1959 German Grand Prix


The 1959 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungs-Straße in West Berlin on 2 August 1959. It was race 6 of 9 in the 1959 World Championship of Drivers and race 5 of 8 in the 1959 International Cup for [Formula One Manufacturers]. It was the 21st German Grand Prix and was only the second time the race was not held at the Nürburgring which opened in 1927, the year after the first German GP at AVUS. this is only official German Grand Prix in World Championship history not to be held at either the Nürburgring or Hockenheimring as a venue.
The race in the divided city, yet before the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, would mark the only time that AVUS would host a World Championship Grand Prix since the inception in 1950 of what is today referred to as the Formula One World Championship. AVUS had previously held the original German Grand Prix in 1926 though the circuit had held the Avusrennen a few times times in the intervening years and continued to do so after this for lower category formula racing cars and sports cars until the circuit officially closed in 1998, though it would never host a World Championship Grand Prix ever again. The 1959 German Grand Prix was held over two 30 lap heats of the eight kilometre circuit for a total race distance of 498 kilometres.
In a unique Formula One race format, first, second and third were all claimed by the same team, Scuderia Ferrari. British driver Tony Brooks set the second fastest practice time, and started from pole. His teammate Cliff Allison was 0.1 quicker at 2:05.8, but only a reserve entrant in the 4th Ferrari. When allowed to start after two Formula 2 Porsches withdrew after the fatal crash of Jean Behra, it was only from the back of the field. Brooks won on aggregate, ahead of American teammates Dan Gurney and Phil Hill. All three drove Ferrari Dino 246s.

Race report

The simplistic track consisted of two very longs straight down either side of a dual carriageway, punctuated at the Southern end by a hairpin and at the Northern by a steep banking made of bricks. AVUS was perhaps the fastest motor racing circuit in the world at the time- it was even faster than the Indianapolis oval which did not require hard braking. Tony Brooks started from pole position and then beat his practice time with the fastest lap, at average speed of 149 mph - extremely fast for Formula One at the time.
Also uniquely in Formula One World Championship history, the race was divided into two heats, due to safety concerns about tire wear, having only left turns. In the first, Tony Brooks and Dan Gurney took the lead. Masten Gregory in the Cooper-Climax battled hard with them, passing first one Ferrari then the other as the lead changed hands until a big end bolt broke. It was a Ferrari 1-2-3 with Phil Hill taking the final podium place. In the second heat, once again the Ferraris had a duel at the front, this time with Bruce McLaren until he suffered transfer gear problems. On aggregate placings, it was an all-Ferrari podium in the order Brooks, Gurney, Hill. Maurice Trintignant was fourth from Jo Bonnier and Ian Burgess. This was the fastest Formula One race recorded at this time, with an average speed of 143.3 miles per hour. Hans Herrmann crashed his BRM P25 five laps into the second heat. In the approach to the southern turn he struck hay bales and rolled his car, but was thrown clear and sent sliding down the track. While the car was destroyed, Herrmann escaped unscathed. Because of this incredible luck Herrmann got his nickname 'Hans im Glück'.
Former Ferrari driver Frenchman Jean Behra was due to race his Behra-Porsche Special in the Grand Prix but Behra was killed the day before racing a Porsche RSK in the Formula 2 support race at the same venue.
The results show evidence of the inconsistency with which rules were applied in this era. According to Formula One rules of the day, those drivers who retired before the end of the Grand Prix should only be classified if they pushed the car over the line after the finish. This rule was not applied to Harry Schell, who retired some 11 laps before the end. However, the rule was applied in other races, such as the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix. The rules were later clarified in 1966.
Brooks' win allowed him to close to within four points of championship leader, Australian Cooper racer Jack Brabham.

Classification

Race

Heat 1


Pos. No. Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid
1 4 United Kingdom Tony Brooks Italy Ferrari 30 1:03:17.6 1
2 6 United States Dan Gurney Italy Ferrari 30 +1.3 3
3 5 United States Phil Hill Italy Ferrari 30 +1:04.5 6
4 2 New Zealand Bruce McLaren United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 29 +1 Lap 9
5 10 United States Harry Schell United Kingdom BRM 29 +1 Lap 8
6 8 France Maurice Trintignant United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 29 +1 Lap 12
7 9 Sweden Jo Bonnier United Kingdom BRM 29 +1 Lap 7
8 11 Germany Hans Herrmann United Kingdom BRM 29 +1 Lap 11
9 18 United Kingdom Ian Burgess United Kingdom Cooper-Maserati 28 +2 Laps 9
Ret 3 United States Masten Gregory United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 23 Engine 5
Ret 1 Australia Jack Brabham United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 15 Transmission 4
Ret 16 United Kingdom Graham Hill United Kingdom Lotus-Climax 10 Gearbox 10
Ret 15 United Kingdom Innes Ireland United Kingdom Lotus-Climax 7 Crown wheel/pinion 13
Ret 17 United Kingdom Cliff Allison Italy Ferrari 2 Clutch 14
Ret 7 United Kingdom Stirling Moss United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 1 Transmission 2

Heat 2

After a break for tire changes and minor servicing, the nine cars that remained were lined up on the grid in finishing order of the first heat. 

Pos. No. Driver Constructor Laps Time/Retired Grid
1 4 United Kingdom Tony Brooks Italy Ferrari 30 1:06:14.0 1
2 5 United States Phil Hill Italy Ferrari 30 +0.3 3
3 6 United States Dan Gurney Italy Ferrari 30 +0.6 2
4 8 France Maurice Trintignant United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 30 +18.4 6
5 9 Sweden Jo Bonnier United Kingdom BRM 29 +1 Lap 7
6 18 United Kingdom Ian Burgess United Kingdom Cooper-Maserati 28 +2 Laps 9
7 10 United States Harry Schell United Kingdom BRM 20 +10 Laps 5
Ret 2 New Zealand Bruce McLaren United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 6 Transmission 4
Ret 11 Germany Hans Herrmann United Kingdom BRM 6 Accident 8

Aggregate

;Notes
  • – Includes 1 point for fastest lap

Championship standings after the race

;Drivers' Championship standings
;Constructors' Championship standingsNotes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.