2.0 L6 ? Adolf Brudes 6 Motor Presse Verlag Veritas Meteor Veritas 2.0 L6 ? Paul Pietsch 6 Hans Klenk Veritas Meteor Veritas 2.0 L6 ? Hans Klenk 6 Josef Peters Veritas RS Veritas 2.0 L6 ? Josef Peters 6 "Bernhard Nacke" Nacke-BMW HH48 BMW 328 2.0 L6 ? Günther Bechem 6 Ludwig Fischer AFM-BMW 8 BMW 328 2.0 L6 ? Ludwig Fischer 6 Willi Krakau AFM-BMW 6 BMW 328 2.0 L6 ? Willi Krakau 6 Krakau-BMW Eigenbau Harry Merkel 6 Ernst Klodwig Heck-BMW Eigenbau BMW 328 2.0 L6 ? Ernst Klodwig 6 Rudolf Krause Reif-BMW Eigenbau BMW 328 2.0 L6 ? Rudolf Krause 6 Ken Downing Connaught-Lea Francis A Lea Francis 2.0 L4 Ken Downing 7 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati A6 2.0 L6 Felice Bonetto 6, 8 Franco Rol 8 José Froilán González 8 Élie Bayol OSCA 20 OSCA 2000 2.0 L6 Élie Bayol 8 Piero Dusio Cisitalia-BPM D46 BPM 2.0 L4 Piero Dusio 8 Vicomtesse de Walckiers Simca-Gordini 15 Gordini 1500 1.5 L4 Johnny Claes 8 * Car entered only in the Indianapolis 500 race
Team and driver changes
The introduction of Formula Two regulations opened the door for many new constructors (although only a few of them were works teams): AFM, Alta, Aston Butterworth, Connaught, Cooper, Frazer Nash, Veritas and several more German teams who only entered the Nürburgring race. Alfa Romeo were unable to fund a new car and withdrew from the sport. Reigning champion Juan Manuel Fangio moved to BRM, while champion Nino Farina moved to Ferrari. BRM were preparing two V16-powered cars for the season, but the project was delayed. Driver Stirling Moss moved to ERA, while Fangio waited until he drove the new BRM in June. He had entered a couple of non-championship races, before he crashed in the race at Monza and suffered a broken neck. After being treated in a Milan hospital, he spent the rest of the year recovering in Argentina. After one race in , HWM expanded their operations to enter the full 1952 season. Peter Collins and Lance Macklin were hired full-time, both men making their championship debuts, alongside several part-time drivers. Gordini driver André Simon moved to Ferrari, but only entered two championship rounds. The French team welcomed Jean Behra, who had just switched from motorcycle racing, and Thai Prince Bira. It took Maserati until the final round of the championship before their new chassis, compliant with the Formula Two regulations, was finished. They hired Felice Bonetto from Alfa Romeo, José Froilán González from Ferrari and Franco Rol, who had previously driven for them in .
Calendar Round Grand Prix Circuit Date 1 Swiss Grand Prix Circuit Bremgarten, Bern 18 May 2 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway 30 May 3 Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot 22 June 4 French Grand Prix Rouen-Les-Essarts, Orival 6 July 5 British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone 19 July 6 German Grand Prix Nürburgring, Nürburg 3 August 7 Dutch Grand Prix Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort 17 August 8 Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza 7 September
Calendar changes The Dutch Grand Prix was included in the championship for the first time. The French Grand Prix was moved from Reims-Gueux to Rouen-Les-Essarts for a year. The Spanish Grand Prix was scheduled to be held on 26 October but it was cancelled for monetary reasons.
Regulation changes Organisers predicted a small number of entrants for the 1952 season, so they decided that all races counting towards the World Championship, except for the Indianapolis 500, would be held for cars complying with Formula Two regulations. This paved the way for a more diverse field of competitors. Maximum allowed engine displacements were halved: Naturally-aspirated engines could be no larger than 2.0 L (down from 4.5) and compressed engines no larger than 750 cc (down from 1.5 L). Racing helmets were made mandatory.
Championship report
Round 1: Switzerland
For the second successive season, the championship's opening round was the Swiss Grand Prix, held at the Bremgarten Circuit in Bern. Ferrari's lead driver Ascari was absent due to his participation in the Indianapolis 500, so it was left to his teammates Nino Farina and Piero Taruffi to secure the first two places on the grid. Farina led from the start until he retired with magneto failure, leaving Taruffi to win his only championship Grand Prix and take the extra point for the fastest lap. Farina took over the car of his other teammate, Andre Simon, and was battling debutant Jean Behra for second place before both experienced mechanical trouble, Farina again unable to continue. It was, therefore, privateer Rudi Fischer who completed a Ferrari 1–2, with Jean Behra in third for Gordini. Ken Wharton finished fourth driving a Frazer-Nash, the manufacturer's only ever points finish.
Round 2: Indianapolis 500
As usual, the Indianapolis 500 had little bearing on the championship result, although regular Ferrari driver Alberto Ascari did compete, retiring after 40 laps. The race was dominated by Bill Vukovich, who led 150 laps before retiring. It was left to Troy Ruttman to win the race from Jim Rathmann and Sam Hanks.
Round 3: Belgium
Ascari returned to Ferrari for round 3 of the championship at Spa-Francorchamps, with Maserati still absent as they developed their A6GCM. The Ferrari cars dominated the weekend, with Ascari taking pole, the race win, and the fastest lap while leading every lap bar one. He was followed home by teammate Nino Farina, and Robert Manzon finished in third for Gordini. Jean Behra again impressed as he led the opening lap before falling behind the Ferrari juggernaut and eventually retiring after an incident with the third Ferrari of Piero Taruffi.
Round 4: France
Scuderia Ferrari dominated once again at Rouen, taking all three podium places. Ascari led all the way from pole position to assume the championship lead and achieve his fourth career victory, drawing him level with his teammate Nino Farina who finished second. Piero Taruffi finished third after falling behind the Gordinis of Robert Manzon and Jean Behra at the start. Manzon was the highest Non-Ferrari finisher ahead of his teammate Maurice Trintignant, who drove an older model.
Round 5: Britain
Although Ascari again dominated, it wasn't plain sailing for his teammates as Ferrari eventually dominated as they had done throughout the year. The Italian's third consecutive victory strengthened his eventually successful championship challenge as his main competitor, Nino Farina, failed to score despite taking pole position. The third Ferrari of Piero Taruffi dropped down to ninth at the start but eventually recovered to take second place, while a pitstop for new spark plugs meant Farina finished in the sixth position. It was a triumphant day for British cars and drivers, with Mike Hawthorn taking his first podium driving a Cooper-Bristol, while British cars and drivers occupied the other points-paying positions.
Round 6: Germany