Here is one of those classic images from Monaco, this time the start of the Grand Prix there on May 13, 1956. On pole in the shaded area of the main straight is Juan Fangio in a Ferrari-Lancia, with the works Maserati of Stirling Moss next to him and then another Ferrari-Lancia this one driven by Eugenio Castellotti.
There is some question as to whether these Ferraris were properly Ferrari-Lancias or the reverse. For sure these cars were more Lancia than Ferrari, having been turned over to Ferrari when Lancia closed down their racing efforts mid-way during 1955. On the other hand, they were being entered by Ferrari which was making some changes to the former Lancias, more and more with the passage of time and experience, so take your pick. Behind the front row are Jean Behra in a factory Maserati and Harry Schell in the quickest green Vanwall. Once again the field was limited to 16 starters so two other drivers, Louis Chiron who scattered two Maserati motors in practice and an ancient Ferrari driven by Giorgio Scarlatti were excluded from the start while the two BRMs went home after practice.
Although Fangio had been fastest in practice, it was Moss who jumped into an immediate lead and he was already well out in front at the end of the first lap. The three Ferrari-Lancias of Fangio, Castellotti and Peter Collins were bunched together behind Moss. Fangio then had a spin and spent the following laps catching up to the others who had gone ahead. At half distance Fangio’s car was damaged by a brush with the wall at the last corner, so his semi-wreck was given to Castellotti who had retired his car. Moss led Collins by over 30 seconds and soon Fangio was given the Collins car and took off after Moss. Although giving every effort Fangio could only close on Moss as allowed by Moss during the final laps and took second place 6 seconds back. Jean Behra’s Maserati came home third but one lap down on Moss and Fangio who set fastest lap.
Photo by Yves Debraine ©The Klemantaski Collection – http://www.klemcoll.com
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Klemantaski Collection 
I was there and remember well Fangio hitting the wal at the exit of Bureau de Tabac corner.
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