Argentine GP 1960

Argentine GP, 1960

With the rear-engined British cars having been so competitive in 1959, Ferrari began working on a similar idea but began the 1960 season with the old Ferrari Dino 246s. Colin Chapman of Lotus also followed the trend.

The Argentine race was later than usual but the cars were still largely old ones. The only major change was the recruitment of Graham Hill by BRM.

Stirling Moss was on pole position in Buenos Aires in his Rob Walker Cooper-Climax with Team Lotus driver Innes Ireland alongside, although he had been 1.6secs slower in qualifying. Completing the four-man front row were the BRMs of Hill and Jo Bonnier.

At the start Ireland made a fantastic start and had a good lead at the end of the first lap over Bonnier, Graham Hill and Phil Hill, who had started from the second row in his Ferrari Dino 246. Moss made a poor start and was eighth at the end of the first lap. On the second lap Ireland spun. As he was doing this Moss was driving a blinding lap, passing the Cooper of Carlos Menditeguy, Froilan Gonzalez's Ferrari, Jack Brabham's Cooper, Hill's Ferrari and Ireland's Lotus to run third behind G Hill and Bonnier. Moss passed Hill on lap 10 and took the lead from Bonnier five laps later. The recovering Ireland also made dramatic progress, passing Brabham and G Hill to run third on lap 18.

Bonnier attacked Moss for the lead and retook it on lap 21 but 15 laps later Stirling was back ahead. On lap 42 he went out with a broken suspension. Bonnier was left nearly a lap ahead of everyone. Ireland was promoted to second but both G Hill and Brabham retired and so Bruce McLaren was third.

With 12 laps to go Bonnier suffered engine trouble and Ireland went into the lead only to have his gear-linkage jam and so he too slipped back leaving McLaren to win. Cliff Allison was second for Ferrari while Moss took over Maurice's Trintigant's car to take third.

POSNODRIVERENTRANTLAPSTIME/RETIREMENTQUAL POS
1 16 Bruce McLaren Cooper-Climax T51 80 2h17m49.500s  13 
2 24 Cliff Allison Ferrari D246 80 2h18m15.800s  7 
3= 38 Maurice Trintignant Cooper-Climax T51   8 
3= 38 Stirling Moss Cooper-Climax T51 80 2h18m26.400s   
4 6 Carlos Menditeguy Cooper-Maserati T51 80 2h18m42.800s  12 
5 30 Wolfgang von Trips Ferrari D246 79  5 
6 20 Innes Ireland Lotus-Climax 18 79  2 
7 40 Jo Bonnier BRM P25 79  4 
8 26 Phil Hill Ferrari D246 77  6 
9 46 Rodriguez Larreta Lotus-Climax 16 77  15 
10 32 Froilan Gonzalez Ferrari D246 77  11 
11 4 Roberto Bonomi Cooper-Maserati T51 76  17 
12 2 Masten Gregory Behra Porsche-Porsche  76  16 
13 14 Gino Munaron Maserati 250F 72  19 
14 10 Nasif Estefano Maserati 250F 70  20 
r 34 Harry Schell Cooper-Climax T51 63 Fuel Pump 9 
r 18 Jack Brabham Cooper-Climax T51 42 Gearbox 10 
r 36 Stirling Moss Cooper-Climax T51 40 Suspension 1 
r 42 Graham Hill BRM P25 37 Overheating 3 
r 22 Alan Stacey Lotus-Climax 16 24 Driver Exhausted 14 
r 44 Ettore Chimeri Maserati 250F 23 Driver Exhausted 21 
r 12 Antonio Creus Maserati 250F 16 Driver Exhausted 22 
r 8 Giorgio Scarlatti Maserati 250F 10 Overheating 18