1953 Formula One season
It was marred by an accident involving 1950 champion Nino Farina, who crashed into an unprotected crowd, killing nine spectators.
Alberto Ascari and Ferrari had dominated 1952, but Juan Manuel Fangio, the 1951 champion returning after a year away, at the new Maserati works team were expected to put up a good fight.
Ascari qualified on pole position, ahead of Fangio and Ferrari teammates Luigi Villoresi and Nino Farina.
At least nine people were killed, which became ten when a panic ensued, a little boy ran unto the track and he was hit by the Cooper of Alan Brown.
The race continued, Fangio retired with a broken transmission and Ascari finished a lap ahead of Villoresi and Maserati's José Froilán González.
The Dutch Grand Prix, being the first round of the year in Europe, attracted no less than twenty entrants, and Maserati brought upgraded cars.
Still, the starting grid looked almost the same as in Argentina: Ascari, with Fangio and Farina next to him, and Villoresi and González on the second row.
Juan Manuel Fangio delivered and set pole position, ahead of championship leader Alberto Ascari and teammate José Froilán González.
Farina retired as well, leaving Ascari and Villoresi to finish 1–2, ahead of Onofre Marimón on his debut for Maserati.
The Ferraris were better through the corners, but the Maseratis had a higher top speed, and with two laps to go, Mike Hawthorn and Fangio were side-by-side over the line.
[12] At the British Grand Prix, the front row was divided between the two Italian teams: Ascari scored pole, ahead of González, Hawthorn and Fangio.
Ascari and González set the same fastest lap (measured in whole seconds), so they both gained an extra half a point.
Championship leader Alberto Ascari qualified on pole position for the German Grand Prix, ahead of Juan Manuel Fangio, Nino Farina and Mike Hawthorn.
On lap 10, he took over the car from teammate Luigi Villoresi, suddenly bringing the championship leader back to fourth place.
Farina, Fangio and Hawthorn could theoretically prevent Ascari from becoming champion, but they had to win all remaining races, while setting the fastest lap in at least two of them.
At the Swiss Grand Prix, Fangio scored pole position, ahead of Ascari and Farina, while Hawthorn started seventh.
This let the recovering Farina into second place, which became the lead when Ascari's carburetor failed and he spent 11 minutes in the pits.
On the very last corner, Ascari spun off into the grass, Farina went off the track to avoid him and, although the latter continued over the finish line, it let Fangio claim his first win since 1951.
