FORMULA ONE & TWO AT REIMS, 1958 | It could never happen now.
Ian Burgess was a works Cooper driver but he had to borrow Cyril Atkins’ Cooper T-43 for the race. His steady drive saw him break away from Taylor/McLaren and finish 4th. Photo: Ed McDonough
In the 1950s and 1960s, F1 and F2 ran alongside each other and the quality of the F2 event was often as good as the Grand Prix. In the late 1950s, the two races would often take place on the same day, and many of the top drivers would appear in both races. Such was the case at Reims in France on July 6, 1958, when Formula 2 cars with 1.5-liter engines contested the Coupe International De Vitesse in the morning, followed by the Grand Prix De L’A.C.F. in the afternoon.
Frenchman Jean Behra dominated both practice and the F2 race with this Porsche RSK, which had been converted from its sports car form. It had run at Le Mans only a few weeks earlier and had been immediately quick. Photo: Ed McDonough
Eight Grand Prix drivers were entered in the F2 race, as well as the F1 event: Peter Collins, Roy Salvadori, Jack Brabham, Stirling Moss, Maurice Trintignant, Jean Behra, Cliff Allison and Graham Hill. The Grand Prix itself was remarkable for the return of motor racing’s most famous driver of the decade, Juan Manuel Fangio, who came back for one last race to see what he had been missing. This would truly be his last race; his retirement would be permanent though he would make many popular personal appearances at races for almost another 40 years. The Reims race would also prove to be the last race for another top driver, but for much more tragic reasons.
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