In the newsMay 1st - Rest In Peace: Mike Nazaruk (1921-1955)
American racing driver Mike Nazaruk was killed in a sprint car accident at Langhorne Speedway in Pennsylvania. He took part in multiple Indianapolis 500 races, finishing fifth in 1954 as his best result. He was also a participant on the second occasion when it was a Formula One race. Nazaruk was 33.
May 17th - Rest In Peace: Manny Ayulo (1921-1955)
AAA Championship Car driver Manuel Ayulo died in an accident during practice for the Indianapolis 500 race. The 33-year-old had finished second in the national championship last year with two race victories, and had been a regular competitor at Indianapolis since 1950. He was found to not have been wearing a seat blet at the time of his accident. He will be sorely missed.
May 25th - British team reaches top of Kangchenjunga
May 26th - UK: Anthony Eden's Conservative Party wins general election
May 26th - Nikita Khrushchev visits Belgrade
May 26th - Alberto Ascari killed in testing accident
The racing world is in shock as World Championship leader Alberto Ascari was killed in a sportscar testing accident at Monza, just four days after his maiden Grand Prix victory. Ascari had accepted an offer by his friend Eugenio Castellotti to drive his Ferrari sportscar at the Italian circuit, but for reasons as of yet unknown, Ascari lost control and crashed. The likable Italian died instantly, aged 36.
His racing career was certainly inspiring. After two seasons of hardships at Phoenix Racing Organisation, he decided to stay with the team and build it up as its sole driver, and scored multiple podiums over 1952 and 1953. After a rough patch in 1954, he finally seemed to have found the pace to challenge the very best in 1955. Sadly, just four days after finally winning his first championship Grand Prix at Reims-Gueux, Ascari was taken from the racing world, far too soon. Phoenix reserve driver Wolfgang von Trips will take Ascari's place for the foreseeable future.
May 30th - Bill Vukovich passes away in fatal accident; Bob Sweikert wins at Indianapolis
In a tragic turn of events, successful AAA Championship Car driver Bill Vukovich was killed while leading the Indianapolis 500 after getting involved in an accident with Rodger Ward, Al Keller and Johnny Boyd. Vukovich, who had won the race in 1953 and 1954 and finished third in 1951, was catapulted over the outside wall and into a series of flips. He was killed instantly, at the age of 36. Aside from his Indianapolis success, Vukovich also occasionally took part in Formula One championship events, most notably the races held at Sebring, with a best result of twelfth in 1954. He also competed in the Pau Grand Prix in 1954.
Following the tragic accident, Bob Sweikert won the race.
May 30th - Tunisia begins self-governance
May 31st - Railway strike causes "Emergency crisis" in Britain
June 2nd - Belgrade declaration: relations between USSR and Yugoslavia restored
June 3rd 1955, Belgian Grand Prix prequalifyingThe Formula One paddock reaches Spa-Francorchamps without a leader. Alberto Ascari is dead following a testing accident in Monza. The world of motor racing mourns his loss and that of Bill Vukovich in the Indianapolis 500 just a few days ago. But the show must go on. This weekend, up to 55 drivers were entered for the Belgian Grand Prix, but ultimately, the list was reduced to a slightly more manageable 49.
