Season Summary
Although the engine formula remained the same, minimum race lengths were reduced to 300 kilometres or two hours, and the use of commercial petrol became compulsory, in place of specialized alcohol-based racing fuels. The International Cup for F1 Manufacturers was awarded for the first time, but Ferrari's Mike Hawthorn won the driver's championship from Stirling Moss, despite the latter having won four of the ten grand prix to Hawthorn's one.
Rear-engined Cooper-Climaxes, entered by the private owner Rob Walker, shocked the establishment by winning two early-season races: Moss, driving for Walker in Argentina because Vanwall had not entered, beat the Ferraris by superior race craft, and Maurice Trintignant outlasted the opposition at Monaco.
Moss' teammate at Vanwall, Tony Brooks also won three races, his success in the Italian race, overtaking Hawthorn after Moss had retired, ensured the title went to the final round in Morocco. Moss needed to win, with a fastest lap and Hawthorn third or lower to win the title. With Moss leading, Brooks and team-mate Stuart Lewis-Evans attempted to hold Hawthorn in third, however both their engines failed – Lewis-Evans' tragically resulting in severe burns from which he did not recover. Hawthorn finished second to win his first title, his greater consistency and reliability, along with crucial points for fastest laps, giving him the title by a single point. Vanwall won the inaugural Constructors' competition, mere consolation following the events in Morocco.
Hawthorn retired after winning the Championship, but died in a road accident in early 1959. His death compounded a tragic season for Formula One, with four drivers killed during the year. Luigi Musso died in the French Grand Prix, Peter Collins a month later in the German Grand Prix – just two weeks after winning his home race, Lewis-Evans died in hospital following his fire in Morocco and Pat O'Connor died at the Indianapolis 500 (which, at the time, was a round of the World Championship).
Maria Teresa de Filippis became the first woman to drive in a world championship event. Reigning five-time Champion Juan Manuel Fangio, the dominant driver of the 1950s and one of the greatest of all time, competed in only two races as a privateer, retiring after the French Grand Prix.
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