The 1957 German Grand Prix is famous as one of the greatest ever; Fangio’s Maser 250F chase and defeat of Hawthorn and Collins in their Lancia Ferrari’s is the stuff of legend…
These two photos reminded me of that day and a car then in the Autumn of its long life as a front line tool. First raced in 1954, by the end of 1957 the 250F had finally won the world title it deserved albeit Fangio made it sing that year, not so sure the title would have been Maserati’s without the great Argentinian behind the wheel.
Behra’s 6th place at the Nurburgring is perhaps more indicative of the cars pace with a ‘mere mortal’ behind the wheel. Actually that’s not fair, the 250F was a top three or four car with a driver of Behra’s calibre in 1957, there was plenty of depth in the field though with the Vanwalls as well as the Lancia Ferrari 801’s.
German GP ’57 first lap; Hawthorn and Collins, then Fangio and Behra, works Lancia Ferrari and Maser 250F’s. Then Moss and Brooks in Vanwall VW57’s, look closely and you can just see the top of Musso’s helmet in the other Lanc Ferrari between the two Vanwalls then Gregory’s white Maser 250F and the rest (Klemantaski)
Have a read of my 250F article; https://primotipo.com/2014/08/21/stirling-moss-monaco-gp-1956-maserati-250f/
The opening shot I love, partially because of the time of change it heralds. The front-engined Maser with its wire wheels, knock on spinner cap, finned drum brakes and forged suspension components will shortly be supplanted by Cooper alloys, discs and fabricated wishbones. Moss won the Argentine GP in a Cooper T43 Climax 6 months later, the day of the front-engined GP car wasn’t over but it was on the approach.
The shot above is of Guerino Bertocchi, Maserati’s famous engineer/mechanic/tester trying to breathe some life into Behra’s 250F in the Nurburgring paddock also in ’57. Marvellous cars.
Checkout this Race Footage…
Credits…
Klemantaski Collection, Graham Gauld
Tailpiece: Bertocchi about to test Masten Gregory’s Centro Sud prepared, Scuderia Buell owned 250F #2534 at Modena in September prior to the 1958 Italian GP at Monza of course…
Masten raced #2533 at Monza, this car wasn’t handling well so he switched chassis.
World Champion in 1957, the Masers were make-weights in 1958, the best placed of the beasties that season in championship events were fourths; Fangio’s in Argentina and Reims, his very last GP start, and Masten’s car at Monza. For the record the best of the non-championship results was Jo Bonniers 2nd in the GP de Caen.
Finito…
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