1956 Argentine Grand Prix

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  1956 Argentine Grand Prix

Race details
Race 1 of 8 in the 1956 Formula One season.
Date	22 January 1956
Official name	IV GRAN PREMIO DE LA REPUBLICA ARGENTINA
Location	Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires
Course	Permanent racing facility 2.431 mi / 3.912 km
Distance	98 laps, 238.219 mi / 383.376 km
Weather	Overcast but dry
Pole position
Driver	Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari
Time	1:42.5
Fastest lap
Driver	Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari
Time	1:45.3
Podium
First	Luigi Musso Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari
Second	Jean Behra	Maserati
Third	Mike Hawthorn	Maserati

The 1956 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 22 January 1956 at Buenos Aires.

With the withdrawal of Mercedes from Formula One, Fangio and Moss would begin the season with new teams. Fangio would join Ferrari while Moss would lead the Maserati team. The grid at Argentina was completely composed of Italian cars. Ferrari and Maserati showed up with five cars each. The other three cars were Maseratis: two private entries and Hawthorn for the B.R.M. team.

Ferrari dominated practice and occupied the first three grid positions with Fangio’s pole time 2.2 sec faster than second. However, Maserati dominated the early race with Menditeguy and Moss leading the field. Fangio was a non factor with a faulty fuel pump. He took over Musso’s car on lap 29 and re-entered in fifth place. Fangio quickly passed Behra but lost his position after spinning. From laps 40-43 disaster struck the leaders. While third Castellotti’s gearbox broke, Menditguy left the lead with a broken driveshaft, and new leader Moss’ engine began to smoke. Fangio, who had gotten by Behra, passed the ailing Moss on lap 66 and finished unchallenged after Behra spun late. The race was not without controversy when the Maserati team manager lodged a protest that Fangio was push-started after the earlier spin. However, the protest was rejected by both the stewards and the F.I.A.

[edit] Classification

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1	34	Luigi Musso Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari	98	3:00:03.7	3	4 5
2	4	Jean Behra	Maserati	98	+24.4 secs	4	6
3	14	Mike Hawthorn	Maserati	98	+2 Laps	8	4
4	10	Chico Landi Gerino Gerini	Maserati	92	+6 Laps	11	1.5 1.5
5	38	Olivier Gendebien	Ferrari	91	+7 Laps	10	2
6	16	Alberto Uria Oscar González	Maserati	88	+10 Laps	13
Ret	2	Stirling Moss	Maserati	81	Engine	7
Ret	36	Peter Collins	Ferrari	58	Accident	9
Ret	8	Luigi Piotti	Maserati	57	Accident	12
Ret	6	Carlos Menditeguy	Maserati	42	Halfshaft	6
Ret	32	Eugenio Castellotti	Ferrari	40	Gearbox	2
Ret	12	José Froilán González	Maserati	24	Engine	5
Ret	30	Juan Manuel Fangio	Ferrari	22	Fuel Pump	1

[edit] Notes

• Pole position: Juan Manuel Fangio - 1:42.5
• Fastest Lap: Juan Manuel Fangio - 1:45.3
• Lap Leaders:
  • José Froilán González 3 laps (1-3)
  • Carlos Menditeguy 39 laps (4-42) (first career laps led)
  • Stirling Moss 24 laps (43-66)
  • Juan Manuel Fangio 32 laps (67-98)
• Shared Drives:
  • Car #34: Luigi Musso (30 laps) and Juan Manuel Fangio (68 laps). They shared the 8 points for first place.
  • Car #10: Chico Landi (46 laps) and Gerino Gerini (46 laps). They shared the 3 points for fourth place.
  • Car #16: Alberto Uria (44 laps) and Oscar Gonzalez (44 laps).
• Grand Prix debut for: Olivier Gendebien and Gerino Gerini. Only Grand Prix appearance for Oscar González.
• Last Grand Prix appearance for: Chico Landi and Alberto Uria.
• Career Firsts: Luigi Musso (win); Olivier Gendebien, Gerino Gerini, and Chico Landi (points).

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