Grand Prix Of France

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28937, 3 July 1959, Page 14

Grand Prix Of France

The third round of the world drivers’ championship, the French Grand Prix at Rheims, will be held this Sunday. Stirling Moss has decided against driving the brand-new Vanwall in the race, and will lead the B.R.M. team which also consists of Joachim Bonnier and Harry Schell. With Moss joining the B.R.M. team for this race, Ron Flockhart has been dropped. In view of past experience which the British champion has had with B.R.M. — he had a dangerous spin when a brake locked on his B.R.M. a few weeks ago—his decision is somewhat of a surprise, but it must be remembered that he considers the B.R.M. the fastest Formula’ 1 car in the world at present. Moss apparently considers it worth his while to take the chance with the car rather than risk the new and untried Vanwall. He could not be expected to drive a Cooper on the Rheims circuit, which is a haven for the bigger cars, and in view of his decision to drive only British cars, there was no alternative but B.R.M.

Although information previously indicated that New Zealand’s Bruce McLaren had not had his entry accepted for the race, he will now take his place on the grid as third driver for Cooper. Roy Salvador! might have been expected to appear in the new Aston Martin after its brilliant performance at Silverston, but recent sports car commitments—the company’s cars won at Le Mans —have seriously curtailed development of the grand prix racer. Salvador! will drive a hybrid Cooper-Maserati. The favourites for the race are Tony Brooks and Jean Behra, in Ferraris, for this is a circuit on which the cars have done well. Last year Mike Hawthorn won in a Ferrari and also put up the fastest lap, and Moss’s Vanwall lacked the power to head the Italian car around the very fast course.