2. Helmut Niedermayr (Trod van Hoff Racing) - Van Hoff TVHR100 chassis 1, O.S.C.A. 156s engine 8
4. Ottorino Volonterio (Maria Teresa de Filippis) - O.S.C.A. F154 chassis 6, O.S.C.A. 156s engine 2
6. Stuart Lewis-Evans (Bernie C. Ecclestone) - Mercedes WM-2 chassis 1, Bentley 16VL-1 engine 8
8. Bernie Ecclestone (Bernie C. Ecclestone) - Mercedes WM-2 chassis 2, Bentley 16VL-1 engine 6
10. David Hampshire (Hampshire Racing Alliance) - Bentley Speed 4 chassis 8, Bentley 16VL-1 engine 10
12. Roy Salvadori (Hampshire Racing Alliance) - Bentley Speed 4 chassis 5, Bentley 16VL-1 engine 4
14. Hernando da Silva Ramos (Officine Renzo) - Alfa Romeo AR161 chassis 5, Alfa Romeo AR2V8 engine 3
16. Dorino Serafini (Officine Renzo) - Alfa Romeo AR161 chassis 4, Alfa Romeo AR2V8 engine 4
18. Cesare Perdisa (Officine Renzo) - Ambrosiana A-002 chassis 1, Ferrari 555 engine 4
20. Toulo de Graffenried (Ecurie Voeckler) - Alfa Romeo AR161 chassis 6, Jaguar JFE-2 engine 11
22. André Simon (Ecurie Voeckler) - Alfa Romeo AR161 chassis 3, Jaguar JFE-2 engine 6
24. Alfonso de Portago (Loyer Racing) - Loyer LR101 chassis 1, Porsche 755 engine 3
26. Roger Loyer (Loyer Racing) - Loyer LR101 chassis 2, Porsche 755 engine 4
28. Eugenio Castellotti (Porsche System Engineering) - Porsche 855 chassis 1, Porsche 755 engine 1
30. Jean Behra (Porsche System Engineering) - Porsche 855 chassis 2, Porsche 755 engine 2
32. Porfirio Rubirosa (ART-Gordini) - Gordini G-953 chassis 4, Gordini ART-004 engine 3
34. Consalvo Sanesi (ART-Gordini) - Gordini G-953 chassis 8, Gordini ART-004 engine 6
36. Robert Manzon (ART-Gordini) - Gordini G-953 chassis 7, Gordini ART-004 engine 4
38. Karl Kling (Rennkollektiv EMW) - Aston Martin AM-04 chassis 7, Jaguar JFE-2 engine 9
40. Roberto Mieres (Escuderia Hernandez) - Bentley Speed 4 chassis 1, FIAT 155 engine 1
42. José Froilan Gonzalez (Scuderia Anglo-Italia) - O.S.C.A. F154 chassis 3, Bentley 16VL-1 engine 2
44. Jacques Swaters (Scuderia Anglo-Italia) - O.S.C.A. F154 chassis 5, Bentley 16VL-1 engine 5
46. Peter Whitehead (Scuderia Anglo-Italia) - Bentley Speed 4 chassis 7, O.S.C.A. 156s engine 7
48. Stirling Moss (Scuderia Anglo-Italia) - Bentley Speed 4 chassis 9, O.S.C.A. 156s engine 9
50. Harry Schell (Geoff Richardson Racing) - Bentley Speed 4 chassis 11, Bentley 16VL-1 engine 11
52. André Guelfi (Ecurie Maghreb) - Lancia D50 chassis 2, Lancia DS50 engine 2
54. Desmond Titterington (Irish Racing Association) - Lancia D50 chassis 1, Lancia DS50 engine 1
56. Lex Davison (Scuderia Australasia) - Cooper T41 chassis 4, Jaguar JFE-2 engine 5
58. Peter Collins (British Commonwealth Motorsport Association) - B.C.M.A. C-01 chassis 1, B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin engine 4
60. Tony Brooks (British Commonwealth Motorsport Association) - B.C.M.A. C-01 chassis 4, B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin engine 1
62. Umberto Maglioli (British Commonwealth Motorsport Association) - B.C.M.A. C-01 chassis 3, B.C.M.A. A/AS Griffin engine 2
64. Bib Stillwell (Tasman Racing Alliance) - O.S.C.A. F154 chassis 7, Vanwall 254 engine 3
66. Lance Macklin (Reatherson Racing Development) - Ferrari 555 Chassis 7, Ferrari 555 engine 11
68. Jack Brabham (Alfa Romeo SpA) - Alfa Romeo AR161 chassis 1, Alfa Romeo AR2V8 engine 1
70. Giuseppe Farina (Alfa Romeo SpA) - Alfa Romeo AR161 chassis 2, Alfa Romeo AR2V8 engine 2
72. Tony Gaze (Alfa Romeo SpA) - Alfa Romeo AR160 chassis 1, Alfa Romeo ARV8 engine 1
74. Mike Hawthorn (Vanwall) - Vanwall VW55 chassis 1, Vanwall 254 engine 1
76. Dennis Poore (Vanwall) - Vanwall VW55 chassis 2, Vanwall 254 engine 2
78. Giannino Marzotto (Maria Teresa de Filippis) - O.S.C.A. F154 chassis 8, O.S.C.A. 156s engine 4
