1955 Belgian Grand Prix

Previous race

At Monaco, Fangio and Moss ran 1–2 in the Silver Arrows until both retired — Fangio with a broken transmission on lap 50, Moss with engine failure on lap 80. With the lead apparently his, Alberto Ascari’s Lancia then missed the chicane coming out of the tunnel and crashed through the barrier into the harbour. Ascari swam free with only a cut to his nose. Maurice Trintignant, in a Ferrari 625 rated as uncompetitive, inherited the lead and took his first Formula One victory — also the first championship win for a French driver.

Championship standings

Trintignant leads Fangio by just over one point heading into Spa-Francorchamps, but Sweikert’s Indianapolis haul makes the American third in the standings — Sweikert will not contest any further rounds.

Between-race developments

Four days after Monaco, Alberto Ascari was killed while testing a Ferrari 750 Monza sports car at Monza. Burdened by serious financial troubles and now without their lead driver, Lancia has no works entry at Spa. Eugenio Castellotti, the team’s remaining driver, enters as a private entrant in the Lancia D50.