Season #4 in Formula 1: Ferrari again, Ascari again!

Season #4 in Formula 1: Ferrari again, Ascari again!

Despite the emergence of Maserati and the return of Juan Manuel Fangio, the Italian is defending his title

The fourth season in Formula 1 again offers us races in which the cars that meet the requirements of Formula 2 can also participate. For the second year in a row, the International Automobile Federation stops at such a decision because of the difficulties of most of the constructors to fulfill the regulations for Formula 1. The exception is again the American race Indianapolis 500, which again takes place under the rules of the American Automobile Association.

Season number four took place between January 18th and September 13th, 1953. Nine races are held, which once again pass under the sign of the dominance of Alberto Ascari and Ferrari. The Italian became the first driver to successfully defend his world title. In 1952, he won every race he entered except for the Indianapolis 500, where he was forced to retire after 40 laps.

In its fourth campaign in the world championship, Scuderia Ferrari is expected to face much stiffer competition from Maserati, whose ranks include 1951 champion Juan Manuel Fangio. However, the Argentine won just one of the races, while Alberto Ascari triumphed in five, leaving Fangio in second position in the overall standings.

This season will also be remembered for the fact that for the first time a race is held outside of Europe, with the exception of the Indianapolis 500. It is the Argentine Grand Prix that kicks off the campaign. However, it went down in history as one of the darkest races in Formula 1 history after Ferrari driver Giuseppe Farina plowed into the crowd and killed nine people. The race itself was won by Alberto Ascari and, to the disappointment of the home team, Fangio retired after 36 laps due to transmission problems. His compatriot Jose Froilan Gonzalez was still the Argentine representative on the podium after finishing third behind the Ferrari of Luigi Vijoresi.

After his troubles in the previous campaign, Bill Vukovich triumphed at the Indianapolis 500, but this time there are no foreigners on the starting grid, as they are focused on the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix in just 8 days. At the Zandvoort circuit, Ascari took his eighth consecutive victory in Formula 1. His team-mate Nino Farina remained second, and Fangio again dropped out due to technical problems.

History repeats itself in Belgium, but this time an accident caused Fangio to end his participation with a lap to go, despite starting from pole position. Once again, two Ferraris are in the top two positions, and the victory, of course, goes to Ascari.

In France, however, Mike Hawthorne reminds of himself and of what he showed last year, albeit with a not particularly competitive car. As a Ferrari driver, he climbed to the top step of the podium, followed immediately by Fangio and José Froilan Fonsalez with Maserati. Ascari remains only fourth after having problems at the start.

In Britain, these problems are left aside and "Silverstone" again brings luck to the Italian. Second remains Fangio, and third is Farina. Also finishing in the points were Jose Gonzalez and Mike Hawthorne, who failed to please the home team with a podium position.

At the Nürburgring, Giuseppe Farina took his first win of the season after preventing Fangio and Maserati from taking the win. Engine trouble ends Ascari's run, but he still takes one point for fastest lap.

After missing the Swiss Grand Prix a year earlier, the world champion with Ferrari is defending the title precisely at the track in Bern, where his team is more than remarkable. The first three cars belong to the Scuderia, and Maserati still has a lot of work to do.

However, it was done and at the end of the season Fangio took his first victory, suggesting that the next campaign will be even more competitive. This would hardly have been possible without the accident that took Ascari out of the race a lap before the end, but the Argentine still triumphed for the first and last time in 1953. He is followed by three Scuderia Ferrari drivers to show that Monza has its new tradition.

The fourth season of Formula 1 is once again dominated by Ferrari and Alberto Ascari, but trends for competition are creeping in. Unfortunately, this campaign was also accompanied by one of the biggest tragedies in the history of Grand Prix racing.

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