1956 Italian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Fangio leads the championship with 30 points, eight clear of both Collins and Behra, who are level on 22.

Previous race

Fangio won comfortably at the Nürburgring ahead of Moss and Behra. Behra’s fifth podium of the season lifts him level with Collins in second place.

Championship permutations

Collins can only win the championship by winning the Italian Grand Prix while Fangio scores three points or fewer — a result that, under the “best five scores” rule, would not count for Fangio — leaving both men on 30 points with Collins winning on countback. The fastest lap point could prove decisive.

Entrants

Wolfgang von Trips makes his championship debut with Scuderia Ferrari. He crashed in practice at around 130 mph, was thrown from the car, and escaped with scratches and bruises; the car was a complete wreck. The Ferrari team attributed it to the risks of a young driver in a fast car and did not recognise it had been caused by a tyre blowout.

Jo Bonnier makes his championship debut — the first Swedish driver to do so. Les Leston also makes his first World Championship start.

Practice

Fangio takes his sixth pole position of the season, ahead of teammates Castellotti and Musso.