80. Tony Bettenhausen (Jaguar-Aston Martin Racing) - Aston Martin AM-04 chassis 11, Jaguar JFE-2 engine 1
82. Dries van der Lof (Jaguar-Aston Martin Racing) - Aston Martin AM-04 chassis 3, Jaguar JFE-2 engine 3
84. B. Bira (Jaguar-Aston Martin Racing) - Aston Martin AM-04 chassis 2, Jaguar JFE-2 engine 2
86. Maurice Trintignant (Jaguar-Aston Martin Racing) - Aston Martin AM-04 chassis 12, Jaguar JFE-2 engine 16
88. Kenneth McAlpine (Owen Racing Organisation) - Bentley Speed 4 chassis 4, Bentley 16VL-1 engine 9
90. Johnny Claes (Ecurie Nationale Belge) - Cooper T41 chassis 1, Jaguar JFE-2 engine 7
92. Alberto Uria (Scuderia Ambrosiana) - Ambrosiana A-004 chassis 2, Alfa Romeo ARV8 engine 6
94. Luigi Villoresi (Assasti Millanti) - Ultimate chassis 002a, Mercedes-Benz UM153 engine 8
96. Wolfgang von Trips (Phoenix Racing Organisation) - Phoenix PRO-4 chassis 1, O.S.C.A. 156s engine 11
98. André Pilette (Ecurie Nationale Belge) - Ferrari 555 chassis 8, Ferrari 555 engine 1
-Following de Filippis' injury at Reims, Ottorino Volonterio has been hired to take her place in Spa.
-A major shift happened between Renzo and Ecclestone, as Ramos was fired by the British privateer and promptly hired by the Italian mobst- I mean car dealer. As a result, Toulo de Graffenried was sent to Voeckler and Louis Chiron left out of a drive, while Stuart Lewis-Evans and Ecclestone himself will share driving duties in the Mercedes.
-Following the debacle in Reims that saw Paco Godia fired from the team and Consalvo Sanesi's car destroyed, Alexander Racing Team decided to resort to three cars for the foreseeable future, for Manzon, Sanesi and Rubirosa.
-After another failure to prequalify in Reims, Anglo Racing Engineering finally pulled the plug on their operation. At the end of the year, they will be merged with Alexander Racing Team.
-Rennkollektiv EMW finally make their first entry of the season, with Karl Kling in the car.
-Guidobaldi do not return to the paddock for this race, waiting until further along in the season to come back.
-Reg Armstrong will not be taking part in this race, leaving Titterington as the only driver representing IRA.
-After Macklin wrecked yet another car in Reims, Reatherson carry on to Spa with their sole remaining working car, taking a gamble on letting Lance drive it again.
-The works Maserati team have chosen not to make the trip, sticking to the more Southern races this season in an effort to cut costs.
-Following Jones' engine failure, Balkan Leader were unable to repair the engine on time, but will be back for Zandvoort.
-Ecurie Nationale Belge, on the brink of bankruptcy, have sold most of their equipment to Hernandez, but have been allowed to keep it for their home race, where a now sickly Johnny Claes and André Pilette will be driving. Due to health issues, this is likely Claes' final Grand Prix entry.
-Ambrosiana were unable to fix Luigi Musso's damaged chassis in time, leaving Alberto Uria as the sole driver representing the team in Spa.
-Luigi Villoresi will be the first man to drive Assasti Millanti's Ultimate-Mercedes combination.
-Following the tragic death of Alberto Ascari in testing, Wolfgang von Trips will have big shoes to fill on his Grand Prix début.
With 34 drivers making the start, 15 drivers will have to go through prequalifying.
Helmut Niedermayr
Ottorino Volonterio
Stuart Lewis-Evans
Roy Salvadori
Cesare Perdisa
Alfonso de Portago
Roger Loyer
Eugenio Castellotti
Karl Kling
Lex Davison
Kenneth McAlpine
Johnny Claes
Alberto Uria
Luigi Villoresi
Wolfgang von Trips
Musso's chassis will be repaired for the next race instead and we would like to enter Juhan in the A-003 again for Zandvoort
