1956 Belgian Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Country = Belgium
Grand Prix = Belgian
Official name = XVIII GROTE PRIJS VAN BELGIE
Date = June 3
Year = 1956
Race_No = 3
Season_No = 8
Location = Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Course = Permanent racing facility
Course_mi = 8.774
Course_km = 14.120
Distance_laps = 36
Distance_mi = 315.855
Distance_km = 508.320
Weather = Wet and overcast, later drying
Pole_Driver = Juan Manuel Fangio
Pole_Team = Ferrari
Pole_Time = 4:09.8
Pole_Country = Argentina
Fast_Driver = Stirling Moss
Fast_Team = Maserati
Fast_Time = 4:14.7
Fast_L

Fast_Country = United Kingdom
First_Driver = Peter Collins
First_Team = Ferrari
First_Country = United Kingdom
Second_Driver = Paul Frere
Second_Team = Ferrari
Second_Country= Belgium
Third_Driver = Cesare Perdisa
flagicon|United Kingdom Stirling Moss
Third_Team = Maserati
Third_Country = Italy

The 1956 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on 3 June 1956 at Spa-Francorchamps.

After the first day of practice on Thursday, Fangio was on pole with a time almost 5 sec faster than second place Moss. These times wouldn’t be touched with wet conditions on Friday and windy conditions on Saturday.

It was raining when the race began and Fangio made a poor start and settled in fifth with Moss well in the lead. But by lap 3 Fangio would be in second having passed Behra, Collins, and then Castellotti. By the fifth lap he was in the lead and had opened up an 8 second lead on Moss by lap 10 with Collins third on a drying track. Collins took second when Moss lost a back wheel on the climb after the Eau Rouge bridge. He was able to safely stop and sprint back to the pits and take over Perdisa’s car. He resumed in sixth but a lap down to the leaders. Collins took the lead for good when Fangio lost his transmission on lap 24. A tight battle for second between Behra and Frere ended when Behra’s engine began to misfire. This allowed Moss to move to third as he had passed Schell earlier. Moss ended the race on a furious pace but the two leaders were too far ahead to make up the gap.

Classification

Notes

* Pole position: Juan Manuel Fangio - 4:09.8
* Fastest L
Stirling Moss - 4:14.7
* Lap Leaders: Stirling Moss 4 laps (1-4); Juan Manuel Fangio 19 laps (5-23); Peter Collins 13 laps (24-36).
* Only Grand Prix appearance for Piero Scotti.
* Last Grand Prix appearance for: Paul Frere.
* Career Firsts: Peter Collins (win and laps led); Harry Schell (points); Paul Frere (podium).
* Car 34 Perdina ((13 laps)) and Moss ((23 laps))

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Belgian Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1956
Previous_race_in_season = 1956 Indianapolis 500
Next_race_in_season = 1956 French Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1955 Belgian Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1958 Belgian Grand Prix