Date 6 July 1958 Course length 8.302 km (5.159 mi) | Course Temporary road course | |
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Official name XLIV Grand Prix de l'ACF Location Reims circuit, Reims, France Distance 50 laps, 415.1 km (257.95 mi) | ||
The 1958 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Reims on 6 July 1958. It was the sixth race of the 1958 Formula One season.
The race was won by Mike Hawthorn driving a Ferrari; it was his first Formula One victory since the 1954 Spanish Grand Prix and would prove to be his last. It was also the last Formula One race for five-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio. On the final lap, Hawthorn eased up to let Fangio, running fifth at the time, finish on the lead lap of his last race. This turned out to be a blessing, as Peter Collins crashed on the final lap, allowing Fangio to secure fourth.
The race was marred by Ferrari driver Luigi Musso's fatal accident at the Muzione hairpin. His car hurtled off course and crashed into a ditch. Musso was thrown out of the car, was critically injured and died later that day at a hospital near the track.
The race is a prime example of the danger of Formula One at the time. Of the 21 starters, five would die in racing cars within the next three years. Musso died in the race itself, while Peter Collins would die in that year's German Grand Prix, Lewis-Evans would die at the Moroccan Grand Prix, Jean Behra would die in a support race for the 1959 German Grand Prix, and Wolfgang von Trips and a dozen spectators would die at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix.