Alfa Romeo‘s Rudolf Caracciola had been one of the favourites for pole position and the race win, having earned a reputation as one of the most calculating and successful drivers in the paddock. But his charge to the front was short-lived, when in the first practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, the German locked his front wheels and plowed into a concrete balustrade – breaking his legs on impact.
This left Bugatti’s Achille Varzi and hometown favourite Louis Chiron to take centre stage – the former coming out on top. Around Monaco’s tight and twisted streets, Varzi outqualified the rest of the field by a second – his lap (2min 2sec) being set on a drying track during the final practice session of the weekend.
In familiar fashion to a modern Monaco Grand Prix, pole-winner Varzi went on to win the race itself after a heated duel with Tazio Nuvolari.
Timed qualifying was here to stay.
Eugenio Castellotti
1955 Belgian Grand Prix
In an era of Mercedes dominance, led by the all-star duo of Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, it was rare that any other driver would be deemed ‘the fastest’. But not so at the 1955 Belgian Grand Prix.