1959 German Grand Prix

The 1959 German Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Automobil-Verkehrs- und Übungs-Straße in West Berlin on 2 August 1959. It was race 6 of 9 in the 1959 World Championship of Drivers and race 5 of 8 in the 1959 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. It was the 21st German Grand Prix and was only the second time the race was not held at the Nürburgring which opened in 1927, the year after the first German GP at AVUS. As of 2025 this is only official German Grand Prix in World Championship history not to be held at either the Nürburgring or Hockenheimring as a venue.

The race in the divided city, yet before the Berlin Wall was built in 1961, would mark the only time that AVUS would host a World Championship Grand Prix since the inception in 1950 of what is today referred to as the Formula One World Championship. AVUS had previously held the original German Grand Prix in 1926 though the circuit had held the Avusrennen a few times times in the intervening years and continued to do so after this for lower category formula racing cars and sports cars until the circuit officially closed in 1998, though it would never host a World Championship Grand Prix ever again. The 1959 German Grand Prix was held over two 30 lap heats of the eight kilometre circuit for a total race distance of 498 kilometres.

In a unique Formula One race format, first, second and third were all claimed by the same team, Scuderia Ferrari. British driver Tony Brooks set the second fastest practice time, and started from pole. His teammate Cliff Allison was 0.1 quicker at 2:05.8, but only a reserve entrant in the 4th Ferrari. When allowed to start after two Formula 2 Porsches withdrew after the fatal crash of Jean Behra, it was only from the back of the field. Brooks won on aggregate, ahead of American teammates Dan Gurney and Phil Hill. All three drove Ferrari Dino 246s.

The simplistic track consisted of two very longs straight down either side of a dual carriageway, punctuated at the Southern end by a hairpin and at the Northern by a steep banking made of bricks. AVUS was perhaps the fastest motor racing circuit in the world at the time- it was even faster than the Indianapolis oval which did not require hard braking. Tony Brooks started from pole position and then beat his practice time with the fastest lap, at average speed of 149 mph (240 km/h)- extremely fast for Formula One at the time.

Also uniquely in Formula One World Championship history, the race was divided into two heats, due to safety concerns about tire wear, having only left turns. In the first, Tony Brooks and Dan Gurney took the lead. Masten Gregory in the Cooper-Climax battled hard with them, passing first one Ferrari then the other as the lead changed hands until a big end bolt broke. It was a Ferrari 1-2-3 with Phil Hill taking the final podium place. In the second heat, once again the Ferraris had a duel at the front, this time with Bruce McLaren until he suffered transfer gear problems. On aggregate placings, it was an all-Ferrari podium in the order Brooks, Gurney, Hill. Maurice Trintignant was fourth from Jo Bonnier and Ian Burgess. This was the fastest Formula One race recorded at this time, with an average speed of 143.3 miles per hour. Hans Herrmann crashed his BRM P25 five laps into the second heat. In the approach to the southern turn he struck hay bales and rolled his car, but was thrown clear and sent sliding down the track. While the car was destroyed, Herrmann escaped unscathed.^[1][2] Because of this incredible luck Herrmann got his nickname 'Hans im Glück'.

Former Ferrari driver Frenchman Jean Behra was due to race his Behra-Porsche Special in the Grand Prix but Behra was killed the day before racing a Porsche RSK in the Formula 2 support race at the same venue.^[3]

The results show evidence of the inconsistency with which rules were applied in this era. According to Formula One rules of the day, those drivers who retired before the end of the Grand Prix should only be classified if they pushed the car over the line after the finish. This rule was not applied to Harry Schell, who retired some 11 laps before the end. However, the rule was applied in other races, such as the 1960 Belgian Grand Prix. The rules were later clarified in 1966.^[4]

Brooks' win allowed him to close to within four points of championship leader, Australian Cooper racer Jack Brabham.

^1 — Cliff Allison and Ian Burgess were listed as reserve drivers for the race. They were only allowed to start the race after Porsche withdrew following Jean Behra's fatal accident. Allison had set fastest time in practice but had to start from the back of the grid while Brooks was on pole.

Pos. No. 	Driver 	 	 	 Constructor 	Laps 	Time/Retired 	Grid
1 4 	United Kingdom Tony Brooks 	Italy Ferrari 	30 	1:03:17.6 	1
2 6 	United States Dan Gurney 	Italy Ferrari 	30 	+1.3 	3
3 5 	United States Phil Hill 	Italy Ferrari 	30 	+1:04.5 	6
4 2 	New Zealand Bruce McLaren 	United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 	29 	+1 Lap 	9
5 10 	United States Harry Schell 	United Kingdom BRM 	29 	+1 Lap 	8
6 8 	France Maurice Trintignant 	United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 	29 	+1 Lap 	12
7 9 	Sweden Jo Bonnier 	 	United Kingdom BRM 	29 	+1 Lap 	7
8 11 	Germany Hans Herrmann  		United Kingdom BRM 	29 	+1 Lap 	11
9 18 	United Kingdom Ian Burgess 	United Kingdom Cooper-Maserati 	28 	+2 Laps 	9
Ret 3 	United States Masten Gregory 	United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 	23 	Engine 	5
Ret 1 	Australia Jack Brabham 	 	United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 	15 	Transmission 	4
Ret 16 	United Kingdom Graham Hill 	United Kingdom Lotus-Climax 	10 	Gearbox 	10
Ret 15 	United Kingdom Innes Ireland 	United Kingdom Lotus-Climax 	7 Crown wheel/pinion 13
Ret 17 	United Kingdom Cliff Allison 	Italy Ferrari 	2 	Clutch 	14
Ret  7 	United Kingdom Stirling Moss 	United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 	1 	Transmission 	2

After a break for tire changes and minor servicing, the nine cars that remained were lined up on the grid in finishing order of the first heat.

Pos. No. 	Driver 	Constructor 	Laps 	Time/Retired 	Grid
1 4 	United Kingdom Tony Brooks 	Italy Ferrari 	30 	1:06:14.0 	1
2 5 	United States Phil Hill 	Italy Ferrari 	30 	+0.3 	3
3 6 	United States Dan Gurney 	Italy Ferrari 	30 	+0.6 	2
4 8 	France Maurice Trintignant 	United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 	30 	+18.4 	6
5 9 	Sweden Jo Bonnier 	United Kingdom BRM 	29 	+1 Lap 	7
6 18 	United Kingdom Ian Burgess 	United Kingdom Cooper-Maserati 	28 	+2 Laps 	9
7 10 	United States Harry Schell 	United Kingdom BRM 	20 	+10 Laps 	5
Ret 2 	New Zealand Bruce McLaren 	United Kingdom Cooper-Climax 	6 	Transmission 	4
Ret 11 	Germany Hans Herrmann 	United Kingdom BRM 	6 	Accident 	8 

Notes

• ^1 – Includes 1 point for fastest lap

• Notes: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.